Voice Therapy For Hoarseness: Learn How To Fix a Hoarse Voice
Sounding hoarse for a day or two after shouting at a concert or a football game is not a cause for great concern. However, if you or your child has been experiencing hoarseness for longer than two weeks, you will want to be examined by an otolaryngologist (ENT). The ENT doctor may recommend voice therapy to help you regain your voice.
This article will discuss voice therapy and how it can help fix a hoarse voice. We'll also provide some exercises and tips on reducing the risk of developing hoarseness in the first place. So, if you're looking for information on how to fix your hoarse voice, read on!
Key Takeaways:
Understanding Hoarseness: Hoarseness is a change in voice quality, often characterized by a breathy, raspy, or strained sound, typically caused by injury or irritation of the vocal cords.
Causes of Hoarseness: Common causes include smoking, allergies, acid reflux, excessive voice use, and infections like laryngitis.
Benefits of Voice Therapy: Voice therapy helps prevent damage, heal vocal cords post-surgery, and develop healthy vocal habits.
Voice Therapy Goals: Goals include reducing vocal fold inflammation, improving vocal function, reducing muscle tension, increasing stamina, enhancing breath support, and improving pitch and volume control.
What are the Causes of Hoarseness?
What Should You Expect From a Voice Therapy Evaluation?
What are the Goals of Voice Therapy?
How Long Does it Take to See Results of Voice Therapy?
What are the Causes of Hoarseness?
A hoarse voice is a change in the quality of your voice. Hoarseness may be characterized by a breathy, raspy, or strained sound. It may also make your voice sound softer in volume or lower in pitch.
The changes can range from mild to severe, affecting your ability to be understood. An injury or irritation is typically the cause of hoarseness. Voice disorders affect adults, teens, and children.
There are several possible causes of hoarseness and other voice disorders. Some common causes include:
Smoking
Smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke can be a significant contributor to hoarseness or other voice disorders. The chemicals in cigarettes and other tobacco products can irritate and damage the vocal cords.
Allergies
Allergies and post-nasal drip can cause inflammation of the vocal cords, which can lead to hoarseness.
Acid reflux
Acid reflux occurs when acid in the stomach rises into the esophagus, causing irritation and swelling of the vocal cords.
Excessive voice use
Speaking or singing for long periods can strain the vocal cords and lead to hoarseness.
Infections
Viral infections, such as a common cold, can cause hoarseness. Bacterial infections, such as laryngitis, can also cause the vocal cords to become inflamed and lead to hoarseness.
How is Hoarseness Diagnosed?
Hoarseness is typically diagnosed during an evaluation by an otolaryngologist (also known as an ENT doctor).
During the evaluation, your ENT doctor will listen for a hoarse, breathy, or raspy voice. The doctor will ask you questions about your medical history and symptoms and perform a physical examination of your larynx (voice box).
An ENT may perform a laryngoscopy to examine your vocal folds closely. A laryngoscopy is a procedure in which a tiny camera is inserted through the nose, allowing the doctor to see any swelling, redness, or other changes in the appearance of the vocal cords.
Your doctor may recommend voice therapy as the first line of treatment for a voice disorder. A speech-language pathologist specializing in voice disorders (also known as a voice therapist) is the best person to evaluate your voice.
What Should You Expect From a Voice Therapy Evaluation?
A voice therapist will evaluate your voice to determine the cause of your hoarseness.
The voice therapist will assess your vocal range, pitch, loudness, and quality.
They will also ask about your medical history and symptoms. Based on the information gathered during the evaluation, your voice therapist will create a personalized therapy plan.
What are the Goals of Voice Therapy?
The goals of voice therapy may be the same for adults and children, but the techniques may be different.
If you have a child going through voice therapy, you can expect them to learn how to use their voices safely and correctly. They will also develop proper vocal hygiene habits.
As an adult, you may learn how to use your voice in a more effective way. This can help if you use your voice often at work, such as if you're a teacher, salesperson, or lawyer.
You can also expect to learn to project your voice professionally and use proper breathing techniques. This can help you speak more loudly and for longer periods of time without tiring out your voice.
Some typical goals of voice therapy include:
Reduce Voice Overuse and Misuse
Voice therapy can help to reduce swelling and inflammation of the vocal cords or voice box by showing you how to eliminate or prevent harmful behaviors.
Improve the function of the vocal cords
Vocal therapy can also keep your voice healthy by teaching you to speak and sing more efficiently, reducing the risk of hoarseness.
Reduce Muscle Tension
During voice therapy, you will learn to reduce tension in the muscles of the voice box. The voice therapy techniques you practice can help improve your vocal loudness and reduce the risk of developing muscle tension dysphonia. Seek professional help from voice specialists to treat muscle tension dysphonia.
Increase stamina and endurance
Voice therapy can also help to increase your stamina and endurance, allowing you to speak or sing for extended periods without developing hoarseness.
Enhance breath support
A voice therapist can teach you specific vocal exercises to help improve breath support. Good breath support is essential for maintaining good vocal quality.
Improve pitch and volume control
Many different voice therapy exercises, such as Vocal Function Exercises (VFE), can help to modify pitch and volume. For individuals with Parkinson's disease, programs such as the Lee Silverman Voice Treatment program (LSVT) or Speak OUT! are designed to help improve vocal loudness and clarity of speech. A voice therapist certified in these programs conducts the therapy sessions.
How Long Does it Take to See Results of Voice Therapy?
Voice therapy is typically conducted once weekly for 4-16 weeks. Some people may need maintenance sessions after their initial course of treatment, which lasts 30-60 minutes.
Voice therapy is a process that takes time and effort to see results. You will need to be dedicated to practicing at home every day to see improvements in your voice.
Additionally, you may not see immediate changes in your voice after starting therapy. It may take several weeks or months of practice to notice a difference. But if you stick with it, you can see significant improvements in the quality of your voice.
Types of Voice Therapy Exercises
Your speech-language pathologist will teach you exercises to improve your voice during voice therapy. The exercises recommended to you may vary depending on the cause of your vocal problem. They may include:
Breathing exercises
Breathing exercises help you use your diaphragm to control your breath, which can strengthen and improve your voice production.
Resonance exercises
Resonance exercises help you learn how to use your mouth, nose, and sinuses to produce a fuller sound, which can help you speak with a richer, more resonant voice.
Resonant voice therapy exercises to improve your voice may include the Yawn-sigh technique, lip trills, humming, and straw phonation.
Voice projection exercises
Voice projection exercises help you learn how to use your breath and vocal folds to project your voice. These exercises may also help you speak with a louder, more consistent voice.
Pitch and intonation exercises
Pitch and intonation exercises help you produce sounds at different pitch levels, which can help you improve the inflection in your voice.
Stretching and Relaxation Exercises
These exercises, such as stretching and massage, are designed to decrease the tension in your throat.
How to Protect Your Voice
You can do several things to reduce your risk of hoarseness. Good vocal hygiene includes:
Quit smoking and avoid exposure to secondhand smoke to reduce your risk of hoarseness and lower your risk of developing cancer.
Avoid exposure to irritants, such as dust, fumes, and chemicals. If you can't avoid them, wear a mask.
Drink plenty of water to keep the mucous membranes in your throat moist, which can help to protect your vocal cords from irritation.
If you feel like your voice is getting hoarse, take a break from speaking or singing. Vocal rest will give your voice time to recover and reduce the risk of further damage.
When you speak, try to use a voice that sounds like you are attempting to tell someone something in confidence. A quieter volume will help avoid putting too much strain on your vocal cords.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is voice therapy the same as speech therapy?
No, voice therapy is not the same as speech therapy. Speech and language therapy focuses on improving communication skills, while voice therapy focuses on improving the quality of the voice. However, both types of treatments are performed by a speech-language pathologist.
2. What can an ENT do for hoarseness?
An ENT can evaluate the cause of your hoarseness and recommend the appropriate and effective treatment. Recommendations may include voice therapy, medication, or surgery.
3. Can voice therapists help with singing?
Yes, voice therapists can help with singing. They can help you improve your voice quality and teach you how to use proper breathing techniques.
4. What is Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT)?
The Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT) is a voice therapy program that helps people with Parkinson's disease improve the loudness and clarity of their speech. A certified LSVT therapist typically conducts the program.
5. Can vocal nodules cause hoarseness?
Yes, vocal nodules can cause hoarseness. Vocal nodules are growths that form on the vocal cords. They are usually caused by overuse of the voice. Vocal nodules can make the voice sound hoarse and cause pain when speaking. Treatment for vocal nodules may include voice therapy, medication, or surgery.
6. What Are The Benefits of Voice Therapy For Hoarseness?
Voice therapy can help you learn how to use your voice in a healthy way to prevent damage. Voice therapy can prevent vocal fold lesions, such as vocal fold nodules. Nodules commonly affect singers and people with high demands on their voice, such as teachers and attorneys.
Voice therapy is also used to help vocal cords heal after surgery. There aren't any downsides or risks to participating in voice therapy.
Voice Therapy Services with Connected Speech Pathology
At Connected Speech Pathology, our team of licensed speech-language pathologists has the experience needed to provide you with effective voice therapy. Our voice therapists are highly knowledgeable in the research and techniques specifically designed to treat voice disorders, including hoarseness.
All of our services are provided remotely via our secure telehealth platform. Numerous research studies have shown that online voice therapy is as effective as in-person treatment.
After your free consultation, your speech pathologist will start online speech therapy with a comprehensive evaluation and vocal analysis. We'll take the time to understand what's causing your voice issues.
A voice therapy program generally covers keeping a natural, long-term voice and maintaining healthy vocal behavior. You may also learn how to change your pitch, inflection, or tone based on your goals.
Learn more about our voice therapy services for adults and children.
Summary
Voice therapy is a valuable solution for addressing hoarseness and maintaining vocal health. By understanding the causes of hoarseness, undergoing proper diagnosis, and engaging in targeted therapy, individuals can significantly improve their voice quality and reduce the risk of future vocal issues.
Whether caused by lifestyle factors, medical conditions, or vocal strain, hoarseness can be effectively managed with the right interventions. If you are experiencing hoarseness, seek professional evaluation and take the first step toward restoring your voice today.
About the Author
Allison Geller is a speech-language pathologist (SLP) and the owner of Connected Speech Pathology. She obtained her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the University of Florida in Speech-Language Pathology. Allison has practiced speech therapy in a number of settings including telepractice, acute care, outpatient rehabilitation, and private practice. She has worked extensively with individuals across the lifespan including toddlers, preschoolers, school-aged children, and adults. She specializes in the evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of a variety of communication disorders including receptive/expressive language disorders, articulation disorders, voice disorders, fluency disorders, brain injury, and swallowing disorders.
Allison served as the clinical coordinator of research in aphasia in the Neurological Institute at Columbia University Medical Center in New York. She is on the Board of Directors for the Corporate Speech Pathology Network (CORSPAN), a Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT) certified clinician, and a proud Family Empowerment Scholarship/Step-Up For Students provider. Allison is passionate about delivering high quality-effective treatment remotely because it’s convenient and easy to access. What sets us apart from other online speech therapy options is—Allison takes great care to hire the very best SLPs from all over the country.
