Voice Disorder Guide: Diagnosis, Types, and Treatment Options
Each year millions of people are affected by voice disorders. For those who rely on their voice to make a living, such as teachers, doctors, actors, singers, and public speakers, problems like chronic hoarseness and vocal fatigue can be devastating. There are many causes of vocal disorders and the underlying problem with many patients is often multifactorial. Vocal overuse, acid reflux, tobacco use, and chronic allergies are a few of the many potential causes of vocal dysfunction. In addition, any patient with persistent hoarseness should be evaluated to rule out laryngeal cancer, a condition where hoarseness is often the first symptom. Proper diagnosis of the disorder is crucial for appropriate treatment.
Vocal Cords In Motion: More Accurate Diagnosis Of Voice Disorders Possible With Digital Videostroboscopy
CornerStone Ear, Nose & Throat recently became the only practice in Union County, and one of only two practices in Charlotte, to offer digital videostroboscopy. This diagnostic technique is available at the practice’s office at The Park in Monroe. Vocal cord vibrations are too fast to see with the naked eye. Videostroboscopy is a state-of-the-art technique that provides a magnified, slow motion view of the vocal cords in action. This makes it possible to detect subtle masses, scarring, and deficiencies in vibratory quality. Digital videostroboscopy…
Raising Voices: Helping Patients Recover From Voice Disorders
Each year millions of people are affected by voice disorders. For those who rely on their voice to make a living, such as teachers, doctors, actors, singers, and public speakers, problems like chronic hoarseness and vocal fatigue can be devastating. There are many causes of vocal disorders and the underlying etiology is often multifactorial. Vocal overuse, acid reflux, tobacco use, and chronic allergies are a few of the many potential causes of vocal dysfunction. In addition, any patient with persistent hoarseness should be evaluated to…
Patient Profile: Curing Chronic Hoarseness
Doris Godwin suffered from constant hoarseness for over five years. The 80-year-old had been evaluated and treated in the past for laryngopharyngeal reflux, with no improvement in her symptoms. “I thought it was a problem I would just have to live with,” said Doris, “Then a relative suggested CornerStone Ear, Nose & Throat.” Doris was evaluated using the Kay Pentax Rigid Videostroboscopy system. A submucosal cyst involving the medial surface of her right vocal cord was discovered. “The cyst was preventing complete closure of her…
Finding Her Voice: An Outpatient Procedure Restored Patsy’s Voice After Vocal Cord Paralysis
Imagine opening your mouth to speak and your voice can’t get louder than a whisper. You can’t talk on the phone. It’s difficult to order food in a restaurant or even carry on a simple conversation. In an emergency, you can’t cry out for help. This is the world Patsy Blackburn lived in for seven years. After undergoing a left thoracotomy and excision of a small lung cancer in 1999, Patsy had experienced intermittent hoarseness and suffered with the progression of vocal cord weakness. While…
Breaking The Silence Of Vocal Cord Paralysis
Adult onset vocal cord (or fold) paralysis is due to abnormal nerve input to the laryngeal muscles. The associated nerves are the superior laryngeal nerve and the recurrent laryngeal nerve. The superior laryngeal nerve carries signals to the cricothyroid muscle. The recurrent laryngeal nerve carries signals to different voice box muscles responsible for breathing, coughing, swallowing and vibration during voice use. This nerve is involved in the majority of cases of vocal cord paralysis. Symptoms Adults suffering from vocal cord paralysis use a lot of…
Infant Hearing Screening Is Critical in Avoiding Impact on Speech and Social Development
Hearing loss is one of the most frequently occurring congenital disabilities, affecting approximately three in 1,000 people. Without early detection and intervention, hearing impairment in infants and young children can negatively impact speech and language acquisition, academic achievement, and cognitive and social development. It is a potential source of liability for the patients’ physicians if the problem is not caught and addressed in a timely fashion. If detected and treated, however, these negative impacts can be greatly diminished and even eliminated through early intervention. In…
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