Do You need Voice Therapy?

Answer the following questions and keep track of the number of ‘yes’ responses.

1. Do you get frequent laryngitis? YES NO
2. Do you have a raspy, tight, breathy or gravely voice? YES NO
3. Do you “love to talk” and/or sing a lot? YES NO
4. Has your Ear Nose and Throat Doctor told you that you have tired, swollen or bumpy vocal cords? YES NO
5. Has your Ear Nose and Throat Doctor told you there is no physical evidence of voice damage, and the way you talk may be contributing to your voice quality? YES NO

If you answer ‘yes’ to 2 or more of these questions, you could benefit from voice therapy from a registered speech-language pathologist.

Care of your Voice

Here are some helpful hints for people who have strained their voices and are suffering from vocal fatigue.

• Do not yell, cheer or raise your voice.
• Do not talk louder than conversational level.
• Keep your voice light but do not whisper.
• If you sing, cut back on amount and loudness until your voice feels better.
• Do not talk more than absolutely necessary.
• Determine talking priorities, and let someone else be the “life of the party”.
• Try not to cough or clear your throat.
• Take sips of water throughout the day.
• Keep your environment as humid as possible.
• Take time out of for general relaxation.

The above measures are broad common-sense suggestions and are not a substitute for therapy.