What are Vocal Fold Nodules?
Vocal fold nodules develop due to trauma of the vocal folds. When you use your voice incorrectly over time, the vocal folds might become swollen. These swollen areas then become nodules that are sometimes called ‘soft nodules’ but as they progress they can be called ‘hard nodules’ and be harder to treat.
What are vocal fold nodules?
Vocal fold nodules develop due to trauma of the vocal folds. When you use your voice incorrectly over time, the vocal folds might become swollen. These swollen areas then become nodules that are sometimes called ‘soft nodules’ but as they progress they can be called ‘hard nodules’ and be harder to treat. They usually form a pair – opposite each other on each vocal cord. Occasionally a diagnosis of a nodule on one vocal cord is made, with only some slight swelling on the opposite vocal cord.
What causes vocal fold nodules?
Vocal fold nodules are typically caused by voice misuse. This may include shouting, screaming, singing or excessive use of voice over long periods of time.
When we use our voice ineffectively and develop habits that use too much force with our voices, this puts strain on the vocal folds. Nodules are common whose work involves using their voice for long periods of time. Typical jobs might be singers, teachers or actors. Due to the importance of communication in these jobs, a nodule affecting the voice can have a big impact on sustaining voice throughout the day. This can be very stressful when our voices are essential to our work and income.
What are the symptoms of vocal fold nodules?
You will notice voice changes such as a gradual onset of hoarseness, breathiness and an effortful voice with breaks.
When producing normal voice, the vocal folds meet fully together. When there is a nodule, this causes a gap between the vocal folds, resulting in air escape through this gap, and a subsequently breathy voice.
You may also have a lower pitch, experience throat discomfort and throat clearing. You may additionally feel some soreness in your larynx after using your voice for long periods.
How are vocal fold nodules diagnosed?
Typically an Ear, Nose and Throat Consultant puts a camera up your nose, called an endoscopy, to gain a view of your vocal folds. They will inform you of your diagnosis in this examination.
Can vocal fold nodules go away on their own?
In the acute stages, vocal nodules may resolve with voice rest alone. However, if it is due to repetitive vocal misuse, then Voice Therapy treatment will be required. Voice Therapy is first choice rather than surgery. If surgery is required, Voice Therapy following surgery to prevent reoccurrance is recommended. Online Voice Therapy for Voice is effective for treating nodules.
Can I have Voice Therapy with the NHS?
The ENT consultant will often refer you to a NHS Voice Therapist. We see people who have seen an ENT consultant privately due to a long NHS wait, or those that are waiting for an NHS appointment but are keen to get started due to the impact on their income.
Our UK based Private Voice Therapists are Clinical Specialists in Voice with a minimum of 15 years experience Specialising in Voice Therapy. Book a free 15 minute consultation or email us at thespeechnetwork@hotmail.com to enquire about our reasonable fees for Voice Therapy.
Can you fix a lisp when you an Adult?
Many people that we see ask us whether its too late to change their speech now they are an Adult. Adults we speak with many have low confidence because of the lisp impacting on meetings, presentations, dating and interviews. It may cause them to avoid some of these situations. Some avoid words with the /s/ sound.
Here we share a personal experience of one of our clients ; of the impact of the lisp and their experience of therapy.
Lisping is very common within adults, with varying levels of severity. Some adults who lisp are very self-conscious about it and it affects their self-esteem and confidence to speak, and impacts on their day to day life. They may place themselves under a great deal of pressure to avoid words involving /s/ and /z/ and may even avoid talking because of it. Many adults are keen to correct their speech in order to feel more confident when speaking both socially and in the workplace.
Every adult is different, and the process of therapy varies from person to person. Whilst some clients only attend a couple of sessions with an experienced Speech Therapist to learn about how to make the /s/ and /z/ sounds, others attend more sessions in order to generalize their /s/ and /z/ into their everyday speech. The initial session will inform us whether the lisp is due to your anatomy and in some instances, we may need to signpost you to other services for further investigation. Sessions cost 90 per session and most people book 1-3 sessions.
Here we share a personal experience of one of our clients in her 50s; of the impact of the lisp and their experience of therapy:
“Speech and Language Therapy might be seen as a luxury but it really shouldn't be because it's a necessity for many people like me. Communication isn't just about uttering words, but a person's ability to make others hear them and understand them. When you struggle with a lisp problem, even though you know what to say, you don't always have the confidence to speak up. As a child, I never put my hand up in school even though I had the answers because I was afraid the other children would make fun of me, which they did whenever they could to hurt my feelings. I avoided arguing with my siblings because whenever I was right, they'd resort to mimicking my lisp as a way to shut me up. I was a very bright student but I purposely sabotaged myself at some point in High School because teachers wanted me to take the lead too often, and I couldn't face people with my lisp. When it came to choosing my career path, I chose a path where I thought that people wouldn't make fun of me because of the way I pronounce my sss and zzs.
Character and personality always play a central role in personal development. Some people may be fine with a lisp and some others not. If you're someone who is uncomfortable with your lisp, then I recommend that if you're able to afford the cost, you should really reach out to the Speech Network. Alison, my therapist, has given me more than just confidence. She has also given me mind comfort - a safe place where I could simply try and see if I could speak differently. For me, it's really that - a safe place for both my mind and body to feel free to give it a try. So I gave it a try, and now, I can speak and enjoy what I sound like, and most importantly, looking at myself in the mirror, I like the way my face looks when I'm talking and my tongue remains in my mouth when I pronounce S and Z. I'm bilingual so I have to work on both languages at the same time, and I'm truly enjoying the process.”
Click on the contact us button to email or book a free consultation. We are happy to email fees on request.
What is Muscle Tension Dysphonia?
In most cases, Muscle Tension Dysphonia produces vocal symptoms without any actual physical damage. However, if the voice continues to be used ineffectively, it can cause changes to the vocal folds. Voice Therapy is an effective treatment for Muscle Tension Dysphonia.
What is Muscle Tension Dysphonia (MTD)?
Muscle Tension Dysphonia (MTD) is a change in the sound of your voice due to excessive muscle tension in and around the larynx (voice box). Muscle Tension Dysphonia produces vocal symptoms without any physical damage. Commonly, people will have had their Larynx examined by a Ear, Nose and Throat Specialist and have been told that there is no observable physical damage.
Muscle tension dysphonia may be caused by longterm ineffective voice use, voice overuse, irritants (such as Laryngopharyngeal Reflux) , infection or emotional stress. While the initial cause may go away, the voice changes remain because of the ineffective habitual voice use.
What are the symptoms of muscle tension dysphonia?
The most common symptoms of muscle tension dysphonia include:
Voice that sounds hoarse or strained
Voice becomes weaker and more effort the longer your voice is used.
Difficulty singing notes that used to be easy.
Pain or tension in your throat
Feeling like there is something in your throat that needs to be cleared.
How is muscle tension dysphonia diagnosed?
Typically, if you are experiencing voice difficulties, your GP will refer you to an Ear, Nose and Throat Specialist (ENT) for an assessment of your voice. Muscle Tension Dysphonia is diagnosed through the evaluation of your larynx using a camera in your nose to view your vocal folds.
What is the Treatment for Muscle Tension Dysphonia?
The treatment for muscle tension dysphonia is voice therapy to reduce muscle tension and focus on effective voice use. You are likely to require 6-8 sessions of voice therapy to improve your voice.
What does voice therapy involve?
Voice therapy involves
Bespoke voice exercises
Exercises to reduce laryngeal tension
Improving breath support for speech
Reducing harmful behaviours
Increase vocal stamina
Improving pitch and volume
Improving voice amplification
How long does it take for Muscle Tension Dysphonia to go away?
Most people require 6-8 sessions that they typically book weekly. It is very important that you follow the advice and complete the exercises given by the Voice Therapist outside of sessions to assist in your recovery from Muscle Tension Dysphonia.
Our UK based Private Voice Therapists are Clinical Specialists in Voice with a minimum of 15 years experience Specialising in Voice Therapy. Book a free 15 minute consultation or email us at thespeechnetwork@hotmail.com to enquire about our reasonable fees for Voice Therapy.
What is Aphasia Therapy?
There are two types of therapy – impairment and functional therapy. Impairment based therapy is usually repeated exercises based on your goals using books or apps. Functional therapy is the focus on real life goals that reflect your everyday communication interactions with others. This might involve training family members in supportive communication skills. As therapists, its important to work on both aspects to support your communication skills
What is Aphasia?
Aphasia is when a person has difficulties with their language (understanding, speaking, reading and/or writing) typically as a result of a stroke or brain injury.
What is Aphasia therapy?
Typically, Aphasia Therapy starts with an assessment of your language. Language can be complex so its important for us to identify your strengths, in order to improve the areas you find difficult. We used standardised communication Aphasia assessments that assess understanding, talking, reading and writing. We discuss the results of these assessments to help you and your loved ones understand your communication difficulties. We provide advice on the best ways to support communication.
Why is Goal setting important in Aphasia therapy?
Many of us set goals in our lives. It might be on new years day when we set a goal to stop eating quite so much chocolate, during sport or part of our working lives. Following a stroke, goals are shown to improve motivation and mood.
Goal setting is a process when we get to know what is important to you as a person, what you might be finding difficult and the impact of your Aphasia. We can involve partners in this process to make it easier. These goals might be remembering family names, using the phone to order a taxi or writing emails. We are all individuals and our goals are unique to each of us.
What is the best therapy for Aphasia?
There are two types of Aphasia Therapy – Impairment and Functional therapy. Impairment based therapy is usually repeated exercises based on your goals, using paper resources or apps. Functional therapy is the focus on real life goals that reflects your everyday communication interactions with others. This might involve training family members in supportive communication skills. It is important to work on both aspects to support your communication.
Does Aphasia improve with therapy?
The treatment for Aphasia is with Speech and Language Therapy. Research shows that Speech Therapy is effective for people with Aphasia following a stroke, compared to no therapy. Research also shows that Aphasia Therapy Online is as effective as face-to-face Aphasia Therapy. You or your family member need to understand to be able to engage in online therapy - we can discuss this further in the free consultation.
How can you help someone with Aphasia?
After an assessment, a Speech Therapist will be able to give you specific advice about the best ways in which to communicate.
Below is some general guidance:
Give the person plenty of time to respond. If a person with Aphasia feels rushed or pressured to speak they may become anxious, which can affect their ability to communicate.
Use short, uncomplicated sentences.
Do not change the topic of conversation too quickly.
Avoid finishing a person's sentences or correcting their errors.
Reduce distractions.
If you don't understand something a person with Aphasia is trying to communicate, don't pretend you understand.
Use visual references, such as pointing, gesturing and objects, to support their understanding.
If they're having difficulty finding the right word, prompt them – ask them to describe the word, think of a similar word, try to visualise it, think of the sound the word starts with, try to write the word, use gestures, or point to an object.
Our Speech and Language Therapists are Clinical Specialists in Aphasia. Arrange a free 15 minute consultation or email thespeechnetwork@hotmail.com
What is a vocal fold paralysis?
Frequently asked questions about vocal fold palsy
What is a vocal cord paralysis?
A vocal fold palsy or vocal fold paralysis is when one or both of the vocal folds do not open or close properly. In most cases, only one vocal fold is affected. Paralysis of both vocal folds is a rare and serious condition.
The vocal folds are two elastic bands of muscle tissue located in the voice box directly above the windpipe. When you use your voice, air from the lungs causes your vocal folds to vibrate between open and closed positions. If you have a vocal fold paralysis, the paralysed fold may remain open. The voice then becomes weak and breathy.
What causes a vocal fold paralysis?
The most common cause is a viral infection. It can be as a result of nerve damage due to surgery, injury or certain cancers. Neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease of multiple sclerosis can also lead to a vocal fold paralysis.
What are the symptoms of vocal fold paralysis?
Symptoms of a vocal fold paralysis are changes to a person’s voice. A breathy, hoarse or weak voice is common. Some people report difficulties swallowing and a swallowing assessment may be required by a Specialist Speech and Language Therapist in Dysphagia. Sometimes people become more breathless with exercise or find it hard to life heavy items.
Can vocal fold paralysis be cured?
Typically, damage is temporary and will improve over several weeks. However, the majority of people will require Voice Therapy by an experienced Speech and Language Therapist to improve their voice. Treatment is available via the NHS for free. We often treat people when there is no voice therapist available or they are waiting for NHS therapy. Online Speech Therapy for Voice is effective.
Our Private Voice Therapists are Clinical Specialists in Voice. Book a free 15 minute consultation or email us at thespeechnetwork@hotmail.com to enquire about our reasonable fees for Voice Therapy.