Speech & Voice Therapy Q&A

Voice therapy is a type of speech and language therapy that focuses on rehabilitating your voice back to optimal functioning, whether your vocal problem is due to voice misuse or an underlying medical condition.

During voice therapy, you learn how you’re injuring your voice and how to change those behaviors. You also practice vocal or respiratory exercises to train and strengthen your vocal folds.

The voice therapists at Specialty Physician Associates are all licensed and certified by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). With their customized treatment plan, you’ll learn how to recognize signs that your voice is stressed. They also teach you about self-care to protect your voice, such as drinking plenty of water and how to maintain a moderate volume.

Voice therapy can successfully rehabilitate changes in your voice caused by upper airway, voice, and swallowing disorders, including:

• Age-related voice changes
• Vocal fold nodules or polyps
• Vocal fold paralysis
• Muscle tension
• Vocal tremor
• Spasmodic dysphonia
• Vocal fatigue
• Chronic cough

The experienced speech-language pathologists at Specialty Physician Associates also provide services such as:

• Resonance training
• Transgender voice care
• Maintaining a healthy singing voice
• Healthy voice care for professionals such as teachers, actors, and public speakers

If you have any concerns about your voice, whether it’s temporarily hoarse because you cheered too much at a sports event, or you have an ongoing problem with hoarseness, the team at Specialty Physician Associates can help.

Your therapy begins with a thorough evaluation of your voice, any underlying health conditions, and lifestyle habits that contribute to your voice problems. Then your speech-language pathologist creates an individualized plan that draws from numerous potential therapies.

Speech and voice therapy generally includes two therapeutic approaches:

• Direct Approach: The direct approach includes therapies that establish and maintain a healthy voice by manipulating voice-producing mechanisms, such as your muscles and breathing.
• Indirect Approach: This type of therapy focuses on identifying and changing behaviors and environmental influences that harm your voice.