Muscle tension dysphonia is a condition caused by excessive tension or misuse of the muscles involved in voice production. It can occur on its own or be a secondary issue resulting from other laryngeal problems. Videostroboscopic examination may reveal squeezing of the vocal folds or false vocal folds during phonation, an inability to fully view the vocal folds, or tense and high laryngeal structures. Treatment focuses on voice therapy techniques like stretching, relaxation exercises, massage, strengthening weakened muscles, and retraining proper laryngeal positioning and support.
Muscle tension dysphonia is a condition caused by excessive tension or misuse of the muscles involved in voice production. It can occur on its own or be a secondary issue resulting from other laryngeal problems. Videostroboscopic examination may reveal squeezing of the vocal folds or false vocal folds during phonation, an inability to fully view the vocal folds, or tense and high laryngeal structures. Treatment focuses on voice therapy techniques like stretching, relaxation exercises, massage, strengthening weakened muscles, and retraining proper laryngeal positioning and support.
Muscle tension dysphonia is a condition caused by excessive tension or misuse of the muscles involved in voice production. It can occur on its own or be a secondary issue resulting from other laryngeal problems. Videostroboscopic examination may reveal squeezing of the vocal folds or false vocal folds during phonation, an inability to fully view the vocal folds, or tense and high laryngeal structures. Treatment focuses on voice therapy techniques like stretching, relaxation exercises, massage, strengthening weakened muscles, and retraining proper laryngeal positioning and support.
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Muscle tension dysphonia is a condition that is associated with excessive muscular
tension or muscle misuse. In the past, this condition has been described as laryngeal tension-fatigue syndrome, functional dysphonia, and is now commonly called muscle tension dysphonia. This can be the only presenting diagnosis or this can be a secondary issue as a compensatory response to something else going on in the larynx, such as a weakness (paresis or paralysis of one or both vocal folds), a vocal fold pathology (cyst, nodule, or other vocal fold mass), having a virus, or even just having laryngopharyngeal reflux. Videostroboscopic Findings:
Your vocal folds do not close all the way
Squeezing of your vocal folds when you go to make sound Squeezing of your false vocal folds around your vocal folds when you go to make sound Inability to view the full length of the vocal folds Squeezing from the front of your throat to the back so you cannot see the front or back of your vocal folds ( we call that the Bogart-Bacall Syndrome) Normal laryngeal structures but vocal folds are held away from the midline during phonation (you can laugh, cough, grunt) resolves with therapy Bowed vocal folds-resolves with voice therapy Tense glottis and high laryngeal position
Treatment Voice Therapy
Stretching and relaxation exercises
Direct massage of compensatory muscles
Replacement of compensatory tension with abdominal support Digital manipulation and reposturing techniques of the larynx Laryngeal articulation exercises to strengthen weakness of laryngeal muscles
Effectiveness of Deep Pharyngeal Neuromuscular Stimulation Versus Thermal Gustatory Stimulation in Decreasing Length of Swallow Initiation and Improving Lingual Movements - Maria H Willis