VOICE THERAPY

Our Voice Therapists Come to You!

“Voice is the sound made by air passing from your lungs through your larynx, or voice box. In your larynx are your vocal cords, two bands of muscle that vibrate to make sound. For most of us, our voices play a big part in who we are, what we do and how we communicate.”

Voice therapy offered by The Speech Associates is unique. We combine speech science, hands on manual circumlaryngeal techniques for Muscle Tension Dysphonia and vocology to correct vocal fold movement to promote strength, flexibility and endurance of the vocal cords so that your voice can survive extensive vocalization.

Voice Therapy is based on the unique needs of each patient. A typical voice therapy program at The Speech Associates includes:

Voice Evaluation: consists of a comprehensive background history, perceptual, acoustic, and physiologic assessment. Objective acoustic and physiologic measures of vocal function using state-of-the-art clinical instrumentation serves as a baseline for evaluating the efficacy of subsequent intervention.

Patient Education: Using video and images, patients learn about the anatomy and physiology of normal voice production and the problems associated with voice production specific to their voice disorder.

Vocal Function Exercises : "vocal function exercises" refer to a series of exercises designed to strengthen the laryngeal musculature and to balance airflow, muscular activity and supraglottic placement of tone.

Manual Circumlaryngeal Therapy: hands-on manual laryngeal manipulation to address musculoskeletal tension for muscle tension dysphonia (MTD).

Lessac-Madsen Resonant Voice Therapy (LMRVT): This approach focuses upon achieving a specific configuration of the vocal folds and muscles immediately above the vocal folds by training the patient to respond to sensations of vibration in the face. This technique is commonly used in cases of primary or secondary muscle tension dysphonia.

Eliminating Abusive Behaviors : The voice clinician and patient identify behaviors that are maintaining the voice disorder and work to systematically eliminate or reduce them.

Perceptual Training : Patients increase their awareness of various parameters of their voice (pitch, loudness, quality, flexibility) and learn how to enable their voice.

Evaluating Effectiveness of Therapy : The clinician conducts ongoing perceptual and objective monitoring of vocal parameters to evaluate the efficacy of voice therapy.

Visual Biofeedback : Patients can be provided with visual images of their voice using a real-time Visi-Pitch program in order to help them modify voice production.

Treatment for the Aging Voice: A consequence of aging is muscle loss and change to the vocal cords which leads to a condition known as presbyphonia. Resistance strength training principles for the treatment of prevsbyphonia is used in voice therapy to improve vocal outcomes and improved voice-related quality of life.

For more information contact our main office at: 416 800 4259 for a consultation with a speech-pathologist or email us at: info@speechassociates.ca

info@speechassociates.ca

31 Prince Arthur Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M5R 1B2