Voice disorders increased 30% during the pandemic

Voice is an indispensable tool for human communication. The most common cause of voice disturbances is an inflammatory process of the vocal cords, which strive to increase the volume in the face of obstacles imposed by physical distance, noise from the environment or the cloth of the chinstrap.

To raise awareness of voice care and the importance of early detection of diseases affecting the larynx and vocal cords, World Voice Day is celebrated worldwide every April 16.

There are a number of symptoms that should be paid attention to as they may indicate problems with the vocal cords. Changes in voice quality cover a range of situations: “That it sounds different than usual or something more “hoarse”, what is known as dysphonia, that is, difficulty making sounds when trying to speak, and which can manifest itself as a more dull, airy, tight voice, with cuts, even the total loss of voice or aphonia,” said specialist Patricia Farías, doctor in speech therapy at the British Hospital.

There are also other types of “red flags” such as fatigue or tiredness during or after speech, feeling short of breath, pain and/or discomfort in the neck and shoulders when speaking, frequent clearing, discomfort when swallowing, ear pain after speaking, foreign body sensation in the throat and/or partial loss of voice or total, among others.

Although there is often the idea that voice care is reserved only for certain sectors, such as teachers, singers or speakers, Fabiana Wilder, head of Speech Therapy at the Hospital de Clínicas, warned: “Any change in the voice is an indicator for making a consultation and if these alterations last more than 15 days, requires yes or yes a consultation with a specialized laryngologist and speech therapist. It is not normal for the voice to become hoarse, dysphonic or for breaks to appear, neither in children nor in adults.”

The specialist pointed out that almost 30% of the general population suffers from dysphonia at some point in their lives and that in the case of voice professionals, this figure rises to 45%.

This situation was aggravated by the Covid-19 pandemic, since since its inception consultations increased by more than 30% in people between 20 and 60 years old, and to a lesser extent in the 65 to 70 range. Among the main reasons, Wilder included the restrictions implemented by the health emergency: “The communication dynamic changed. Because of the mask, clarity in speaking is limited and we have to make more effort to be understood. There are many patients who report a lot of discomfort: a feeling of dryness or a foreign body.”

In older adults, vocal disorders are associated with the situation of initial isolation: “With all the restrictions, older adults have not communicated, so there is a decrease in performance in relation to the non-use of voice,” reiterated the specialist at the Hospital de Clínicas.

What is the best way to take care of the voice?

“Knowing her and training her. Often the therapeutic indication has to do with becoming aware of what are the elements of the use of the voice in order to avoid future injuries and dysphonia. In general, benign pathology occurs due to the misuse and abuse of the voice, that is, high vocal demand and without a corresponding diagnosis and treatment,” Wilder explained.

“It is essential to know that if dysphonia or any of these symptoms or signs persist for more than seven days it is necessary to consult a specialist doctor. Many damage and injuries to the larynx are often associated with hoarse, harsh or aggravated voices and are usually minimized or normalized,” Dr. Farías added.

Diagnosis and prevention

The Speech Therapy Service of the Hospital de Clínicas de Buenos Aires will take place from Saturday, April 16, which will aim to provide more information about the main characteristics of the voice. An acoustic analysis of the voice will be carried out on the basis of the recordings received. To make the query you must send an email to dmvhospitaldeclinicas@gmail.com

“If there is any type of alteration we will make an indication and/or suggestion of steps to follow in relation to the characteristics we evaluate. It may be the indication for an early otolaryngological consultation, voice training or periodic monitoring depending on vocal demand,” explained the head of Speech Therapy at the university hospital.

For its part, the Larynx and Voice Area of the Otolaryngology Service of the British Hospital will provide an open and free online talk to raise awareness about the uses and abuses of the voice, ways to prevent diseases, damage and injuries of it, and special care when using the voice to work, among others. It will be held on April 22 at 7 pm and will be titled: “All Life with Voice”.

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