Voice Therapy
Specialized care for vocal disorders, gender affirmation and more
Voice Therapy Can Help You Be Heard
Your voice is an important part of who you are. When it's not as healthy or strong as you'd like it to be, it can affect your confidence and your ability to speak normally. If people don't hear you the way you hear yourself, it might even affect your self-esteem.
Voice therapy at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) in Boston can help improve your voice quality and get the voice you want. The treatment is part of our speech therapy services. It may help you if you have a voice disorder or use your voice professionally. Gender affirming voice therapy is also available.
What To Expect with Voice Therapy
Seeing an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist should be your first step in getting your symptoms checked. Your ENT must refer you to our clinic for evaluation and treatment.
During your first visit with us, you’ll see a speech pathologist. The pathologist uses a special tool to create a series of images of your vocal folds, the main organ associated with voice production.
During your second visit, a speech pathologist will collect acoustic measurements of your voice. You may also take part in trial voice therapies. All of this is helpful in making a diagnosis.
Once we know your diagnosis, you typically have eight to 10 appointments with us. Most people with voice disorders don’t require surgery. But if you do, doctors may perform your operation before voice therapy begins after a few initial sessions.
When your voice therapy sessions are complete, you have a final voice reassessment. If a physician recommends it, you may also have a noninvasive procedure that examines your vocal folds.
More About Voice Therapy
You may benefit from several voice care services and treatments. Your specific needs will determine which treatments we recommend for you.
Care of the Professional Voice
If you’re a singer, actor or broadcaster, you depend on your voice for your livelihood. That might also be the case if you’re a teacher, salesperson, member of the clergy or other worker who frequently speaks to others. Our voice team has specialized knowledge and experience working with these professionals. They can help you optimize and maintain your voice quality.
Lee Silverman Voice Treatment
Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT) may be helpful if you have trouble communicating due to Parkinson's disease. You may also benefit from this treatment if other types of neurological disorders affect your speech. The treatment focuses on using increasing vocal volume (loudness) to improve your voice. It involves an intense treatment schedule over a short period of time.
Manual Voice Therapy
Voice disorders may be caused by, or lead to, muscle tension in your throat and upper body. Massage and myofascial release may help. These techniques can provide relief from throat discomfort, tightness and a sense that something is “stuck” in your throat. Sometimes, we also teach you ways to massage your own neck and throat muscles.
Pre- and Post-Laryngectomy Evaluation
Diseases such as cancer of the larynx (voice box) may require surgical removal of your vocal cords (laryngectomy). If you're recovering from this type of surgery, our speech-language pathologists work closely with you and your doctor. We provide education, training and support to help you adjust to new ways of speaking and to communicate effectively. Our services include counseling before your operation. We show you the various options for speech and communication following surgery and answer any questions you might have.
Artificial Larynx Training
We can provide you with a loaner artificial larynx after surgery. We also teach you how to communicate with it. When it’s time to get your own artificial larynx, we can share our expertise on selecting and purchasing these devices.
Esophageal Speech Training
After you complete radiation therapy, we can teach you esophageal speech. This is a technique that involves trapping air in your esophagus and then forcing it out.
Transesophageal Voice Prosthesis
A medical device that connects your trachea and esophagus is one way to restore your voice after laryngectomy. We can teach you about these devices and show you how to place and care for them. We’re also available to change your voice prosthesis when necessary.
Support
Living with a laryngectomy can be difficult. To make things easier for you, we can connect you to a local laryngectomy support group. We also provide opportunities for peer support. They allow you to mee with others who have had laryngectomy surgery and have learned to communicate successfully.
Transgender Voice Therapy
You might wish to change your voice to better identify with your gender identity. We work with adolescents and adults across the gender spectrum who are seeking voice training. Treatment begins with a comprehensive evaluation. It’s designed to assess the health and function of your voice box (larynx). It also helps us determine your communication needs. We address voice fullness, pitch and how your voice rises and falls when you’re speaking. We provide you with a private, caring and supportive approach to treatment. Sometimes this includes small groups of people with similar voice therapy goals. The groups provide an opportunity to practice.
Additional Services
Your therapy team coordinates your care with other specialty providers throughout our medical center. This ensures you receive comprehensive, streamlined care.
