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Voice Care Center

Where everyone has a voice

Voice Treatments

In This Section

Program Details

Appointments
Treatment for Singers, Actors, and Other Performers
Treatment for Teachers, Clergy, and Other Vocally Demanding Careers
Voice Therapy

Care Guides

Additional Information

We see a wide range of vocal problems in people all across the life span. Our goal is to provide state-of-the-art voice care for everyone.

Anything that changes the way you normally talk or sing can be a voice problem.

The sound of your voice is created by a complex system of nerves, muscles, cartilage, and bone all working together. Subtle imbalances in this complex system can lead to voice problems.

Voice problems can result from a variety of medical conditions, medication, acid reflux, post-nasal drip and excess mucus, excessive coughing, inadequate hydration, voice overuse, or voice misuse. Often a voice problem is caused by a combination of these factors.

Some voice disorders are serious and complicated, but others are relatively straightforward to diagnose and treat. All voice problems can have an impact on your quality of life, and can change the way others see you, and even the way you see yourself.

Symptoms of Voice Disorders

Common voice symptoms that we treat at DVCC include:

Hoarseness
Raspy voice quality
Loss of volume or projection of voice
Loss of vocal range
Pitch changes
Increased effort with speaking and/or singing
Voice strain
Pain in the throat or neck

Voice problems can be subtle or more obvious. You may be so hoarse that you can’t be understood, or you may just notice that your voice feels tired at the end of the day. It is appropriate to have an evaluation for any of these complaints.

Voice Disorders Treated by Duke Voice Care Center

Specialists at Duke Voice Care Center treat the following disorders:

Evaluation

Because vocal symptoms may be related to a variety of medical, voice use, environmental, and dietary factors, a thorough evaluation by experienced voice specialists is needed to get the best outcome for your voice.

A team approach with a medical examination as well as evaluation of vocal function is necessary to reach an accurate diagnosis and to provide effective treatment for your voice problems.

Treatment Options

DVCC has expertise in voice disorders that are medically-based, neurologic, rheumatologic, arising from trauma or surgery, or related to pulmonary dysfunction.

For most voice conditions, treatment will likely involve a combination of medical management and voice therapy.

Sometimes surgery may be required to remove lesions that develop on the vocal folds (vocal cords) or to “bulk up” the vocal folds to achieve good closure for a stronger voice. The treatment plan for your voice disorder is always based on your needs and goals for your voice.

Surgery Options

Click a link to learn more about surgical techniques for treating voice problems.

Appointments with Voice Care Specialists

Call 919-684-3834 (local) or 800-385-3646 (toll-free) to make an appointment with a voice care specialist in the Triangle of North Carolina. We see patients from Durham, Raleigh, Cary, Chapel Hill, and beyond. Learn more about appointments with Duke Voice Care Center specialists.

Speech Pathologists and Singing Voice Specialist

Physicians

Physicians offering this service include:

Cohen, Seth M.
- Surgery / Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
Raynor, Eileen M.
- Surgery / Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
- Pediatrics / Pediatrics-Chairman Office
Scher, Richard L.
- Surgery / Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
Witsell, David L.
- Surgery / Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery

Locations

This service is available at:

Duke Otolaryngology of Raleigh
Duke Medicine Plaza, 3480 Wake Forest Road, Suite 404, Raleigh, NC 27609
Duke Otolaryngology, Head and Neck, ENT
Duke Clinic 1F, Yellow Zone, 40 Duke Medicine Circle, Durham, NC 27710