Voice Therapy

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Whether you use your voice professionally or not, voice therapy can play an essential role in restoring and strengthening your voice. Duke Voice Care offers comprehensive voice therapy at locations in Durham and Raleigh. We are one of the few programs in the Southeast with a team of skilled voice specialists who have the advanced training and experience to ensure you receive the best possible care and return quickly to your normal voice activities.

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About Voice Therapy

Anyone can develop a voice problem at any stage of life. People who use their voices professionally -- such as teachers, coaches, clergy members, performers, and telemarketers -- may be more likely to have voice problems.

Voice therapy can improve your voice’s health, function, quality, and stamina. That's why it's often described as "physical therapy for your voice." You may be referred for voice therapy after a joint voice evaluation by a laryngologist -- an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) doctor with advanced training in voice disorders -- and a voice-specialized speech pathologist.

During voice therapy, your speech pathologist will create an exercise program tailored to your specific voice problem to help you get your voice back on track. It will take expert guidance from your therapist and consistent practice at home to reach your goal. You'll learn how to rebalance your entire vocal instrument -- for example, how to use breath to speak and how relaxing the throat can help you produce your easiest and best sound.

Voice therapy can also help you improve your voice if you experience:

Traumatic vocal cord (also known as vocal fold) injury
Vocal cord swelling
Vocal nodules, polyps, or cysts
Vocal cord paralysis
Vocal cord atrophy
Muscle tension dysphonia
Spasmodic dysphonia
Chronic cough and irritable larynx

Our Locations

Duke Health offers locations throughout the Triangle. Find one near you.

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Treatments

Vocal Exercises

Guided vocal exercises improve breathing, reduce throat strain, and help identify your optimal volume for strong, healthy speaking.

Laryngeal Massage and Myofascial Release

If appropriate, you may receive targeted manual therapy to reduce pain and muscle tension affecting your voice, which is performed by a speech pathologist trained in these techniques. Patients often experience dramatic relief of throat strain and discomfort. You may also learn stretches and self-massage techniques for daily use to reduce strain and support relaxed, healthy voice use.

Vocal Hygiene

Your speech pathologist will offer guidance on strategies that support the health and function of your voice, such as improving hydration, reducing misuse or overuse of your voice, avoiding throat clearing and coughing, as well as coordinating with your laryngologist to manage allergies, asthma, acid reflux, or other medical conditions that can affect your voice.

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Voice Rest

While voice rest is not the first line of treatment for most voice problems, it is beneficial in certain situations, such as acute laryngitis, after voice surgery, or in the case of vocal cord hemorrhage or bleeding. There are times when voice rest is recommended to give the vocal cords a break so they can heal from injury. Your laryngologist may recommend a period of complete voice rest, usually about one week. During this time, you can communicate by writing, sending emails or texts, or using a text-to-speech app on your smartphone.

Vocal Pacing

Vocal pacing refers to how much, how intensely, and in what situations you are using your voice. Some people may need to increase voice use to optimize vocal conditioning, while others may experience a worsening of hoarseness with voice use. Finding a balance between voice use and voice rest every day is important if you have a voice problem that worsens with overuse. This may mean not talking or singing for small amounts of time (10 to 15 minutes) at intervals throughout the day to allow your vocal cords to recover from vibration. If your profession requires you to use your voice a lot, it's also important to take longer periods of voice rest outside of work. Without these voice breaks, your vocal cords may be injured more quickly and heal slowly. Vocal pacing is challenging but sometimes necessary, and your speech pathologist will work with you to develop strategies for success.

Specialty Care for Singers and Professional Voice Performers

We work with singers of all levels, from those who sing for enjoyment to high-level performers who need immediate vocal health services. Singing voice therapy involves the practice of high-intensity vocal exercises designed to help you improve your vocal range, endurance, and voice quality. Our goal is to return you to your highest level of vocal performance, allowing you to continue singing and helping you avoid recurrence of the voice problem.

Consistently Ranked Among the Nation’s Best Hospitals

Duke University Hospital is proud of our team and the exceptional care they provide. They are why we are once again recognized as the best hospital in North Carolina, and nationally ranked in 11 adult and 9 pediatric specialties by U.S. News & World Report for 2020–2021.

Reviewed: 09/09/2020