Speech Therapy Found to be of NO Benefit for Spasmodic Dysphonia

A recent study was published that has found that speech therapy had minimal if any significant beneficial effect on spasmodic dysphonia (a spastic vocal disorder) in a study cohort of 31 patients.

The study was divided in 3 patient treatment groups:

- One-third received no further intervention after botox injection which is considered standard of care in the treatment of spasmodic dysphonia
- One-third received a standard 5-week course of voice therapy after botox injection
- One-third received a 5-week course of sham voice therapy after botox injection

All patients regardless of treatment group experienced improved voice quality in response to botox injection.

However, patients who received voice therapy after botox injection did not experience longer injection effect duration or significantly greater improvements in vocal quality than patients in botox only or botox plus sham therapy groups.

Dr. Chang performs botox injections for spasmodic dysphonia every Friday afternoon.

Reference:
Combined Modality Treatment of Adductor Spasmodic Dysphonia. J Voice. 2011 Feb 2. [Epub ahead of print]

New Member Added to the Voice Team at Fauquier ENT

Please welcome Sarah Maines, BM, MM who recently joined the voice team at Fauquier ENT as a singing voice therapist and fills the place of Jennifer Sharp and Mark Greenawalt who have left. Sarah is on faculty at the Shenandoah Conservatory of Shenandoah University as a Doctoral Student of Musical Arts. She is a trained classical singer who performed as the First Lady in The Magic Flute with conductor Jan Wagner and director Daniel Helfgot. She sang Euridice and Donna Elvira in the Lexington Opera Society 2006 Spring Opera Workshop and Despina in scenes with the Kentucky Institute for International Study in Salzburg, Austria and with the Shenandoah University Opera Workshop program. Other roles Sarah has performed in opera scenes programs include Mélisande, Marie, Titania, Konstanze, and Adina. Her appearances as a guest soloist include Alice Parker’s Melodious Accord, Vivaldi’s Gloria and Britten’s Ceremony of Carols, as well as numerous jazz, music theatre, and cabaret performances.

Through her experience as a singing instructor and an active researcher in the area of voice, Sarah has developed a special interest in the biomechanics of voice production in disease and in health. Voice therapy sessions with Sarah include methods by Thomas R. Blaylock as well as Oren Brown and Joseph Stemple that help any voice user (not just singers) develop and maintain a strong, coordinated, and healthy vocal instrument.

Psychologist Added to the Voice Team at Fauquier ENT

Dr. Carmen Gonzalez is a psychologist familiar with how environmental stressors contribute to vocal quality problems. She is experienced in the use of hypnosis and biofeedback to enable patients with stress-induced vocal problems learn to manage and ultimately control their neck and voicebox muscles to allow for a clear voice regardless of the environmental situation. Her techniques are also helpful for those individuals that often experience a sore neck after prolonged talking.

Click here to see other members of the voice team.