Voice, airway and swallowing problems
Overview
Voice disorders are medical conditions involving abnormalities of the sound produced by the larynx, affecting speech production. These include: puberphonia; chorditis; and vocal fold nodules. Swallowing problems may be the result of brain dysfunction, loss of sphincter control, or narrowing of the esophagus. Treatment of voice, airway and swallowing problems are offered for adult and pediatric patients.
Specialty care
Treatment options
Voice Clinic
The SIU Medicine Voice Clinic is dedicated exclusively to the diagnosis, treatment and management of laryngeal and voice disorders. Services are available for people with vocal misuse and overuse syndromes, recurrent laryngitis, spasmodic dysphonia, swallowing problems, vocal cord paralysis, aging voice, cancer of the vocal cord, scarred vocal cords and benign vocal cord growths.
Services and Tests
Patients are seen by a laryngologist and speech pathologist with special training in voice disorders. Tests may include a video of the larynx, voice recording and interpretation, and measurement of airflow and pressure during speech. A complete physical exam of the throat and larynx is also done. The complete exam usually takes 45 minutes to one hour. Most therapy is completed within two months. Treatment Patient treatment plans usually include medication, surgery and/or voice therapy. Frequently, it is a multi-factorial combination of voice therapy and medical management.
