• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.145-150
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• 2002

Background and Objectives : Patients with so-called 'functional voice disorders' who have structurally normal larynges and demonstrate muscle misuse in the larynx, and those with several interacting causes including habitual muscle tension, are probably better defined as having a 'muscle misuse voice disorder'. The purpose of this study was to analyze the voice and effectiveness of voice therapy in patients with functional voice disorders and to provide a guide for the treatment of functional voice disorder. Materials and Method : The records of 35 patients, presenting with functional voice disorder and receiving voice therapy during October, 2001 to September, 2002, were reviewed. Prior to voice therapy, the stroboscopic examination of their larynx, aerodynamic and acoustic analysis was done. The results of voice therapy were compared according to the patient's subjective, perceptual evaluation of voice, and maximal phonation time. Results : Patient's subjective, perceptual evaluation, and maximal phonation time showed superior results after voice therapy. Conclusion : The result of this study indicates that voice therapy is an effective treatment method of patients with functional voice disorder, especially muscular tension dysphonia.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.9-14
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• 2021

Spasmodic dysphonia, essential tremor, and vocal tremor related with Parkinson's disease are different disorders showing fairly similar symptoms such as difficulty in the speech onset, and tremble in the voice. However, the cause and the resulting treatment of these diseases are different. Spasmodic dysphonia is a vocal disorder characterized by spasms of the laryngeal muscles during a speech, invoking broken, tense, forced, and strangled voice patterns. Such difficult-to-treat dysphonia disease is classified as central-origin-focal dystonia, of a yet unknown etiology. Its symptoms arise because of intermittent and involuntary muscle contractions during speech. Essential tremor, on the other hand, is characterized by a rhythmic laryngeal movement, resulting in alterations of rhythmic pitch and loudness during speech or even at rest. Severe cases of tremor may cause speech breaks like those of adductor spasmodic dysphonia. In the case of hyper-functional tension of vocal folds and accompanying tremors, it is necessary to distinguish these disorders from muscular dysfunction. A diversified assessment through the performance of specific speech tasks and a thorough understanding for the identification of the disorder is necessary for accurate diagnosis and effective treatment of patients with vocal tremors.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.1 no.4
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• pp.195-201
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to use high-speed digital imaging (HSDI) to compare vocal vibratory behaviors of persons who stutter (PWS) and persons with muscle tension dysphonia (PMTD) for uttering the /i/ vowel in a bid to identify the characteristics of vocal fold vibratory behaviors of PWS. This study surveyed seven developmental PWSs and seven PMTDs. The findings of the study indicated the following: first, regarding the two groups' vocal fold vibratory behaviors, of seven PWSs, three were found to be close vocal tract (VC) and four were found to be combination vocal tract (VCB). Of the seven PMTDs, one was found to be VC, and the other six were found to be VCB. These results indicate that a voiceprint which is different from the open vocal tract (VO) found in normal groups in research conducted by Jung, et al. (2008b) appeared in both groups of this study. Even between the two groups, there is a difference in the voiceprint before vocalization. Second, a VKG analysis was conducted to identify the two groups' vocal cord contact quotient. As a result, the PWS group's vocal cord contact quotient changed gradually from an irregular one at the initial vocalization stage to a regular one. The PMTD group continued the tension at the initial vocalization. Putting together all of these results, there is a difference in vocal fold vibratory behaviors between PWSs and PMTDs when they speak. Thus, there was a difference in muscular tension between the two groups.