• Speech Sciences
• /
• v.9 no.3
• /
• pp.77-86
• /
• 2002

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Sea Dong-Il's technique on voice quality in patients with vocal nodules and phonasthenia (vocal fatigue). Ten patients (4 nodules and 6 vocal fatigue) participated in the study. Each subject was assessed acoustically (Fo, Jitter, Shimmer, NNE) in the first and last session. Dr. Speech (version 3.4, Tiger-DRS) was used to compare acoustic parameters of pre-and post-treatment. Sea Dong-Il's technique consisted of breathing exercise, relaxation exercise, and phonation exercise. The results were as follows: First, Sea Dong- Il's technique tended to be effective on improving voice quality in patients with phonasthenia and vocal nodules. Second, the nature of improvements were as follows: there was a significant difference between pre-and post-treatment in shimmer (p < .01) and NNE (p < .001), while there was no significant difference between pre-and post-treatment in Fo and Jitter. Finally, given the fact that the number of subjects was only 10, the jitter might have shown a significant difference if more subjects participated in the experiment.

• The Journal of the Society of Korean Medicine Diagnostics
• /
• v.14 no.1
• /
• pp.15-35
• /
• 2010

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to find out the correlation between the Vocal indicators and the 'Buzhongyiqi-Tang questionnaire' and the 'Chalder fatigue scale.' Methods : This study examined the mean value of each factor in the 'Buzhongyiqi-Tang Questionnaire,' 'Chalder fatigue scale' and the different voice indicators conducted on 81 healthy adult participants in relation to the results of the /a/ /e/ /i/ /o/ /u/ pronunciation test. Results : There was significant correlation between the pronunciation of /a/ /e/ /i/ /o/ /u/ vowels' F0 indexes and 'the Deficiency symptoms of Buzhongyiqi-Tang'. The results of the regression analysis showed the following significant findings for each pronouncing vowels: /i/ as a factor for 'the Deficiency symptoms of Buzhongyiqi-Tang'.; /a/ for 'the Consumptive fever of Buzhongyiqi-Tang'.; /i/ for 'the Vocal inflammation of Buzhongyiqi-Tang.; and /e/ as a factor of 'the Chadler physical fatigue'. Conclusions : The study showed a negative correlation between the Fundamental Frequency and the mean value of the questionnaire, which could be understood as higher the fatigue level, increased level of vocal vibration and higher pitch tone compared to the less fatigued group. We expect future studies to conduct research on methods to diagnose other illnesses using the vocal indicators based on the correlation between the vocal index and illnesses prescribed under traditional oriental medicine.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
• /
• v.27 no.2
• /
• pp.91-94
• /
• 2016

Voice is a physical phenomenon, generated by vocal fold and expiratory airflow. Dysphonia should come from abnormal vocal fold and airflow. Occassionally larynx looks normal in show, but it is actually not. There should be undetected structural or functional abnormalities. So when ENT doctors face dysphonia patients who looks normal larynx, should make a diagnosis through close observation. In this review article we present some dysphonia diseases which looks normal larynx. For example vocal fatigue, vocal fold paresis, posterior glottic diastasis, muscle tension dysphonia and psychogenic dysphonia.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
• /
• v.14 no.3
• /
• pp.87-101
• /
• 2022

In addition to administering a questionnaire (J-survey), which questions individuals on subjective vocal fatigue, voice samples were collected before and after speech-language pathology sessions from 50 female speech-language pathologists in their 20s and 30s in the Daejeon and Chungnam areas. We identified significant differences in Korean Vocal Fatigue Index scores between the fatigue and non-fatigue groups, with the most prominent differences in sections one and two. Regarding acoustic phonetic characteristics, both groups showed a pattern in which low-frequency band energy was relatively low, and high-frequency band energy was increased after the treatment sessions. This trend was well reflected in the low-to-high ratio of vowels, slope LTAS, energy in the third formant, and energy in the 4,000-8,000 Hz range. A difference between the groups was observed only in the vowel energy of the low-frequency band (0-4,000 Hz) before treatment, with the non-fatigue group having a higher value than the fatigue group. This characteristic could be interpreted as a result of voice abuse and higher muscle tonus caused by long-term voice work. The perturbation parameter and shimmer local was lowered in the non-fatigue group after treatment, and the noise-to-harmonics ratio (NHR) was lowered in both groups following treatment. The decrease in NHR and the fall of shimmer local could be attributed to vocal cord hypertension, but it could be concluded that the effective voice use of speech-language pathologists also contributed to this effect, especially in the non-fatigue group. In the case of the non-fatigue group, the rhamonics-to-noise ratio increased significantly after treatment, indicating that the harmonic structure was more stable after treatment.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
• /
• v.15 no.4
• /
• pp.27-34
• /
• 2023

This study aimed to provide knowledge helpful for understanding voice problems related to occupations in the clinical field through an investigation and comparison of subjective vocal symptoms of 12 professional actors and 12 speech-language pathologists Among the 11 symptoms, "Difficulty with high pitch when singing," "Hypertension in the neck when speaking," and "Feel voice fatigue" were the most frequent symptoms in both groups. Additionally, the professional voice users reported a higher frequency of "Difficulty with high pitch when singing" (p=.049), "Hoarse voice" (p=.021), "Difficulty (requiring effort) when speaking" (p=.032), "Pain in the neck when speaking" (p=.009), and "Feel vocal fatigue" (p=.018) than the elite vocal performer group. This may be due to the different voice-related environments and differences in voice demands during occupational activities between the two groups.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
• /
• v.32 no.3
• /
• pp.124-129
• /
• 2021

Background and Objectives This study compares Vocal Fatigue Index (VFI) scores according to the presence or absence of external laryngeal tension in hyperfunctional voice disorder. And through this, it is to confirm the usefulness of VFI to hypertension of extrinsic laryngeal muscles. Materials and Method The subjects were 61 female diagnosed with hyperfunctional voice disorder (hypertension group 41, non-hypertension group 20). The author palpated extrinsic laryngeal muscles for evaluation of hypertension and classified them as the presence or absence. The voice measurements were jitter, shimmer, Korean-Voice Handicap Index-10 (K-VHI-10), and Korean-Vocal Fatigue Index (K-VFI). The voice compared were according to the diagnosis and presence of hypertension only for patients with hyperfunctional voice disorder. Results As a result of comparing the voice measurement according to the presence or absence of hypertension, there was no significant difference in the acoustic variables, K-VHI-10 and K-VFI-Total, K-VFI-Fatigue. Whereas, K-VFI-Physical (p=0.006) and K-VFI-Rest (p=0.022) were significantly higher in the hypertension group. Conclusion These results indicate that the hypertension group has more physical discomfort and less voice recovery than the group without hypertension. It means that K-VFI can measure the physical discomfort and limitations of voice recovery due to hypertension of the external laryngeal muscle. The VFI can be used as one of the methods to evaluate the hypertension of the external laryngeal muscle in Hyperfunctional voice disorder.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
• /
• v.8 no.1
• /
• pp.33-37
• /
• 1997

Incomplete glottic closure of vocal cord atrophy is the common cause of dysphonia. Patients with vocal cord atrophy have complaints such as dysphonia, vocal fatigue, abnormal sensation in the throat, laryngeal pain, cough or sputum like functional voice disorders. Many investigators could not confirm the pathologic laryngeal structure because of their minute pathology. But recent advancements of laryngeal examinations made the many clinicians to detect minimal laryngeal pathology and to have mind the treatment for the vocal cord atrophy. But the results were less effective than their thoughts, the reasons of ineffectiveness were not known well. Authors have found the Hyperfunctional movement of the supraglottis during phonation before and after thyroplasty type I for vocal cord atrophy. Then we have applied the combined modality treatment with thyroplaty type I and voice therapy for relieve of hypefunctional movement of the supraglottis. These options have had more imporved results.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
• /
• v.5 no.4
• /
• pp.53-61
• /
• 2013

Voice disorders are most common in female teachers due to work-related vocal demands; however, only a few studies tried to evaluate individual risk factors with work-related risk factors to diagnose voice disorders. This study evaluated sixty-seven female elementary teachers (36 with voice disorders and 31 without voice disorders) to compare their vocal misuse, overuse, and vocal hygiene behaviors. Total Voice Handicap Index scores and VHI subscale (P, E, F) scores were not significantly different between two groups (p>0.05) and there was no relationship between VHI and acoustic measures (p>0.05). Loud talking, talking in noisy situations, and excessive speaking were significantly more frequent in female teachers with voice disorders (p<0.05) and thereby these overuse and misuse behavioral patterns were identified as risk factors to develop voice disorders in female teachers. Also, hydration was the most common behavior for vocal hygiene when experiencing vocal fatigue; however, hydration with hot green tea or coffee and throat clearing were often misused for vocal hygiene. This study found that female teachers from both groups presented higher voice handicap regardless of voice disorders. This study suggests a multidimensional voice assessment protocol is required to reflect voice problems in teachers and a vocal education program may be important to improve vocal hygiene knowledge and behavioral changes in female teachers.

• Speech Sciences
• /
• v.14 no.2
• /
• pp.43-53
• /
• 2007

The purpose of this study was to observe the effect of eating a raw egg by professional or nonprofessional voice users on their voice quality and the duration of the effect. 20 professional voice users and 20 nonprofessional voice users participated in the experiment and they had gone through stroboscopy to have no vocal or laryngeal diseases. The voice exam was performed three times: before eating a raw egg (1st period), right after eating it (2nd period), and 10 minutes later (3rd period). By using Multi-dimensional Voice Program which is a software of Computerized Speech Lab 4500 as a voice analysis instrument, the authors checked the F0, Jitter, Shimmer, Noise to harmonic ratio (NHR), and Voice Range Profile (VRP). Results showed as follows: Firstly, vocal hygiene was good in 57.5% of the total subjects and was poor in 42.5%. 40% of professional voice users and 75% of nonprofessional voice users hand good quality. 77.5% of the total subjects had the vocal fatigue while 22.5% of the subjects did not. 95% of the professional voice users and 60% of nonprofessional voice users complained the vocal fatigue. 60% of the total subjects reported a subjective vocal symptom. 65.0% professional voice users and 70.0% of nonprofessional voice users reported a voice symptom. From the results above, we suggest that eating a raw egg may lead to imporve voice quality of the professional voice users.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
• /
• v.10 no.2
• /
• pp.135-139
• /
• 1999

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to systematically analyze and compare the acoustic characteristics of vocal major students with vocal nodule when singing. Materials and Methods : Ten sopranos with vocal nodule, who have never been treated due to voice problems, were the subject group. Twenty healthy sopranos major students were the control group for this study. The vocal nodule was confirmed by stroboscopy and the acoustic and electroglottographic analysis was conducted on be groups. Additionally, an inquiry on usual voice problems during speaking and singing were performed on each of the groups. Results : The vowel /a/ was spoken and sung by sopranos of each group. There were no significant differences in Fo, jitter, shimmer, NHR at speaking and singing in either group. We did not register any significant differences of closed quotient and speed quotient in electroglottography for both groups at singing, but speed quotient was increased in subject group at speaking(p＜0.05). And the sopranos with nodule demonstrated voice fatigue(70%), strained and tired voice after long period of performance and conversation(60%) on inquiry. Conclusions : Although they had a vocal nodule, this group, who had a long period of voice training, did not present any differences in acoustic and electroglottographic problems during short performance, but, the vocalists noticed delicate voice problems after a long performance. We conclude that the voice training teacher and laryngologist must initiate voice management and speech therapy for vocal nodule, even if there is no specific abnormality in acoustic analysis.