A hypophonic voice is characterized as weak and breathy. Hypophonic voice due to unilateral vocal fold paralysis is a common voice disorders in adults. Another cause that leads to hypophonic voice is vocal fold atrophy due to certain neurologic diseases or aging. However, considering its prevalence among adults, treatments are limited. Treatment typically consists of voice therapy combined with behavioral approaches or surgery. Behavioral treatment includes exercises, such as vocal Function Exercise, to forcefully adduct the vocal folds. Surgery involves vocal fold augmentation to move the paralyzed vocal fold closer to midline position for improved adduction leading to a stronger voice. In an effort to provide additional options for patients
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Baseline data were collected using a Kay Elemetrics Aerophone. The Kay Elemetrics Aerophone was equipped with pressure-flow sensors and a microphone that was pressed over the patient’s mouth and nose. Participants verbalized /pɪ/ 5 times and sustained /a/ as long as possible. The middle three attempts of /pɪ/ were analyzed for a mean airflow rate as well as sound pressure level and /a/ was measured for seconds sustained. In addition to acoustic parameters, participants also filled out the Voice Handicap Index (VHI) before and after treatment. The VHI measures the impact of a voice disorder on a patient’s life based on their own perceptions. After initial evaluations, patients received voice therapy for 30 minutes each week and were trained on twang voice in a series 5 stages. In the first stage, the clinician spoke using twang speech and asked the patient to imitate without instruction. In the second task, the participant was asked to imitate the clinician model, once again without prior instruction, saying simple sounds and words with the twang voice quality. Task three included imitation of the same sounds and words as in task two, but with proper instruction from the speech language pathologist. Once consistency was established, participants are moved on to stage four where negative practice was introduced. Subjects were asked to say the particular sound or word
Baseline data were collected using a Kay Elemetrics Aerophone. The Kay Elemetrics Aerophone was equipped with pressure-flow sensors and a microphone that was pressed over the patient’s mouth and nose. Participants verbalized /pɪ/ 5 times and sustained /a/ as long as possible. The middle three attempts of /pɪ/ were analyzed for a mean airflow rate as well as sound pressure level and /a/ was measured for seconds sustained. In addition to acoustic parameters, participants also filled out the Voice Handicap Index (VHI) before and after treatment. The VHI measures the impact of a voice disorder on a patient’s life based on their own perceptions. After initial evaluations, patients received voice therapy for 30 minutes each week and were trained on twang voice in a series 5 stages. In the first stage, the clinician spoke using twang speech and asked the patient to imitate without instruction. In the second task, the participant was asked to imitate the clinician model, once again without prior instruction, saying simple sounds and words with the twang voice quality. Task three included imitation of the same sounds and words as in task two, but with proper instruction from the speech language pathologist. Once consistency was established, participants are moved on to stage four where negative practice was introduced. Subjects were asked to say the particular sound or word