Treatment According to the position statement on LPR by the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, treatment for LPR should be more aggressive and of longer duration than treatment for GERD (Koufman, Aviv, Casiano, & Shaw, 2002, as cited in Rees, 2008). This is due to the extensive amount of time necessary to repair the mucosal damage caused by LPR, which usually requires between two and six months with pharmacologic treatment. When determining a course of treatment for your client, it is best to determine the symptoms with which the client presents and consider the client’s lifestyle.
Treatment Options Surgery. According to the American Gastroenterological Association medical position statement (2008, as cited in Weber, …show more content…
The generally recommended treatment for LPR is twice-daily high-dose PPI therapy for at least six months (Megwalu, 2013). However, in a systematic review of the literature, Megwalu (2013) found that there is insufficient evidence to reliably support the efficacy of PPI therapy for the treatment of LPR. Of the eight randomized placebo-controlled studies identified in the literature review, one investigated low-dose once-daily therapy, two investigated low-dose twice-daily therapy, and five investigated high-dose twice-daily therapy. Although outcome measures were not consistent among studies, only two studies found that a PPI was significantly better than a placebo: one in the low-dose twice-daily group and one in the high-dose twice-daily group. This finding is supported by Saruç (2012), who indicates that PPI therapy is a minimally effective treatment in patients with LPR. Further research is warranted to identify if patients may benefit from higher doses or prolonged durations of PPIs (Saruç, …show more content…
Additionally, scores for roughness and breathiness were highest in all patients at the initial evaluation and decreased significantly at one and two months after treatment only in the voice therapy group. Individuals who comply with voice therapy techniques reduce vocal abuse, which thereby accelerates decreases in erythema and regional edema. Medical therapy with PPIs eliminates the chemical irritation caused by reflux, while voice therapy promotes the recovery of mucous by preventing mechanical causes of insult and irritation. The results of this study indicate that voice therapy in addition to medication has the potential to provide rapid relief from symptoms and shorten the treatment period in patients with
Treatment Options Surgery. According to the American Gastroenterological Association medical position statement (2008, as cited in Weber, …show more content…
The generally recommended treatment for LPR is twice-daily high-dose PPI therapy for at least six months (Megwalu, 2013). However, in a systematic review of the literature, Megwalu (2013) found that there is insufficient evidence to reliably support the efficacy of PPI therapy for the treatment of LPR. Of the eight randomized placebo-controlled studies identified in the literature review, one investigated low-dose once-daily therapy, two investigated low-dose twice-daily therapy, and five investigated high-dose twice-daily therapy. Although outcome measures were not consistent among studies, only two studies found that a PPI was significantly better than a placebo: one in the low-dose twice-daily group and one in the high-dose twice-daily group. This finding is supported by Saruç (2012), who indicates that PPI therapy is a minimally effective treatment in patients with LPR. Further research is warranted to identify if patients may benefit from higher doses or prolonged durations of PPIs (Saruç, …show more content…
Additionally, scores for roughness and breathiness were highest in all patients at the initial evaluation and decreased significantly at one and two months after treatment only in the voice therapy group. Individuals who comply with voice therapy techniques reduce vocal abuse, which thereby accelerates decreases in erythema and regional edema. Medical therapy with PPIs eliminates the chemical irritation caused by reflux, while voice therapy promotes the recovery of mucous by preventing mechanical causes of insult and irritation. The results of this study indicate that voice therapy in addition to medication has the potential to provide rapid relief from symptoms and shorten the treatment period in patients with