Application of low Intensity laser Associated with Exercise with High-Strength Tube in the Vocal Treatment of Transgender Women: Pilot Study

Abstract

Introduction: Voice is a determining factor for transgender women to be able to communicate and be recognized by the other as belonging to the desired gender. In voice clinic, exercises of semi-occluded vocal tract and technological resources that act in an adjunct manner are used, aiming to promote better phonatory adjustments, raising the fundamental frequency and vocal tract adjustments such as resonance, intensity, articulation, speed, among others. The work of the speech therapist requires an expanded vision, seeking the integration between voice and body. The present study seeks to understand how the modulation process for acute pitch occurs upon using exercise with a high-strength tube associated with the therapeutic resource of low intensity laser, aiming to evaluate the effectiveness of these two tools when used simultaneously. Material and Methods: The research was based on a case study of a transgender woman. The therapy was based on the application of low intensity laser associated with the use of exercise with high strength tube. The study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee and the participant signed the Informed Consent Form. Anamnesis, application of the Transsexual Voice Questionnaire (TVQ) and evaluation before and after the application of the techniques were performed, through acoustic analysis of the vocal signal and auditory-perceptive evaluation, through the Vocal Profile Analysis (VPA) Protocol. Results and Discussion: There was an increase in variability in the categories of pitch and loudness, absence of crackling and improvement in energy distribution after therapy. The patient used greater voice breathing and there was a predominance in the distribution of articulatory adjustments. Conclusion: Speech therapy promoted an election of the vocal pitch, modified the characteristics of vocal quality and dynamics and generated a sound fluency for the female. It was possible to observe that the greatest change occurred in an auditory way, interfering in the acoustic impression that the other has in relation to this voice, that is, the greatest gain was in the sound filter