Abstract
To analyze the results of the runtimes of one, three, five, and seven minutes of the high-pitched blowing vocal exercise in women without voice complaints and with dysphonia and vocal nodules. This is an experimental study with a consecutive and convenience sample of 60 women divided into two groups: 30 participants with dysphonia caused by vocal fold nodules (study group - SG) and 30 participants without vocal complaints (control group - CG). All participants performed the high-pitched blowing vocal exercise for one, three, five, and seven minutes. Sustained vowels /a/ and counting from one to ten were recorded before and after each exercise runtime. The recordings were randomized and evaluated by comparison task by four speech-language pathologists using the parameters grade of vocal deviation, roughness, breathiness, asthenia, strain and instability (GRBASI). The acoustic parameters analyzed were fundamental frequency, jitter, shimmer, period perturbation quotient, amplitude perturbation quotient, and harmonics-to-noise ratio. After each vocal exercise runtime, the participants responded whether they had felt vocal discomfort using a visual analogue scale. Auditory-perceptual analysis in the SG showed improved overall severity of dysphonia and breathiness after three minutes and worsening of these acoustic parameters after seven minutes of exercise performance. Participants in the SG reported self-perception of vocal discomfort after seven minutes of exercise performance. The ideal prescription time for the high-pitched blowing vocal exercise in dysphonic women is three minutes; worsening of voice quality and perception of vocal discomfort occurs after seven minutes.
Highlights
There are many vocal methods and techniques used in the treatment of dysphonia[1], and several studies[2,3,4,5,6] have been conducted to verify their effect
The purpose of this study is to analyze the results of the runtimes of one, three, five, and seven minutes of the high-pitched blowing vocal exercise in women with dysphonia caused by vocal fold nodules and without voice complaints
The study sample comprised 60 women aged 18 to 55 years divided into two groups: a study group (SG) composed of 30 individuals, with otorhinolaryngological diagnosis of vocal fold nodules and speech-language pathology assessment of organofunctional dysphonia, who searched for assistance at the Speech-language Therapy Outpatient Clinic of a Higher Education Institution (HEI) between July 2013 and December 2014, and a control group (CG) composed of 30 individuals with neutral voice quality and without voice complaints
Summary
There are many vocal methods and techniques used in the treatment of dysphonia[1], and several studies[2,3,4,5,6] have been conducted to verify their effect. Semi-occluded vocal tract exercises (SOVTE) are among the most widely used techniques in vocal therapy. These exercises are designed to promote vocal economy and efficiency generating a phenomenon called retroflex resonance, which favors the coaptation of the vocal folds during vibration[1,7]. The SOVTEs are performed based on vocal tract occlusion[8] They aim to promote aerodynamic and vocal tract changes[9,10] and increase the filter-source interaction by increasing supraglottic and intraglottic pressure, favoring impedance through adduction of the vocal fold and narrowing of the epilarynx tube, which result in vocal production with less effort and greater efficiency and economy[7,10]
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