Effectiveness of voice therapy in hyperfunctional dysphonia in adult patients.

OBJECTIVES: In this retrospective study, voice therapy results of adult patients with hyperfunctional voice disorders were discussed. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Ninety-one adult patients (59 females, 32 males; mean age: 37 years; range 18 to 54 years) who completed their voice therapy sessions between May 2002 and May 2007 were included in this study. The voice therapy plan was focused on developing competence in perception, tonus regulation, physiological breathing and physiological use of voice. Especially Koblenzer, Smith, Fröschels, Höller-Zangenfeind and Pahn techniques were included in the plan. Patients had voice therapy sessions every one or two weeks for about 30-45 minutes. On average, patients had eight sessions. Voice therapy was conducted by the same voice therapy team to the patients. Vocal use and hygiene guidelines were also explained to the patients. In the objective and subjective evaluation of voice, dysphonia severity index (DSI) and voice handicap index (VHI) scores were used respectively. RESULTS: After voice therapy, DSI increased from -1.4 to 1.1 and VHI decreased from 72 to 43. Voice therapy was found to be successful clinically. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that patients with hyperfunctional voice disorder benefits from voice therapy.