The speech therapist is the professional in charge of the intervention in the pathologies of communication, language, speech and voice, both in the adult and child population. Within this Service, the Voice Unit has been created, which is approached in a multidisciplinary manner together with specialists in Otorhinolaryngology.

Unity of the Voice

How do we study dysphonia?

Currently we have means of exploration that allow us to obtain magnified and precise images of the vocal cords and larynx in a dynamic way, that is to say during the production of the voice and during the breathing. Through an endoscopy system of only 3.5 mm. connected to a computerized camera-video-TV system and to a powerful light source we can carry out an exhaustive exploration in just 3 minutes in a simple way and without discomfort in the otorhinolaryngological practice itself.

This system called Laryngostroboscope allows us to see the movement of the vocal cords in slow motion and record the voice of the patient that will be evaluated in Clinical Sensing with the rehabilitation specialists of the voice called Logopedas. Sometimes it will be necessary to perform special X-rays such as CT (Computed Tomography) and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (MRI) to complete the study or evaluate the mobility of the vocal cords by means of Lungngeal Electromyography, in order to arrive at an accurate diagnosis and as much as possible. precocious possible.

What are the causes of dysphonia?

The alterations of the voice are classified in several groups depending on the causes that originate them. Each of these groups will require a specific diagnosis and treatment. There are several types of dysphonia:

  • FUNCTIONAL DISFONIAS: they are due to the misuse of the vocal cords as it happens in professionals who use the voice abusively (teachers, attention to the public, singers ...). These dysphonia can be treated by voice rehabilitation techniques. Logopedia
  • PSEUDOTUMORAL DISFONIAS: they are due to the presence in the vocal cords of benign lesions such as nodules, polyps, cysts or edema that impede the correct functioning of the vocal cords during the production of the voice. These problems are solved by means of an intervention with general anesthesia. These are techniques of MICROCISION OF THE LARYNX that are performed through the mouth and that allows to eliminate these injuries with great precision, especially with the CO2 LASER. The rehabilitation of the voice by the speech therapist before and after the intervention is fundamental for the resolution of the problem.
  • DISORDERS FOR PRETUMORAL INJURIES: are whitish or reddish thickening of the vocal cords that cause greater rigidity of the same with impaired functioning. These lesions, called LEUCOPLASIAS, can sometimes be precancerous. They must, therefore, be excised with LASER CO2 using laryngeal microsurgery techniques both to solve the problem of the voice they provoke and to analyze them.
  • DISORDERS FOR LARYNX CANCER: the alteration of the voice that causes throat cancer is indistinguishable from that caused by other benign disorders. Therefore before a DISFONÍA or RONQUERA that lasts more than 15 days it is necessary to go to the ENT specialist for the study of the vocal cords. The sooner you reach the diagnosis of cancer, the chances of healing while preserving the voice will be greater. Thus, in the face of limited injuries, more than 90% of cures are achieved by removing CO2 LASER. In larger lesions, the voice can also be preserved by applying partial laryngeal surgery techniques. The Speech Therapist will then be responsible for improving the vocal quality of the patient once the tumor has been removed.
  • DISORDERS FOR LARGEGEAL PARALYSIS: the immobility of a vocal cord will condition an alteration in the voice. The paralysis can be a consequence of a neurological, thorax, thyroid gland, or other structures of the base of the skull or neck that will need to be studied with thoroughness. Once the diagnosis is clarified, we can also act on the vocal cord using surgical techniques that seek to improve the quality of the voice. These techniques are called thyroplasties.

  • OTHER CAUSES OF DYSPHONY: traumatisms on the neck, prolonged intubations that cause scars on the vocal cords, radiotherapy, metabolic and neurological diseases, among others.

How do we solve these problems?

In the Hospital del Quirónsalud Torrevieja ENT Service we have the technology (stroboscope, voice analysis) and professionals needed to treat these problems within a Voice Unit formed by Otolaryngologists, Speech Therapists, Phoniatrics and Neurophysiologists who will offer the patient a treatment and individualized strategy to solve your vocal problem.
The set of surgical procedures that aims to cure different types of injuries with preservation and even voice improvement constitutes the so-called field of PHONOSURGERY, always linked to vocal rehabilitation: speech therapy.

One of the pathologies that severely limit communication is dysphonia (hyperkinetic functional dysphonia, hypokinetics, organic dysphonia, vocal cord paralysis, etc.), and to give an adequate response to this problem, a Voice Unit has been constituted, planning treatment sessions individual The realization of an acoustic analysis of the voice through the new technologies available to us, allows us to assess in an objective way the parameters of the voice that are affected and their evolution during the treatment.

Our service also offers attention to the difficulties of language, speech and communication, performing evaluations with the help of standardized tests and designing specific intervention programs (dyslalia, dyspnea, dysphasia, etc.). We take care of the advice to the families that request it and we offer the necessary information to give an effective solution.