Voice Distourbances
Prof. Comşa Gheorghe Ionel MD PhD

Phonation are all complex phenomena which contribute to the production of sound by the speech organs. Voice is the result of three integrated systems: Thoraco-pulmonary system providing required air pressure Sonorous production of vocal cord Upper respiratory tract action for processing, editing and sound articulation.

Although the sound source is the larynx, air pressure should occur in the lower airways, in an obvious connection that provides an audible and intelligible voice production.

Dysphonia is an alteration that becomes hoarse voice quality, off, too sharp, too serious, or bitonal. Once recognized, hoarseness should determine the setting up of investigational screening, which involves a team of ENT specialist, intesive care specialist, neurologist, radiologist, oncologist, and so on.

Voice disturbances are as follows:
Hoarse voice - a temporary condition that can become chronic affecting expressive musical voice and voice intensity;

Hissing voice - a voice disorder that increases the chronicity of hoarseness, finally reaching a pathological mutation disgracious voice with a fundamental aspect of respiratory difficulties;

Phonastenia - fatigue is a change in professional voice teachers, singers, is more common in women than in men. This also appears in hysteria, to make a distinction between fatigue and one of hysteria, using an instrument. May occur in preschool age because of insufficient development of the vocal cords, is associated with disturbances in functional terms;

Dysphonia - part of speech is a disorder caused by disorders of the larynx muscles and vocal cords, voice is weak, broken, sometimes hissing, whistling sound that differs from the gradual decrease in the intensity of voice; Aphonia - total or partial loss of voice, aphonia episodes of vocal cords do not vibrate at all due to inflammatory processes, appears in neurosis, paralysis.

Etiology of dysphonia: Malformations and asymmetry of the larynx; Disorders of puberty and hormonal disturbances; Neurological disturbances of the larynx; Psychiatric Disorders; Vocal nodules; Benign or malignant tumor; Overuse of professional; Smoking; Inhalation of toxic substances; Individuals working in areas with high humidity and thermal variations; Use of inhalants drugs.

Therapy is based on etiology and will be refined on a case by case basis, taking into account the anamnestic elements (age, history of pathological and physiological, family history, habits, living and working conditions). It can be medical or/and surgical. Surgical approach, either classic or endoscopic, must be followed in any case by phoniatric rehabilitation.