Laryngeal Tension?
August 12, 2019
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Do you experience complaints of throat soreness or pain? How about tightness or pain while speaking, singing, &/or swallowing? Ever felt like you had “knots” or lumps in the throat &/or feelings of tightness or tension in the throat? Are these symptoms consistent or do they (and your voice) get worse the more that you keep talking? Does your voice get more tired or strained the more that you use it for teaching, singing, instructing, speaking, lecturing, leading a meeting, etc.? Does voice production require effort? These could all be signs that laryngeal muscle tension may be rearing its ugly head (or one of its several “heads” as it can present in many forms).
Don’t be worried… muscle tension dysphonia (MTD) is actually extremely common & one of the most prevalent & treatable voice disorders! It is a condition of “hoarseness” usually because of inappropriate use of the muscles around the larynx (voicebox) & commonly caused by inefficient use of the voice in general, high vocal demand, overcompensatory voice use learned after an upper respiratory infection (URI), significant (muscular) compensation for underlying vocal fold (VF) pathology, psychological or personality factors, stress, or even increased laryngeal tone because of reflux. Extrinsic & intrinsic laryngeal muscle imbalance contributes to the “hoarseness” & this muscle tension “pulls” the larynx out of its natural low & relaxed position to a higher position in the neck resulting in stiffness, decreased mobility, &/or more “work”/vocal effort than necessary. Excess muscle tension can dramatically impact how the vocal subsystems function to produce voice & can significantly (negatively) impact voice, swallowing, &/or breathing. “All patients with voice disorders, regardless of the etiology, should be tested for excess musculoskeletal tension, either as a primary or secondary cause of the dysphonia” (Arnold Aronson).
Your larynx should be free from tenderness/pain, able to move in different directions without strain or discomfort (mobile), & should be resting comfortably in your throat—not pulled up high because of tension. Common places of tension include the jaw, cheeks, lips, shoulders, solar plexus, diaphragm, abdomen, & (of course) the throat. Make note of how you use your voice & consider if this could be contributing to your voice complaints. Also remember that you consistently use your voice this way (because you have to keep talking for “work”…and life), & your voice becomes “frozen” in these use patterns. For the sake of your voice, you must release these patterns!
Many studies have proven the benefits of voice treatment via circumlaryngeal massage, laryngeal reposturing/manipulation techniques, &/or myofascial release for reducing &/or eliminating laryngeal tension and revealing a more free, relaxed, & reliable VOICE!
Choose #yourbestvoicenow and TAKE ACTION to RELAX! Release your vocal mechanism from tension. Seek out a speech pathologist who specializes in voice for more information!
