Treating Voice Disorders: Which Therapy Works Best?

A Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing the Effect of Expiratory Muscle Strength Training versus Traditional voice therapy on dysphonia in Patients with Unilateral Vocal Fold Palsy

Status

Recruiting

Phases

Unknown

Study type

Interventional

Source

ANZCTR

Registry ID

ACTRN12611000686909

Enrollment

Registered

2011-07-06

Start date

2011-07-01

Completion date

Unknown

Last updated

2020-01-13

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

None listed

Brief summary

1. Patients with a unilateral vocal fold palsy (UVFP) who are randomized to undertake Expiratory Muscle Strength Training (EMST) will demonstrate greater improvement in measures of voice quality and airway protection over a six-week period than patients who are randomized to undertake ‘Usual’ voice therapy. 2. Both the EMST and Usual groups will show improvement in their measures of voice quality compared to patients who elect not to undertake therapy. 3. Patients who undergo EMST and Usual therapy will maintain improvements to their vocal quality when followed up one month post completion of treatment. 4. Patients with UVFP in the EMST group will show greater adherence to treatment techniques than patients in the Usual group.

Interventions

Expiratory Muscle Strength Training (EMST) arm - 6 weeks a) subjects exhales on one breath through the expiratory pressure threshold device. Device will be set at 75% of the subject's maximum expiratory pressure (MEP). b) five repetitions of the exercise = 1 block c) five blocks completed daily, five days per week Traditional voice therapy/ Usual Care arm - 6 weeks a) release of muscle tension b) establishment of 'Twang' voice quality c) visual and auditory biofeedback d) negative practice e)

Study design

Allocation

Randomised controlled trial

Intervention model

Parallel

Primary purpose

Treatment

Masking

Blinded (masking used)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

All

Age

18 Years to 90 Years

Healthy volunteers

Inclusion criteria

1. dysphonia 2. willing to participate in the study and return for follow up 3. able to understand and follow instructions 4. able to tolerate nasopharyngeal endoscopic examination

Exclusion criteria

1. currently undergoing radiation therapy 2. untreated hypertension 3. diagnosis of respiratory imapirment (COPD/COAD/Emphysema)

Outcome results