EFFICACY OF VOICE THERAPY IN NON-ORGANIC DYSPHONIA

Abstract

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of voice therapy in patients with non-organic dysphonia

Material and Methods: A Prospective, longitudinal, randomised, interventional and comparative Study was carried out in the Department of ENT and Head Neck Surgery, Ganesh Man Singh Memorial Academy of ENT-Head and Neck Studies, Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal from 1st November, 2009 to 31st August, 2011. Patients were allocated in one of three groups; Control group (Group 1), Indirect therapy group (Group 2) and Direct therapy group (Group 3). The patients were assessed with modified Voice Handicap Index at initial evaluation (Pre-interventional score) and after 6 to 8 weeks of first evaluation (Post-interventional score).

Results: Seventy five patients completed the study.Out of seventy five patients, there were 26 patients in Group 1, 27 patients in Group 2 and 22 patients in Group 3. Five patients (19.23%) in Group 1, fourteen patients (51.85%) in Group 2 and nineteen patients (86.36%) in Group 3 had improvement. The proportion of improvement between Groups1 and 2, Groups 2 and 3 and Groups 1 and 3 were statistically significant (p<0.05).

Conclusion: Voice therapy is effective in improving voice quality in patients with non-organic dysphonia.

Keywords: Modified VHI, Non-organic Dysphonia, Voice Therapy