Teachers "Losing Voice"

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More than 7.5 million people have diseases or disorders of the voice, reports the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), which supports research into the nature, causes, diagnosis, and prevention of voice disorders. A NIDCD study found that 11 percent of teachers reported a current voice problem. Non-teachers expressing voice problems comprised only 6.2 percent.

“The vocal cords are the elastic bands inside the larynx that vibrate to produce a person’s voice,” says Joseph Spiegel, M.D., co-director of the Voice and Swallowing Center at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. “Teachers are among those professionals who make great demands on their voices, often in rooms with poor acoustics and inadequate ventilation. Unfortunately, this stress on the voice can lead to problems such vocal fold swelling, vocal fold nodules and excessive muscle strain with voice use. These conditions can severely limit voice quality and stamina which can alter quality of life but can also lead to occupational disability for a classroom teacher. If left untreated, these problems can cause permanent vocal damage.”

Dr. Spiegel says the largest patient population at the Jefferson Voice and Swallowing Center is teachers. He adds that the fall season seems to be the heaviest time frame for teacher appointments at the Center.

“When teachers return to work in the fall, their voices are at their best because the vocal cords were ‘rested’ over the summer,” says Dr. Spiegel. “By mid-fall, teachers have started using their voices for longer periods of time and are frequently raising their voices loudly enough to get the attention of about 30 students. We like to see teachers early in the school year to give them the best chance for a full year with their best voice.”

The warning signs for teachers and others who use their voice professionally include: pain when speaking and swallowing; a sore throat in the morning which disappears as the voice warms up; a hoarse or raspy, tired voice in the evening; rapidly changing pitch, sounding deeper or loss of voice control, the need or clear your throat or use effort with talking. If symptoms last longer than two weeks, seek medical attention.

Dr. Spiegel also offers these prevention tips:
• Drink water (stay well hydrated): The vocal cords vibrate extremely fast even with the most simple sound production; remaining hydrated optimizes the throat’s mucous production, aiding vocal cord lubrication.
• Do not smoke: Primary and secondhand smoke that is breathed in passes by the vocal cords causing significant irritation and swelling of the vocal cords. This will permanently change voice quality, nature, and capabilities.
• Do not abuse or misuse your voice: If you feel like your throat is dry, tired, or your voice is becoming hoarse, try to give your voice a rest.
• Minimize throat clearing: An alternative to voice clearing is taking a small sip of water or simply swallowing to clear the secretions from the throat and alleviate the need for throat clearing or coughing.