Ventricular voice: Treatment, symptoms, advice and help

About ventricular voice

The term refers to a harsh, rough voice in a way similar to what happens when a person talks while holding his breath, or, if the sound is voiceless.

Ventricular voice: Incidence, age and sex

The incidence is very low but exact statistics are not available.

Signs and symptoms of ventricular voice: Diagnosis

The voice is croaky, forced and of abnormal voice quality. The speaker tires vocally quickly. There is no variety and a minimal pitch range. Examination shows thickened ventricular bands which meet on phonation, obscuring the view of the true cords. The diagnosis of VD should be based on a multidimensional voice evaluation.

Causes and prevention of ventricular voice

The voice in this disorder is produced by the apposition of the ventricular bands instead of the vocal cords. This is regarded as a functional vocal disorder which may develop to compensate for the vocal disorder of the true cords. Extreme muscular tension within the laryngeal area, caused by physical or emotional tension is the cause.

Ventricular voice: Complications

Dilatations of the laryngeal saccule also called laryngoceles may develop in patients who chronically use ventricular phonation during speech. This is due to increase in intralaryngeal pressure during false vocal cord approximation, exposing the ventricles to abnormally high air pressures.

Ventricular voice: Treatment

Treatment modalities include systematic relaxation to eliminate overall body tension. Counselling should be done to facilitate the client to recognisethe cause of the problem. Stress management and breathing for voice and relaxation helps. The condition can also be helped by voice rest and speech therapy. Any organic lesion of the true cords should be ruled out.