This week we continue our series discussing the importance of having a vocal health team for yourself or any other vocal athletes in your life. Today, we explore what to expect at a voice evaluation.
Last week, we talked about Videostroboscopy or “strobe”, a procedure that allows the clinicians to see a magnified image of the vocal folds and, importantly, to simulate slow motion to allow close analysis of vocal fold vibration.
The strobe procedure may be done by the speech pathologist or the laryngologist, depending on the clinic. First, the clinician will put a microphone on your neck to pick up the vibration of your vocal folds so that the strobe light can coordinate with the speed of vocal fold vibration to achieve the slow motion effect. The clinician uses a flexible endoscope (or scope, for short) that has a tiny camera in the end of it. You will get some numbing spray in your nose to make the procedure more comfortable, and also to reduce your gag reflex. The nose spray also has a little Afrin in it, which is a nasal decongestant that opens up your nasal passages and makes it easier for the scope to pass through. The clinician will gently pass the scope through your nose which will allow them to see into your throat where the vocal folds are. You will feel a little pressure from the scope, but the numbing spray keeps it from being painful. The clinician will have you make different sounds like saying “eeee” at different pitch and loudness levels, alternating “ee” and sniffing through your nose (to see the movement of the vocal folds), and doing pitch glides up and down. The whole thing usually takes about 1-2 minutes and is recorded on video so it can be played back.
Some clinics will use a metal scope that goes into your mouth and allows the clinician to peek over the back of the tongue to see the vocal folds. They might just use the metal (oral) scope, or both the oral and nasal scopes in sequence.
Afterwards, the clinicians will review the results and you’ll get to see your vocal folds, which is super interesting. Based on the results of all the testing and your history, the team will be able to give you a diagnosis and make recommendations for getting your voice back on track.
Another way of looking at vocal folds is called laryngoscopy. This procedure allows the clinician to see how the vocal folds look and function in a general way, but does not have the strobe light to simulate slow motion vibration, and may miss subtle details of how the vocal folds look and work. It’s critical to make sure the voice clinic you go to has videostroboscopy–you should ask if they do when you call. Laryngoscopy alone does not provide the level of detail needed to assess the vocal athlete’s voice–you need to have stroboscopy.
Next week, we’ll look into the other elements of the comprehensive voice evaluation.
Wishing you a healthy and harmonious weekend,
Your SonoVoice Team
Next Week: A Vocal Athlete Needs a Vocal Health Team Part V
Athletes put superhuman demands on the human body. They practice to stay in shape, get better and prepare for the event. No athlete expects to perform at their best without working on their technique, practicing skills, and preparing for the game.
The same goes for you as a vocal athlete. Practice will help you be prepared for your event: performance. Unfortunately, there’s no shortcut! If you want to be at your best as a singer, you’ll need to establish a regular vocal exercise and practice regimen.
In our weekly Vocal Fitness Friday email, SonoVoice's team of experts in science-based voice training will be sharing information about how the voice works, tips on keeping your voice healthy, and ideas for vocal exercises for peak vocal fitness.