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The Voice Center at UT Southwestern Medical Center provides state-of-the-art care for patients with voice disorders and other conditions affecting the larynx (voice box), airways, and swallowing function.
Our multidisciplinary team combines the expertise of fellowship-trained laryngologists (ear, nose, and throat doctors with specialized training in disorders of the larynx), speech-language pathologists with training specifically in voice care, and singing-voice specialists. We also conduct research in laryngology and voice care and regularly present at national and international conferences.
Front row (left to right): Shumon Dhar, M.D., Lesley Childs, M.D., and Kevin Liang, M.D. Back row (left to right): Laura Toles, Ph.D., Caroline Hurt, M.S., Melanie Turner, M.S., Amy Harris, M.A., Adrianna Shembel, Ph.D., and Cory Atkinson, M.A.
Many people don’t realize that unexplained voice changes can be corrected or significantly improved, often with therapy alone or, in some cases, with minimally invasive procedures. At the Voice Center, we treat professionals who rely on their voices – singers, actors, public speakers, broadcasters, lawyers, clergy, and teachers – and seniors or anyone experiencing vocal problems.
We help patients who develop voice problems due to neurological disease, trauma, and other conditions – even unknown reasons. The speech-language pathologists at the Voice Center work with patients one-on-one to teach them techniques and strategies to optimize voice production.
Patients should schedule an evaluation with our team if they notice any voice, swallowing, or airway changes, such as:
A voice problem is any undesirable change in the voice that lasts longer than two weeks. Medical conditions and overuse can damage the voice. Voice problems can also result from vocal misuse, such as speaking or singing too loudly or at an abnormally high or low pitch, or abuse, such as excessive talking, screaming, coughing, smoking, or inhaling irritants.
Our voice care team provides an extensive range of clinical expertise to treat voice, airway, larynx, and swallowing problems that include:
At UT Southwestern, our voice care professionals begin with a thorough evaluation that includes a:
To examine the vocal cords, we often use one or more instruments, such as a:
To confirm a diagnosis, we sometimes use additional tests, such as:
After our evaluation, we develop a treatment plan for comprehensive care of the speaking or singing voice. At the Voice Center, our team offers:
Our team provides well visits for singers and performers for an affordable fee (not covered by health insurance). These visits include a perceptual and objective evaluation of the speaking and singing voice and a videostroboscopy to examine the vocal folds.
At UT Southwestern, education and outreach are part of our mission, in addition to patient care. We frequently provide presentations about vocal health to choirs and other organizations. We’re passionate about what we do, and we’re here to help patients rediscover their voices.
As one of the nation’s top academic medical centers, UT Southwestern offers a number of clinical trials aimed at improving screening, diagnosis, and treatment of all types of voice and swallowing disorders.
Clinical trials often give patients access to leading-edge treatments that are not yet widely available. Eligible patients who choose to participate in one of UT Southwestern’s clinical trials might receive treatments years before they are available to the public.
UT Southwestern researchers also lead innovative voice science programs focused on laryngeal function, swallowing, and airway disorders. Learn more about ongoing research in the Larynx Lab (Dr. Shembel) and the Voice Behavior and Rehabilitation Laboratory (Dr. Toles).
It's no secret that the voice is a teacher’s most powerful teaching tool. Educators use their voices all day long. In fact, teachers – not singers – have among the highest vocal demands of any profession. Find out how to protect and preserve the voice by watching the video of our Facebook Live chat with voice care specialist Lesley Childs, M.D.
The UTSW Voice Care Center specialists celebrated World Voice Day with the University of North Texas (UNT) professors and students. Attendees learned how to take care of and conserve their voice while enjoying performances by UNT jazz, opera, and theater students.
With constant rehearsing and performing, Jelinek went full force toward her dream, not knowing the damage happening to the very instrument she used to wow her audiences. Lesley Childs, M.D., Associate Professor of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and Medical Director of the Voice Center at UT Southwestern was able to save her voice, and her dream, through vocal cord surgery.
Permission to post from NBC DFW
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