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The comparison between vocal facilitating techniques, manual circumlaryngeal therapy, and combined voice therapy in teachers with muscle tension dysphonia: a randomized clinical trial

  • Laryngology
  • Published:
European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Although voice therapy (VT) has been known effective in muscle tension dysphonia (MTD), it is not obviously clear which VT approach is more effective. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of Vocal Facilitating Techniques (VFTs), Manual Circumlaryngeal Therapy (MCT), and combined VT in teachers with MTD.

Methods

This study was a double-blind parallel randomized clinical trial. Thirty elementary female teachers with MTD were divided into three treatment groups including VFTs; MCT, and combined VT. In addition, vocal hygiene was presented to all groups. All participants received 10 individual 45-min sessions of VT twice a week. The effectiveness was assessed using Vocal Tract Discomfort (VTD) scale and Dysphonia Severity Index (DSI) before and after treatment and improvement measurement was calculated. The participants and data analyzer were blinded to the type of VT.

Results

All groups showed significantly better results on the subscales of VTD scale and DSI score after VT (p ≤ 0.001; η2 ≥ 0.90). There was a significant difference between the three groups on the results of VTD scale and DSI score (p ≤ 0.05). The improvement measurement on the VTD severity subscale and DSI score following the combined VT was the greatest compared with other groups (η2 = 0.99 and 0.98, respectively). The significant interactive effect of treatment and time was observed on the VTD severity subscale and DSI score (p < 0.05; η2 ≥ 0.56).

Conclusions

This study showed that the VFTs, MCT, and combined VT were effective for MTD teachers, and the combined VT is the most effective one. It seems the combination of different approaches is recommended for the VT of MTD patients.

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Data availability

The data of this research is available. Data related to bridges are available in Tehran documents.

Notes

  1. Muscle tension dysphonia.

  2. Voice therapy.

  3. Vocal facilitating techniques.

  4. Manual Circumlaryngeal Therapy.

  5. Speech-language pathologist.

  6. Vocal Tract Discomfort Persian.

  7. Dysphonia Severity Index.

  8. Maximum phonation time.

  9. MLMT.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank the teachers who participated in the current study.

Funding

This study did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Speech Therapy, School of Rehabilitation, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Pich-E-Shemiran, Enghelab Ave., Tehran, 11489, Iran

    Seyyedeh Maryam Khoddami & Samira Aghadoost

  2. Department of Physiotherapy, School of Rehabilitation, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Shohreh Jalaie

  3. Otolaryngology Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Peyman Dabirmoghaddam

Authors
  1. Seyyedeh Maryam Khoddami
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  2. Samira Aghadoost
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  3. Shohreh Jalaie
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  4. Peyman Dabirmoghaddam
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Correspondence to Samira Aghadoost.

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Khoddami, S.M., Aghadoost, S., Jalaie, S. et al. The comparison between vocal facilitating techniques, manual circumlaryngeal therapy, and combined voice therapy in teachers with muscle tension dysphonia: a randomized clinical trial. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 280, 4543–4553 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-023-08042-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-023-08042-5

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