2- Voice Quality

Question 1

Explain rough voice quality and the disorders it is associated with

Answer 1

Raspy, rattling sounding voice.
Caused by irregular vocal cord vibration.

Can be heard in vocal cord polyps, vocal cord nodules, muscle tension- especially lateral constriction (false folds vibrating), Reinke’s oedema (smoker’s voice) and laryngeal cancer.

Question 2

Explain breathy voice and the speech disorders it is associated with.

Answer 2

Breathiness is whispery voice quality.
Incomplete vocal cord closure (air escape).

Vocal cord palsy, vocal cord nodules, laryngeal cancer, muscle tension imbalance (posterior gap, incomplete closure) and vocal cord atrophy (thinning of cords)

Question 3

Explain asthenia voice quality and what causes it.

Answer 3

Asthenic hoarseness is a small, weak voice.
Weak, slow, small vocal cord movements.
Heard in disorders such as psychogenic aphonia, presbyphonia, puberphonia and Parkinson’s Disease.

Question 4

Strained voice quality. What is it and what disorders is it associated with?

Answer 4

Produced when throat muscles are constricted. Effort.

Disorders such as adductor spasmodic dysphonia, primary and secondary muscle tension imbalance.