UVM Medical Center - South Prospect, Burlington

Neurology - 1 South Prospect Street

 (802) 847-2461

1 South Prospect Street
Arnold, Level 2
Burlington, VT 05401-5505

Monday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Dysphonia is characterized as difficulty speaking due to disorders in the mouth, tongue, throat, or vocal chords. Spasmodic dysphonia is a neurological disorder that affects the larynx, also known as the voice box. The vocal cords spasm, affecting your voice and causing interruptions in speech. Due to the range of causes of dysphonia, a multidisciplinary team at The UVM Medical Center will work together to diagnose and come up with a treatment plan that will help improve your quality of life.

Dysphonia Care at UVM Medical Center

Our team of experts at the UVM Medical Center will work to diagnose and treat your dysphonia in a quick, accurate manner.

  • We have a range of experts available to treat dysphonia, all under one roof. Specialists include Otolaryngology (ear, nose and throat specialist), Speech-language pathology, Speech, language and voice disorders, and Neurology.
  • We have the latest technology to accurately diagnose and treat dysphonia, including the latest advances in endoscopy as well as devices that can help you communicate more easily.
  • Because there is no cure for dysphonia, our experts are equipped to put together a treatment plan to help manage symptoms and improve your quality of life.

Dysphonia Diagnosis

Although it can be challenging to diagnose dysphonia because symptoms are very similar to other voice disorders, our multidisciplinary team at the UVM Medical Center has years of experience evaluating and diagnosing patients with dysphonia. Diagnosis often includes:

  • Examination of your medical records and family history.
  • Examinations and conversations with our specialists in Otolaryngology (ear, nose and throat specialist), Speech-language pathology, Speech, language and voice disorders, and Neurology.
  • Fiberopticnasolaryngoscopy, an endoscopic procedure, is often used to diagnose dysphonia. Your doctor will use a special instrument called an endoscope to look into your nose and down your throat, to evaluate your vocal chords and other muscle movement disorders you may have.

Related Conditions

Although doctors still aren't sure what causes dysphonia, it is thought to be due to abnormal functioning in part of the brain. Related conditions that can cause dysphonia are:

  • Upper respiratory infection
  • Injury to the larynx (voice box)
  • Overusing or overstressing your voice
  • Stress
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