Tension Release, In-Office Bronchoscopy, Speaking at ARHSA, World Voice Day 2025, Dysphonia International Symposium, and PYV!

Enjoy some educational & inspiring blog reading & be sure to roll your shoulders & exhale any stress as you do! Make it a GREAT day. YOU are worthy and YOU (and YOUR VOICE) are BEAUTIFUL. #DONTFORGETIT 

A Creative Way to Talk to that Tension...

A creative way to TALK TO THAT TENSION and positively impact your VOICE!

Have you ever used a heating pad for the head neck and/or shoulder region? Have you ever used a heated, weighted, lavender-scented one? 

I started building use of this neck wrap into my nightly routine after hearing about a similar idea on a podcast. This heating wrap is absolutely perfect and all you need to do is warm it up in the microwave for two minutes or use a towel-heater device (but often only massage therapists or estheticians have these). 

It’s an incredible way to quickly “talk” to any head or neck tension after a long day, and the addition of heat and weight and lavender really makes it a special treat that also signals to the nervous system. it’s time to de-stress and wind down.  I also love to wrap it around my throat region and feel the soothing heat. I think the weight does a great job at relaxing my shoulders as well. It’s like a warm hug and at-home spa all in one 

Whether or not you experience muscle tension dysphonia or just muscle tension, consider developing a ROUTINE for yourself that helps you to consistently PRIORITIZE reducing the buildup or maintenance of any tension that can negatively impact your voice and/or life!  

LET IT GO and find the magic in “winding down” in the evenings. It’s a gamechanger!   

We know that muscle tension dysphonia(MTD) is an imbalance in the subsystems of voice because of inefficient and/or hyper functional use of the intrinsic and extrinsic laryngeal and facial musculature. This is often prevalent in occupational voice users because of higher vocal demands as they not only have daily prolonged voice use, but also RELY on their voice to control, entertain, or convince their audience (VanHoutte et al., 2011). 

Occupational, recreational, and home environments may contribute to the development of MTD, including extended phone use, consistent projection/command of the voice, singing, public speaking, and voice use in background noise are commonly reported in this population  (Clary et al., 2014). 

Stress and anxiety can lead to muscle tension in the anterior neck (Ng et al., 2013).

Patients with muscle tension dysphonia experience deviations in head/neck posture with hyperextension, short/compressed respiration, a relatively high larynx position, and facial tension (Dehqan & Scherer, 2019).

The addition of manual therapy and circumlaryngeal massage to voice therapy has prompted evolution towards a more holistic, hands-on therapy approach to the entire vocal mechanism, including the neck, back, shoulders, diaphragm, and abdomen (Craig et al., 2015).

Voice therapy “failures” in patients with MTD relate to inadequate reduction of muscle tension (Aronson, 1990).

And hey even ChatGPT knows— “Releasing tension, whether physical or emotional, offers numerous benefits, including stress reduction, improved sleep, enhanced mood, and increased resilience, as well as potentially aiding in the recovery from trauma and chronic pain”… “Tension release techniques can help alleviate muscle aches, pains, and stiffness, especially those stemming from stress or trauma. By releasing tight muscles, tension release can improve flexibility and overall movement. Relaxing muscles can enhance blood flow which can lead to improve circulation and energy levels”. All of this enhances sleep quality and reduces pain and stress as well. Adequate sleep and reduced stress have positive impacts on the voice.

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#voxfit #voice #muscletensionrelief #muscletension #muscletensiondysphonia #nightlyroutine #letitgo #occupationalvoiceuser #chooseyourbestvoice #voicesfittoinspire #speechpathologist #speechpathology #voicespecialist #prioritizeyourvoice

The Importance of In-Office Bronchoscopy...

SEE THE VIDEO ABOVE!!!

This is from a portion of a videostroboscopy I did on a patient who had no voice concerns at all, but definite breathing concerns. He also occasionally sounded stridorous and had never had a scope done…   

Despite nothing hugely alarming on the strobe, based on his symptoms and audible breathing, I knew there was definitely more to the story. We got him seen by the laryngologist I work with for an an in-office bronchoscopy, and obviously we found the reason for his complaints. 

This case is a great example of the importance of a collaborative TEAM and the importance of ADVOCATING for your patients and CONTINUING to explore/dig especially if you feel there is more to the story… 

BREATH IS LIFE, and it’s very important to trust the patient and their feelings as related to breathing in general, especially specific to airflow and the feeling of obstruction in the throat. It’s important to listen to them and notice work of breathing, shortness of breath, and any audible breathing. It’s also incredibly important to visualize the upper and (possibly) lower airways. Stay tuned for another recent case related to breathing that was dismissed for many years as related to something in the chest (ex: asthma) but upon visualization of the larynx it was found this patient had an upper airway obstruction. 

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#airwaychronicles 

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#voxfit #voice #airway #breathing #breathe #videostroboscopy #bronchoscopy #takealook #speechpathology #speechpathologist #voicespecialist #advocateforyourpatients 

Speaking at the ARSHA Convention! 

  

WORLD VOICE DAY 2025! 

HAPPY WORLD VOICE DAY!!!!!!! CLICK HERE TO WATCH THIS YEAR'S VIDEO!!!

Around the WORLD, April 16th is the day when voice professionals take the opportunity to celebrate VOICE & EDUCATE the public on VOICE HEALTH & VOCAL CARE. It’s an annual worldwide event CELEBRATING the human VOICE & highlighting the significance of VOICE DISORDERS. The main goals of World Voice Day include increasing public AWARENESS of the IMPORTANCE of the VOICE & alertness to voice problems. The theme for 2025 is EMPOWER YOUR VOICE! This year’s theme calls us to PRIORITIZE our VOICE and allow it to be STRONG and RESILIENT. And this is also one of my PASSIONS!!!!! (#occupationalvoiceuser , #prioritizeyourvoice )…What a BEAUTIFUL time for OCCUPATIONAL VOICE USERS (& EVERYONE!) to CELEBRATE & HONOR the beautiful INSTRUMENT that is the VOICE & focus on the IMPORTANCE of PRIORITIZING IT! 


I’ve made a WVD video (the FOURTH ANNUAL!) featuring several of my friends & all the ways that they choose to PRIORITIZE their VOICES…so grab some , watch & enjoy, & I hope this helps you feel INSPIRED & ENCOURAGED to prioritize YOUR voice today & everyday!


HUUUUUUUGE SHOUTOUTS to EVERYONE who participated this year (tagged on video and in the comments)!!!!! The video turned out SO well!! Sending you all LOTS of voice LOVE!!!


HAPPY WORLD VOICE DAY!!!!!!!


Around the WORLD, April 16th is the day when voice professionals take the opportunity to celebrate VOICE & EDUCATE the public on VOICE HEALTH & VOCAL CARE. It’s an annual worldwide event CELEBRATING the human VOICE & highlighting the significance of VOICE DISORDERS. The main goals of World Voice Day include increasing public AWARENESS of the IMPORTANCE of the VOICE & alertness to voice problems. The theme for 2024 is RESONATE, EDUCATE, CELEBRATE! This year’s theme calls us to highlight & share the critical role that VOCAL HEALTH plays in our PERSONAL & PROFESSIONAL lives. And this is also one of my PASSIONS!!!!! (#occupationalvoiceuser , #prioritizeyourvoice )…What a BEAUTIFUL time for OCCUPATIONAL VOICE USERS (& EVERYONE!) to CELEBRATE & HONOR the beautiful INSTRUMENT that is the VOICE & focus on the IMPORTANCE of PRIORITIZING IT! 


I’ve made a WVD video (the THIRD ANNUAL!) featuring several of my friends & all the ways that they choose to PRIORITIZE their VOICES…so grab some , watch & enjoy, & I hope this helps you feel INSPIRED & ENCOURAGED to prioritize YOUR voice today & everyday!


HUUUUUUUGE SHOUTOUTS to EVERYONE who participated this year (tagged on video & below)!!!!! The video turned out SO well!! Sending you all LOTS of voice LOVE!!! 


@waltfritzpt @cammylawlor @lyndsey_slp @speakyourlegacyny @itsmealee2424 @kaylanicolei @thevoiceforum @luzelena18 @joyo76 @cs.kenn @carlie.madsenslp @voice_physio @thesingersclinicuk @ericarceneaux @ravisathyajith @msugumaran @fayaway19 @scharns @mvdonaker @sarahk_voice @soundwavesvc @kailajfh_voice @voicebrainbody @voicefituk @the_voice_rehab @fonoisadora @brookebeilman @kristie_voice @infinitehealthyliving @voxfit_

The Dysphonia International Symposium in Phoenix! 

So GRATEFUL to have been a part of this past weekend’s annual Dysphonia international SYMPOSIUM in Phoenix!!!!

The symposium included a full day of talks from medical and holistic-related practitioners as well as breakout sessions/workshops. The talks were comprised of foundational and diagnostic-related information about voice and voice conditions, as well as an extensive treatment panel about surgical/procedural/therapeutic treatments for voice conditions specifically spasmodic dysphonia/laryngeal dystonia, vocal tremor, vocal paralysis/paresis, and muscle tension dysphonia. I was also part of an afternoon workshop involving a variety of different voice therapy/therapeutic techniques, but there were other workshops including living with a voice disorder and supporting those with voice disorders. The audience included AMAZING people— patients with a variety of voice conditions and medical professionals as well. I got to hang out with people I’ve known for years and meet new people too (including DOT, a 36 YEAR member of NSDA/Dysphonia International, who is also now an AUTHOR!).

So grateful for @dysphoniainternational and this wonderful event. Looking forward to next year (stay tuned... it's going to be virtual for 2026)!! 

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#voxfit #voice #voicesfittoinspire #dysphoniainternational #symposium #supportgroup #research #speechpathology #speechpathologist #voicespecialist #poweredbypassion #passiondrivenpurpose 

PYV: Anddd of course, always REMEMBER to PRIORITIZE YOUR VOICE! ... 

How are YOU prioritizing your voice today? And everyday? As an OCCUPATIONAL VOICE USER, it SHOULD be one of your top priorities! 

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What do you need to know to keep your voice healthy?  You should understand how the voice works, how to protect and care for your voice, and how to use your voice and entire vocal mechanism in the most efficient, effective, and dynamic ways possible.  
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I’m super PASSIONATE about this population of voice users (I’m one and most of you are too!), and am HERE TO HELP! Reach out with any questions, concerns, or if you’d like to work together. Email me at [email protected] or DM me on @voxfit_ ...

#prioritizeyourvoice