Frequently asked questions

Laryngeal massage is a technique that involves gently massaging the area around the larynx, or voice box – to encourage laryngeal realignment. It’s often used to help:

• Reduce tension: This can be beneficial for people with vocal strain or tension, such as singers, teachers, or public speakers.
• Improve vocal quality: By reducing tension, laryngeal massage can help improve vocal clarity, resonance, and overall sound.
• Alleviate discomfort: It may provide relief from discomfort or pain associated with vocal strain or other conditions affecting the larynx.

Symptoms of voice concern include:

• Loss of range
• Voice fatigue
• Pitch control issues
• Discomfort or pain
• Needing a longer recovery time
• Hoarseness
• Breathiness or weakness in voice quality
• A feeling of constriction or squeezing in the throat
• Difficulty swallowing or a sensation of food getting stuck
• Voice cracking or breaks
• Coughing or clearing the throat frequently
• Difficulty breathing or a feeling of shortness of breath
• Tension in the front neck or collar bone area
• Fullness or shooting pain to the ear or ear region

Vocal tightness can be caused by several factors, including:

• Underlying medical conditions: Certain conditions, such as laryngitis, bronchitis, post-nasal drip, post-thyroidectomy problems, or neurological disorders, can affect vocal function and lead to tightness.
• Vocal abuse: Overuse, misuse, or abuse of the voice can contribute to vocal tightness. This includes excessive shouting, whispering, or speaking in noisy environments.
• Stress and anxiety: Emotional factors and conditions such as depression, anxiety and excessive crying can cause tension in the muscles around the larynx, leading to vocal tightness.
• Irritants: Exposure to irritants such as smoke, allergens, or acid reflux can contribute to vocal or laryngeal spasticity, even when asleep.

Described as Muscle tension dysphonia (MTD): This is a common hyperfunctional condition where the muscles around the larynx (voice box) become excessively tense, leading to a myriad of voice issues. This can also connect to Muscle Tension Dysphagia (MTDg) or Vocal Cord Dysfunction (VCD) that describe issues with swallowing and breathing.

Vocal discomfort and pain can be caused by a variety of factors, ranging from structural compression of the voice box, displacement of the larynx in the front neck or focal muscle stiffness. Here are some common causes:

Acute Causes

• Laryngitis: Inflammation of the voice box, often caused by infections like colds or flu cause repetitive coughing that squeezes the muscles around the vocal cords and throat.
• Vocal misuse or overuse: Excessive talking, shouting, or singing improperly or excessively can strain the larynx and force it into an elevated or retracted position creating issues. If the voice is out of alignment, the singing or speaking voice can be dramatically affected.
• Crying and Emotional Reaction: Our emotion directly contracts the muscles of the larynx to protect us. This can irritate the throat by creating a lump sensation and thus changing the voice.
• Acid reflux: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or Laryngopharyngeal reflux disease (LPR) can cause pepsin vapours to enter into the throat, irritating the vocal cords and surrounding region. This causes the voice box to spasm and accumulate tension over time.

Chronic Causes

• Chronic reflux laryngitis: Laryngitis that lasts more than three weeks, often caused by diet, alcohol and/or smoking abuse.
• Vocal nodules or polyps: Benign growths on the vocal cords caused by chronic overuse or misuse.
• Bruxism: Grinding your teeth or excessive clenching can cause tongue and voice tension that affect the voice quality. A mouthguard will not help the voice, it only protects the teeth form enamel wear.
• Mouthing Breathing at Night: This is a hidden issue and causes excessive tongue root tension and laryngeal elevation.
• Neurological conditions: Conditions like Parkinson’s Disease or Multiple Sclerosis can affect the nerves that control the vocal cords.
• Cancer: In rare cases, vocal discomfort or pain can be a symptom of throat cancer.