In this video, let me share more tips on how to successfully navigate muscle tension dysphonia
treatment (or MTD for short) and make your voice free and reliable again.
Don’t go anywhere, I will be right back.
Hi!
If you are seeing me for the first time, I am Katarina, speech language pathologist from
How 2 Improve Singing and here on this channel, I share practical tips about using your voice
in a healthy way.
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This is part two of a video series about MTD treatment.
In the first part of this video, I shared 5 tips along with Kimberly’s remarkable
story of overcoming muscle tension dysphonia.
If you haven’t seen that video, I will link to it at the end of this video.
Now, let me share 5 more tips on how to overcome MTD successfully.
Tip #6 Find What Works for You Kimberly started voice therapy shortly after
she was diagnosed with MTD.
She received biweekly therapy for about 2 months.
She needed to learn how her voice worked and discover exercises and techniques that would
eliminate vocal tension.
Her favourite exercises were SOVT exercises, resonance exercises and self-massage, all
of which proved to be most effective for her.
Unfortunately, Kimberly did not enjoy the treatment process and slowly became overwhelmed
by the nature of the exercises.
Her speech therapist did not have much experience with singers with muscle tension dysphonia.
So, once again Kimberly started her own search for other solutions.
She wanted to know not only how to do the exercises but also why.
She searched the internet and learned about vocal anatomy.
That’s when things started to click and she was able to pick out things that worked
for her voice.
She also did singing therapy with a specialist for three months, which was helpful because
she learned more about breath control and posture.
And she could see that her voice was able to do what it used to under the right circumstances.
I am happy to report that Kimberly can now sing beautifully again the way she did before.
These are Kimberly’s words: “Over the last two years, I think I have found what
works for me.
I also believe that every person affected by MTD has a secret “combination” to unlock
their voice, which is discovered through self-evaluation and therapy.”
I could not agree more.
Each person with MTD is very different and therefore, treatment solutions may differ
from person to person.
Before I continue to tip #7, I want to say that voice therapy with singers may require
a few specialists – a speech-language pathologist who addresses the needs of a speaking voice
and a singing therapist who has better understanding of the singing voice.
If you are lucky, you find both of these professions in one person but they are hard to come by.
Tip #7 Be Patient, Take One Day At a Time As I said before and as it is obvious from
Kimberly’s success story, there is no quick fix for muscle tension dysphonia.
It is a process of self-discovery and that takes time.
Some days may be harder than others but if you persevere, you can find solutions to your
individual needs.
Here is a piece of advice from Kimberly: “Don’t try to do it all at once.
Make gradual changes.
Pick one thing and work on it, then add another.
Don’t waste your time trying to find a quick fix.
There isn’t one.”
Tip #8 Establish Good Vocal Hygiene and Eliminate Abuses
Throughout the treatment process and self-discovery, Kimberly improved her vocal hygiene habits
and eliminated vocal behaviours that could potentially harm her voice.
She increased water intake and decreased caffeine intake.
Due to suspected acid reflux, she also eliminated spicy and sugary foods from her diet and decreased
alcohol intake.
Kimberly also stopped cheering and screaming at sport events.
When she wants to talk to her kids, she finds them in the house instead of yelling at them
from a distance.
She stopped clearing her throat.
She also tries to avoid having conversations in loud venues, such as gyms or noisy restaurants.
She changed her posture when sitting and driving and she reduced time looking down at the phone,
which also helped improve her head position.
A lot of little changes that together made up for a big change in her daily routines.
Tip #9 Make a Plan to Maintain Vocal Health In one of my emails to Kimberly, I asked her
if she believed there was a cure for MTD.
This is what Kimberly’s answer was: “Unfortunately, I don’t know that there is a cure for MTD.
Not in the sense that a person can go back to the way things were before.
It’s a new way of life.”
Once you find what works for you throughout the treatment process and you get your voice
back, you need a maintenance program to keep your voice healthy and to avoid tension.
Kimberly’s maintenance program includes self massage, vocal exercises, good vocal
hygiene, continued education of vocal function and anatomy, proper posture, and stress management.
As she puts it: “All doable things.
It just takes self discipline and self awareness.”
Other activities that may become your daily routine are meditation and relaxation exercises,
some form of physical exercises, which includes muscle stretching and strengthening.
Daily breathing exercises serve various purposes including stress release and mindfulness.
Vocal exercises such as straw phonation and humming can reset your voice after a long
day of voice use.
Also, self-massage can prepare your voice for daily use or reset it when you feel tension.
I made a video about laryngeal self-massage.
You can try it by clicking this link.
And I will also put a link to that video in the description below.
That brings us to my last tip: Tip #10 Stay Positive
I asked Kimberly: What can you do now that you could not do before?
Here is her answer: “With all the knowledge and discovery of how my own voice works through
MTD therapy, I am able to teach others what not to do, how to find their singing voice
and strengthen and protect their vocal instrument.
That has been the real blessing out of all of this.
I never knew I would get so much joy out of teaching.
At least the struggle has not gone to waste.”
I could not have said it better.
So, Kimberly thank you for taking us on your journey of vocal discovery and hope.
I am truly grateful for allowing me to share your experiences in these two videos.
It’s been a privilege to get to know you and I wish you continued success.
Now, I hope you found Kimberly’s story inspirational and encouraging.
There is light at the end of the tunnel.
Your journey may be very different from Kimberly’s but I hope that her positivity and strength
was contagious and motivating.
If you would like to share your story of vocal recovery, share it in the comments below.
I would love to hear from you.
If you found this video helpful, click the like button and share it with your friends.
Check out the video with laryngeal self-massage as well as other videos on the topic of MTD.
I will see you soon.
Bye.