Muscle Tension Dysphonia: I Am the Worst Case

[@healthyvoicetips]

Thank you for stopping by. I hope this video inspired you not to give up on your voice! Let me know if I can help in any way!.

[@estrellagonzales230]

​@Caitlyn Carvalho 9 ,

[@estrellagonzales230]

home temedy for dysphonia

[@vjcarter4657]

My voice made me so depressed today. It was so bad. And on those days people asking, “are you okay?” “Are you sick?” Just feels like being bullied. Voice disorders are one of the most evil afflictions.

[@healthyvoicetips]

I am so sorry to hear that you are feeling like that. I hope you are better today.

[@jonathankenna7639]

I can speak from experience I had really bad MTD, that was brought on by stress, my voice tired easily when talking, I was hoarse and sometimes it even hurt to talk. But I made a full recovery without any Voice Therapy, or medication. I rested my voice a bit, practiced relaxation techniques, which helps a lot for relaxing throat muscles and neck muscles naturally, and I learned that the mind is powerful, fear and anxiety can disrupt every system in the body, this includes talking if you let it. This is what doctors don’t tell you. Sometimes the first thing you have to change is your mind and your thinking. And for the most part you can be your own NIGHT IN SHINING ARMOR!!!

[@healthyvoicetips]

Thank you for sharing your story!

[@tanushree88]

Can you share relaxation techniques

[@passportkaya]

Please share the relaxation techniques.

[@marydiab6215]

I experience pain every time I start singing just because I am scared. For real. Every time I think about signing perfectly I automatically start feeling pain. When I don't think about it . It doesn't hurt . Insane!! Thank you katarina! I've been following you for years. And you always impress me . Keep going

[@healthyvoicetips]

Mary, your thoughts and your fear can do that to you!!! I am so sorry to hear that you are experiencing this. It may be challenging to change your thought patterns about your voice but it is possible. Check out my videos with Katie Crooks about our subconscious part of our mind.

[@GregoryCampbellSwag]

I feel something similar! When I try to do my podcast and try to have this perfect "radio voice" I get the pain but no other time. What helped you?

[@mjusick42]

Thanks for the video. This reinforces my personal assumption that when it comes to singing, the brain is often the most important organ.

[@healthyvoicetips]

Absolutely! 💗

[@woodslisa4529]

I have not been able to speak for over since March 30/23. and it's is now end of June. I feel trapped inside a voiceless body. daily struggle just to swallow food. some days I am not able to eat. I am seeing a speech therapist but so far no change

[@healthyvoicetips]

I am very sorry to hear that you are dealing with severe voice difficulties that are affecting your mental health. I hope you are making progress with the help of your therapist.

[@TheTardisDreamer]

I've just been diagnosed with this, from having COVID. So keen to see a speech pathologist and get it sorted. For my ENT it was really easy to diagnose because my false vocal cords are doing everything and contracting over my vocal cords and at higher ranges they can't close my vocal cords properly so I have no voice. As a result I have a hoarse speaking voice and I can't sing at all. I do get pain with it but I'm especially sick of the lack of function. For me, all the tips online to relax the voice don't seem to help much because mine is just unconscious muscle memory now, not something I get when I'm tense that I can consciously feel. So I have no idea how to speak or sing now without using the wrong muscles and I have no point of reference for how my voice should feel so I can't replicate it. I can't wait to get some help.

[@healthyvoicetips]

I absolutely get what you are saying. Many people with MTD feel the same way. They have no point of reference for how things should feel. But you did the right thing - you went to an ENT who was able to diagnose it. Now, you are waiting for an SLP who will be able to help you release that tension and show you exercises how to make it conscious for a while so that you can retrain the muscles. I have a resource for people with MTD. It's a video that walks you though a few areas that should be considered when dealing with MTD. Check it out here: www.vocalfreedomsystem.com/machine

[@FrancescaBettiMusic]

Thank you for these videos :)

[@healthyvoicetips]

My pleasure!

[@danperlman3185]

I've had functional dysphonia all my life. I'm 63 and it's only getting more frequent.....when I was in elementary school my mom took me to multiple speech therapists but they weren't able to help......

[@healthyvoicetips]

Voice therapy has changed tremendously! When I was studying to become a speech-language pathologist 25 years ago, I learned techniques and approaches that I would not recommend today. For example, pain science is a very new field that made huge discoveries only in the last 5-10 years. Maybe you could give your voice another chance with new approaches.

[@Keikimainecoon]

MTD has a huge psychological factor at least for me. I am getting better

[@healthyvoicetips]

You are absolutely right. I am happy to hear that you are getting better.

[@zeldathomas5196]

Love Ya, Ms Katarina, I really hope you can find out about Vocal Botox.... it's been a week for me now, I took my first shot Friday July 15th, that Saturday and Sunday I talked really good....now today is Thursday and this week my voice has not been good... the doctor said I will go through something then it may tone out....Please pray that it tone out... I'm not being strangled as much when I talk... but I am being strangled....and sometimes whispering....he said I had no voice restrictions... I can Vocal excercise etc......I will keep you posted...I have a show August 7th. Please keep me in your prayer...and if there is any advice on excercises to get my voice back in shape, I am watching.... Thank GOD for You Ms Katarina

[@healthyvoicetips]

Zelda, I am thinking about you and sending you positive vibes so that you can find the best solution for your voice.

[@zeldathomas5196]

@@healthyvoicetips Ms.Katarina how can I find others that have had Vocal Botox......I have been trying and trying.most people with Spasmodic DYSPHONIA use Botox.......there are some that has MTD that have had Botox...I'm really trying to find people who has taken that route, and the result whether good or bad.... how can I find these people.....

[@JayC0325]

I used to sing just about any type of songs, be it Indian, western, etc. I had amazing dynamics and was able to do many voice modulations. But that was over a year ago. Slowly in beginning of 2022, I started developing symptoms where I started having tightness in my voice, strain in singing. Then it lead to voice cracks and now I am at a point where I can barely sing or sing very very few songs and that too not as effortlessly and with dynamics as I was able to do over a year ago. My identity among my friends and community is due to m singing and I feel I am losing my identity. I feel hopeless that will I be even be able to sing now. I am planning to go to doctor soon. Need help desperately. I am a very positive person but repeated failure is breaking my hope and confidence.

[@healthyvoicetips]

I am very sorry to hear that you are feeling hopeless about your voice. You are absolutely right that our voice is a big part of our identity and having voice issues can feel absolutely devastating. I would not postpone a visit to a voice specialist (I recommend a laryngologist who can assess your voice with videostroboscopy). That is the very firs step in getting your voice back.

[@JayC0325]

@@healthyvoicetips thank you so much Katarina. I will share my updates and progress.

[@BLACKGIRLBROKEN]

Hi Katrina I been watching you for many years and I just want to say thank you but I also have a problem my voice has been raspy since I was 16 and I am now 33 I feel there is no hope my ent said I have muscle tension dysphonia sometimes my voice is so hoarse nobody can hear me I believe I am the worst case and I need your help,I have a KZbin channel which is where I’m writing you from maybe you can watch a video and get back to me I will love to work with u hope to hear from you soon

[@healthyvoicetips]

Hi Rere, nice to meet you. I just checked your channel and you have your hands full with your beautiful baby! He is absolutely gorgeous. I listened to your voice and there is audible breathiness and tension at times in it. I was wondering if you have done any therapy locally and also what are you doing daily for your voice? If you want to take this conversation off this platform, you can send me an email to [e-mail]

[@zeldathomas5196]

I still do the vocal exercises that Ms Katarina has given us

[@denitsadimitrova-x1o]

Hi. I have sufferring from muscle tension dystonia and I am not getting any relief . Could you please give some advice?Thank you

[@healthyvoicetips]

I am not sure if you are saying that you have muscle tension dysphonia or laryngeal dystonia. They may sound similar and have similar symptoms but they require very different approaches. I suggest that you speak to a doctor who understands how to treat your condition. If your current doctor cannot help you, look for a second opinion.

[@jaimechip]

I’m dealing with exact situation word for word. Haven’t talked in nearly a month because of the burning pain. How long did it take to get him back to normal?

[@healthyvoicetips]

It is very individual. Some people take a few weeks, some people may take longer.

[@jaimechip]

@@healthyvoicetipsI am still suffering in this same situation. It’s been nearly 3 months now. I feel pain regardless of whether or not I talk. What should I do?

[@passportkaya]

@@jaimechip any improvement Jaime so far?

[@jaimechip]

@@passportkaya sort of, I tried a lot of different medications for nerve pain that didn’t help but once I started on an SNRI medication it started to get better. Not fully better but I can talk more comfortably that I did before.

[@passportkaya]

@@jaimechip sounds very good. I don't wanna get addicted to SSRI or any other anti depression medication myself. But I do know they work wonders.

[@rockysolomon8927]

Hello came across your videos after searching for some relief. 3 months ago out of nowhere a click in my throat started happening accompanied with a feeling of something touching my Adams apple. Or something squeezing in there. I have gone to a doctor where I had multiple test done and everything was fine. Went to an ENT and he said it’s probably muscular. Had some heavy dental work done two months prior to these symptoms which resulted in my jaw popping. Which still does occasionally. So I was wondering if you think it had to do with my muscles being so tense?

[@healthyvoicetips]

Absolutely possible. Jaw popping is often muscular too - a disc is being pulled by a muscle from the joint, which is that popping sound.

[@anatommyandcharvananirvana3348]

Hello, I think I might have this MTD because you mentioned anxiety as a cause. Have you done any research on PTSD as a cause? Normally I deal with things like nightmares, TMJ, clenching my fists etc. Emotion regulation is an issue for me. Whenever I try to prevent myself from crying I get choked up. It hasn’t been a problem until now. In September this choking pain started happening Daily - when I started singing classes. So, I went to the ENT at the VA and found out that I do have small nodules….. but I don’t think they are causing this throat pain (Because I’ve always been singing) The pain seems to be on the outside not inside like a sore throat from a cold. I started Speech Therapy and the therapist didn’t have an answer for me when I mentioned my throat pain. I’m gonna try to get re evaluated next week with the ENT. Anyways, thank you for your videos and maybe you will have a topic for new video.

[@healthyvoicetips]

I am sorry that you are dealing with vocal pain. You are right saying that pain (vocal or other type of pain) can be affected by our emotions, including anxiety. Vocal pain requires different type of approach - more in the area of mind, cognition, etc. I definitely recommend getting help for your anxiety and PTSD (if you have that), which can also decrease your perception of vocal pain. I made some videos on the topic of vocal pain so you are welcome to watch them.

[@ssinghk3488]

Hey katharina love your videos💓💓 But have a question see I'm a 16 yo teenager from India and in january 2022 during new year I shouted so hard for 1 to 2 hour and I felt that i tired my vocal cords but after 2 to 3 days i felt a little bit of a lump in my throat and i think I have vocal cord nodules now and it's been 6-7 months and now my voice get strained a bit while talking and I'm now seeing a voice specialist and he thinks that I have acid reflux and he suggested me to change my diet and gave me some medicines I've tried them for couple of weeks but it didn't seem to work out so I stopped doing it, is it ok cuz I think I have vocal cord nodules I'm trying your exercises what to do now can you please guide me🥺🥺💓💓

[@healthyvoicetips]

Hi Sujal, if the laryngologist did not see nodules on the endoscopic examination (when they look at the vocal folds), then you don't have vocal nodules. If you feel a lump, it does not mean you have nodules. When people have vocal nodules, they do not feel them (you cannot feel nodules). Follow the suggestions of your doctor. Acid reflux takes a long time to manage - at least 2 -3 months minimum. If you want some exercises, then talk to the doctor again and ask them if they recommend voice therapy. if they say yes, then work with a voice therapist. I wish you all the best. You will figure this out.

[@ssinghk3488]

@@healthyvoicetips Katharina you're so kind hearted and whatever you're doing for people is just amazing i don't even have words to tell 💓💓🔥all i can say is God bless u and your all family believe me your nice words really helped me out mentally 🐱 Jai Amba ji 🧡🥺🌟

[@Unkn0wn1133]

What can we do for AD SD?

[@healthyvoicetips]

I recommend using a very individualized approach to SD because each person reacts to different approaches differently. There is no one answer to this question.

[@neelamkataria8849]

I am going through the same for last four months.🥲🥲🥲🥲I m also feeling burning sensation when I talk or sing.

[@healthyvoicetips]

I am so sorry to hear that! What is your doctor saying?

[@neelamkataria8849]

They are still trying to find out what’s wrong.I am feeling lil better but still feel hard to touch High notes while singing which was never a problem before. Voice starts shaking when I try harder.please suggest what should I do.