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Enhancing Voice Therapy: Implementing Research Insights for Abductor Laryngeal Dystonia

Enhancing Voice Therapy: Implementing Research Insights for Abductor Laryngeal Dystonia

Abductor Laryngeal Dystonia (ABLD) is a rare neurological voice disorder that presents significant challenges for both patients and practitioners. Traditional treatments, such as Botulinum Neurotoxin (BoNT) injections, offer temporary relief but often require repeated administrations. A recent exploratory case study titled "Intensive Voice Treatment following Botulinum Neurotoxin Injection for a Speaker with Abductor Laryngeal Dystonia: An Exploratory Case Study" sheds light on a promising alternative: the Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT LOUD) administered via teletherapy.

This blog will summarize the study's findings and discuss how practitioners can leverage these insights to improve outcomes for patients with ABLD.

Understanding Abductor Laryngeal Dystonia

ABLD is characterized by involuntary spasms of the posterior cricoarytenoid (PCA) muscles, causing the vocal folds to open uncontrollably during speech. This results in a breathy, effortful voice with abrupt terminations of voicing. Traditional treatments like BoNT injections offer limited and temporary relief, often necessitating repeated interventions every few months.

The Case Study: LSVT LOUD as an Effective Treatment

The case study focused on a 47-year-old female participant who had received BoNT injections but continued to experience significant voice issues. She underwent an intensive 4-week LSVT LOUD program delivered via teletherapy. The treatment included:

Over the course of the treatment, the participant showed remarkable improvements in vocal loudness, maximum phonation time, pitch range, and overall vocal quality. Notably, these gains were maintained for up to 12 months post-treatment without additional BoNT injections.

Key Findings and Implementation

Practitioners can draw several key insights from this study to enhance their therapeutic approaches:

Encouraging Further Research

While this case study offers promising results, it is crucial to replicate these findings with a larger pool of subjects to validate the efficacy of LSVT LOUD for ABLD. Practitioners are encouraged to explore this approach and contribute to the growing body of research in this area.

To read the original research paper, please follow this link: Intensive Voice Treatment following Botulinum Neurotoxin Injection for a Speaker with Abductor Laryngeal Dystonia: An Exploratory Case Study.


Citation: Schnell, M., & Slavin, D. (2024). Intensive Voice Treatment following Botulinum Neurotoxin Injection for a Speaker with Abductor Laryngeal Dystonia: An Exploratory Case Study. Seminars in Speech and Language. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10957285/?report=classic
Marnee Brick, President, TinyEYE Therapy Services

Author's Note: Marnee Brick, TinyEYE President, and her team collaborate to create our blogs. They share their insights and expertise in the field of Speech-Language Pathology, Online Therapy Services and Academic Research.

Connect with Marnee on LinkedIn to stay updated on the latest in Speech-Language Pathology and Online Therapy Services.

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