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:
- Sustained vowel phonation
- Pitch glides
- Repetition of functional phrases
- Reading single-word lists
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:
- Integration of Behavioral and Medical Treatments: Combining BoNT injections with intensive voice therapy like LSVT LOUD can yield more substantial and long-lasting improvements.
- Teletherapy as a Viable Option: The success of the teletherapy approach in this study underscores its potential for broader application, especially in the context of ongoing pandemic-related restrictions.
- Customization of Therapy Tasks: Modifying therapy tasks to minimize transitions from voiceless to voiced sounds can help reduce the occurrence of vocal abductions.
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.
