.
How to contact us
Speech and Language Therapy Departments Office hours:
Monday-Friday 9am - 4.30pm
University Hospital of North Durham Telephone: 0191 3332591
Darlington Memorial Hospital Telephone: 01325 743152
Bishop Auckland General Hospital Telephone: 01388 455714
Useful websites
www.britishvoiceassociation.org.uk
www.voicecare.org.uk
Contact details
Central Appointments Bureau
Speech & Language Therapy
Bishop Auckland General Hospital
Cockton Hill Road
Bishop Auckland
County Durham
Tel: 01388 455200
www.cddft.nhs.net
Let us know your thoughts,
www.patient.experience.cddft.nhs.uk
Date Published: May 2017
Date of Review: May 2020
Responsibility: Speech & Language Therapy
Reference No: PIL/CG/0493
Version: 1
Referral to the Speech & Language Therapy
Voice Service
Voice 1:1 Assessment
Information Leaflet
You have been referred to the Voice service by your Ear, Nose and Throat Doctor. This is because you have had changes to the way your voice sounds, changes to your throat or difficulties with using your voice.
The Voice Service has a team of Speech & Language Therapists trained to assess and treat voice problems by providing advice and/ or therapy to improve the health and function of your voice box (larynx).
What is Voice?
Air from the lungs is the power supply for the voice. The vocal folds (vocal cords) sit within the larynx. At rest they sit open and as air passes through them they come together, vibrate and make sound. We shape this sound with our mouth, lips and tongue to make words.
Your Voice Appointment:
You have been asked to contact the department for a voice assessment appointment. You will be asked some questions to find-out what is causing the changes in your voice and throat. This can be to do with your health, lifestyle, emotional well-being or your work.
All discussions are confidential and we only share information with other professionals if you agree. After this session you will decide with your Therapist if voice therapy will be useful for you. Therapy looks at improving things that make your voice worse and doing exercises which make your voice better.
Ways to Help the Voice:
AVOID… / DO…More than 4 caffeinated drinks (tea/coffee/energy drinks) a day.
Alcohol
Fizzy Drinks / Drink lots of water or diluted juice
Talking where it is noisy and ‘pushing’ your voice / Use your voice in a relaxed, easy way. If it feels strained then rest it when possible.
Throat-clearing / Swallow or take a sip of water if you feel a sensation in your throat
Continuing to speak when the breath has run out / Think about your breathing. Your shoulders and chest should be relaxed and your breathing deep from your diaphragm (below your ribs).
Holding tension in the shoulders, neck and jaw / Notice if you are holding tension in the body and try and release it. Just taking some deep breaths can do this.
Medicated throat lozenges – these can be drying / Suck sweets or chew chewing-gum if your mouth and throat feel dry. Inhale plain steam to moisten the back of the throat.