Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery
Aging Voice Disorder
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Overview
Like many other parts of the body, the voice changes with age. The cartilage becomes hardened and the mucosa becomes thinner. Depending on voice use throughout your life, there may be cumulative scarring or thinning of the vocal fold cover. Known as presbyphonia, these situations can result in deterioration of the voice.
5Common Symptoms
- Weak, unsteady voice
- Hoarseness
- Pitch breaks
- Devoicing
- Voice at lower volume
Diagnosis and Treatment
Patients with aging voice can make significant gains with voice therapy. If patients need additional treatment after voice therapy, augmentation to add bulk to the vocal folds can be considered to improve the voice.
