[Effectiveness of voice training for professional voice users with voice disorders].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effectiveness of voice training on professional voice users with voice disorders.

METHODS: Thirty one professional voice users suffering from voice symptoms without organic disorder were treated with a four-week voice training program, including vocal hygiene education, respiratory training and resonant therapy. Voice handicap index, maximum phonation time, noise to harmonic ratio, jitter and shimmer were compared before and after the training.

RESULTS: The voice handicap index (x(-) ± s) decreased from 33.7 ± 19.2 to 18.8 ± 18.4 after the training and the difference was significant (t = 6.14, P < 0.05). Maximum phonation time (x(-) ± s) increased significantly from (15.5 ± 5.8) s to (18.6 ± 6.0) s (t = -3.43, P < 0.05). jitter (M [P(25); P(75)]) decreased significantly after the training from 0.42% [0.36%; 0.62%] to 0.35% [0.29%; 0.47%] (Z = -2.51, P < 0.05), while there was no significant change in shimmer and noise to harmonic ratio.

CONCLUSION: Voice training can effectively reduce the vocal symptoms in professional voice users, decrease the handicap degree and increase the respiratory support during phonation, thus improve the voice quality.