The Voice Center
The Voice Center is made up of a team of speech/language pathologists and Ear, Nose and Throat Surgeons (ENT's) who work together to diagnose and treat voice disorders. The Voice Center was designed to provide a setting that offers the best in analysis, surgical intervention, and treatment with state-of-the-art diagnostic procedures.
What is a Voice Disorder?
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A voice disorder is a symptom of vocal cord dysfunction and sometimes a symptom of a serious medical condition.
Voice disorders often result from vocal abuse such as excessive talking or yelling. Sometimes, it is vocal misuse that's responsible from speaking in a lower pitch than is natural for you, or speaking with too much tension throughout the face, neck and shoulders.
These common conditions, as well as traumatic injury, can result in damage to the vocal cords located in the larynx (voice box).
Most voice conditions can be treated successfully through careful assessment and therapy before a more serious condition develops. Symptoms of voice disorders may include hoarseness, raspiness and/or temporary voice loss that persists for longer than three weeks and is not related to a cold or flu.
Who Benefits from the Voice Center?
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Individuals who benefit from services provided by the Voice Center include:
- Professional speakers and singers
- Teachers
- Lawyers
- Clergy
- Individuals experiencing chronic vocal hoarseness and vocal fatigue
- Pre-operative and post-operative vocal cord surgery patients
- Individuals who have had a total or a partial Laryngectomy
What Sets Our Voice Center Team Apart
- A comprehensive voice evaluation by a voice center team Speech/Language Pathologist.
- The latest technology available including laryngeal videostroboscopy and Visi-Pitch, which allows our team to detect laryngeal disease earlier and diagnose voice disorders with greater accuracy.
- An individual treatment plan is designed for the patient following team consultation.
Who Benefits from the Voice Center
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If you answer "yes" to any of the questions below, contact your ENT.
- Do you experience recurring episodes of voice loss or strain?
- Has your voice significantly changed in quality?
- Does your voice sound too high or low pitched, breathy or nasal?
- Has your voice been hoarse for longer than three weeks?
Preventing & Treating Mild Hoarseness
- Drink plenty of fluids — preferably water, roughly eight 8 oz. glasses per day.
- Avoid things that can dry out the mouth, throat, and vocal cords such as caffeine and alcohol.
- Avoid Smoking!
- Do not "abuse" your voice by yelling or screaming or "overusing" it by talking too much.
- Give your voice frequent "rest periods" throughout the day.
- Do not speak too loudly. Instead speak at a low to moderate volume throughout the day.
- Remember ... if hoarseness persists for longer than three weeks consult your physician.
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Your individual treatment plan can be followed out at any of the three sites of Southcoast Hospitals Group: Charlton, St. Luke's, Tobey.
Don't let a voice disorder get in the way of your life and career. Call your ENT and ask for a full diagnostic evaluation at the Voice Center.
Charlton Memorial Hospital
363 Highland Avenue
Fall River, MA 02740
508-679-7135
St. Luke's Hospital
101 Page Street
New Bedford, MA 02740
508-961-5460
Tobey Hospital
One Recovery Road
Wareham, MA 02571
508-291-3729
Other Southcoast Rehab Services
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Use the list below to select another Southcoast Rehab service.
