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From: Bruce Poburka
Date: 10/15/02
Time: 4:17:01 PM
Remote Name: 134.29.11.28
Hi Christina,
While it seems like people who stutter may be at risk for developing voice disorders, I am not aware that the incidence of voice problems is any higher than in the general population. This may be related to some of the following ideas:
Even though laryngeal blocking involves quite a bit of tension at the level of the larynx, the block actually holds the vocal folds still...there is no vibration going on during the most severe contraction of laryngeal musculature. Many of the vocal pathologies resulting from excessive tension (like nodules, polyps, laryngitis) result from excessive tension DURING phonation. Perhaps individuals who stutter release enough tension to get out of a block so that the subsequent phonation is not vocally abusive. Indeed, some use breathy phonation as a means to avoid or pull out of a block. Breathy phonation results when there is relatively little collision between the vibrating vocal folds. Another behavior exhibited by people who stutter is vocal fry and or talking too long on a breath. While these are not ideal for a good sounding voice, neither is likely to result in actual damage to the folds. Both involve using little breath support. When there is little aerodynamic driving pressure, the folds are not displaced far enough to really bang into each other and cause damage. I should point out that the reason we treat these things is because they affect other important aspects of speaking like projection/loudness, efficiency, and aesthetics. Thanks for your question!