Speech & Voice Therapy

Have you noticed changes to your voice involving loudness, quality, pitch, or resonance? Or have you experienced changes in your speech, making it difficult for others to understand you?

Speech changes can result from a variety of diagnoses, such as Parkinson’s disease, stroke, traumatic brain injury, and other degenerative neurological disorders.

Speech disorders can present as dysarthria, a condition in which the muscles of the mouth, face, voice, and respiratory system may be weak or move slowly.

Speech disorders can present as apraxia, caused by injury to the parts of the brain associated with speech, resulting in inconsistent speech errors.

Causes of voice disorders can include damage to the vocal cords, respiratory disorders, vocal tension, neurological disorders, gastroesophageal reflux (GERD), and aging.

Here are common symptoms associated with speech and voice disorders:

Speech Symptoms

  • Speech that is difficult to understand

  • Inconsistent speech patterns

  • Slowed speech rate

  • Short rush or “bursts” of speech

  • Sounding like you have a stuffy nose or talking out of your nose

  • Problems moving your tongue, lips, or jaw

  • “Slurred” or “mumbled” speech

  • Speech sounding “robotic” or “choppy”

Voice Symptoms

  • Hoarse or rough-sounding voice

  • Strained vocal quality (harsh or tense)

  • Breathy vocal quality (vocal weakness)

  • Abnormal loudness/volume

  • Abnormal pitch (decreased vocal range)

  • Sore throat or pain after speaking

  • Voice breaks

  • Tremorous/shaky voice

  • Variable vocal quality throughout the day

We provide effective and functional speech & voice treatments such as:

Vocal function exercises

Manual circumlaryngeal techniques

Semi-occluded vocal tract exercises

Conversation training therapy

Resonant Voice Therapy (RVT)

Modified Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT) techniques

Respiratory Muscular Strength Training (RMST) & Expiratory Muscular Strength Training (EMST)

One of the most common diseases that Speech Therapists address is Parkinson’s disease, which can affect speech and voice. Research shows that 89% of people diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease (PD) experience speech and voice disorders.

As a result of these symptoms, individuals with Parkinson’s disease report being less likely to participate in conversations or have confidence in social settings compared to healthy individuals in their age group.

Don’t let Parkinson’s disease keep you from participating in the things you love and communicating confidently. We can help you speak clearly!

At Clarity Rehabilitation, we believe in the limitless potential for progress. The brain has the capacity to form new connections, even years following a stroke or brain injury. Our approach involves collaborating with you on your personal goals, ensuring they are not only achievable but also practical and relevant to your everyday life.