Vocal expertise… What is that? And why should you look for a qualified vocal expert?

[VocalScience]

Let’s suppose you woke up feeling ill and experiencing sore throat, cough and a fever. Naturally, you think that you got a cold or caught some kind of a virus

Nothing too dangerous, you may think...

So, for the next several days, you do everything to get rid of the symptoms. And yes, you were able to get rid of pretty much all of them, except your throat is still bothering you.

 

Moreover, after you knocked down your cold or your virus symptoms, you discover that, not only that your throat is still sore, but your voice is acting kind of weird.

 

It’s sounding kind of hoarse and raspy and you have to clear your throat every 15 minutes.

The time passes by and you are completely recovered on every level, but your voice is still sounding 

 

Hoarse and not coming back to its normal state.

 

In this instance, you decide to go back to your family doctor, just to get a referral to an ENT specialist.

 

After waiting three to five months for that appointment, to your dismay, you find out that you actually have either a paralyzed vocal cord or spasmodic dysphonia!

 

How devastating it must be?

 

I agree, the devastation goes beyond words.

 

People who never had any problems with their voices are now practically disabled.

 

Some of them had to change their professions, as they could not teach anymore, be a crown attorney in court, or even continue to be a doctor’s assistant or just even an office secretary, where the person was required to answer the phone.

 

The worst part, especially for singers, was when the doctors, at best, gave them the diagnosis (not always the accurate ones), but never told them how to treat the problem, let alone cure it.

 

On that note, the effected people, (and especially singers), decided to go to a regular vocal coach in hopes to rectify their voice/vocal problems. They got regular style vocal coaching, but the voice problem was still remaining and never got addressed.

 

In some cases, the voice condition actually became worse.

 

For some reason, people in general do understand that, if some kind of internal organ problem occurs, they will be referred to a specialist who can attend to their specific problem.

 

The family physician is not the one who specializes in internal medicine. 

Granted they have already been referred to the ENT specialist, but that is another story altogether.

 

The ENT specialist is not necessarily an expert in the voice mechanics. In real sense, to restore the voice mechanics to whichever degree possible, takes a vocal expert who specializes in such matters.

 

Yes, the ENT doctor could, for example, prescribe medication for the acid reflux occurrence, or the Botox injections, especially in the case of spasmodic dysphonia, which is, unfortunately, also only a temporary measure.

 

But beyond that would be only a surgical procedure offered, which also could be detrimental to your voice, (scar tissue and other post-operative residuals), or even your health and life in general. So your first measure would be to search for a voice/vocal specialist who has the holistic understanding how to approach the vocal issue mechanically, mentally, physically and emotionally, and how to cater it to a specific person and personality.

 

The regular vocal coach will not qualify for such tasks.

 

It is an incredibly intense and tedious undertaking which requires the special skills from the voice expert and, especially, patience and compassion towards the injured individual. As for the actual vocally injured person, it also requires willingness and 'lovingness', open heart and soul as well as patience, to except such services.

 

The vocal expert and the vocally injured person should outline the mutual goal and enjoy achieving the results.

[Adolph Namlik]

Let’s suppose you woke up feeling ill and experiencing sore throat, cough and a fever. Naturally, you think that you got a cold or caught some kind of a virus

Nothing too dangerous, you may think...

So, for the next several days, you do everything to get rid of the symptoms. And yes, you were able to get rid of pretty much all of them, except your throat is still bothering you.

 

Moreover, after you knocked down your cold or your virus symptoms, you discover that, not only that your throat is still sore, but your voice is acting kind of weird.

 

It’s sounding kind of hoarse and raspy and you have to clear your throat every 15 minutes.

The time passes by and you are completely recovered on every level, but your voice is still sounding 

 

Hoarse and not coming back to its normal state.

 

In this instance, you decide to go back to your family doctor, just to get a referral to an ENT specialist.

 

After waiting three to five months for that appointment, to your dismay, you find out that you actually have either a paralyzed vocal cord or spasmodic dysphonia!

 

How devastating it must be?

 

I agree, the devastation goes beyond words.

 

People who never had any problems with their voices are now practically disabled.

 

Some of them had to change their professions, as they could not teach anymore, be a crown attorney in court, or even continue to be a doctor’s assistant or just even an office secretary, where the person was required to answer the phone.

 

The worst part, especially for singers, was when the doctors, at best, gave them the diagnosis (not always the accurate ones), but never told them how to treat the problem, let alone cure it.

 

On that note, the effected people, (and especially singers), decided to go to a regular vocal coach in hopes to rectify their voice/vocal problems. They got regular style vocal coaching, but the voice problem was still remaining and never got addressed.

 

In some cases, the voice condition actually became worse.

 

For some reason, people in general do understand that, if some kind of internal organ problem occurs, they will be referred to a specialist who can attend to their specific problem.

 

The family physician is not the one who specializes in internal medicine. 

Granted they have already been referred to the ENT specialist, but that is another story altogether.

 

The ENT specialist is not necessarily an expert in the voice mechanics. In real sense, to restore the voice mechanics to whichever degree possible, takes a vocal expert who specializes in such matters.

 

Yes, the ENT doctor could, for example, prescribe medication for the acid reflux occurrence, or the Botox injections, especially in the case of spasmodic dysphonia, which is, unfortunately, also only a temporary measure.

 

But beyond that would be only a surgical procedure offered, which also could be detrimental to your voice, (scar tissue and other post-operative residuals), or even your health and life in general. So your first measure would be to search for a voice/vocal specialist who has the holistic understanding how to approach the vocal issue mechanically, mentally, physically and emotionally, and how to cater it to a specific person and personality.

 

The regular vocal coach will not qualify for such tasks.

 

It is an incredibly intense and tedious undertaking which requires the special skills from the voice expert and, especially, patience and compassion towards the injured individual. As for the actual vocally injured person, it also requires willingness and 'lovingness', open heart and soul as well as patience, to except such services.

 

The vocal expert and the vocally injured person should outline the mutual goal and enjoy achieving the results.

Excellent post, Diana !!!

 

I can totally relate to this as I've had several spinal surgeries (a total of six), due to an injury in 1994. Since then, I've been to a specialist who injects me with botox approximately every six months due the the significant scar tissue as a result of four anterior cervical surgeries/fusions. (Obviously, the posterior surgery/fusion does not cause any problems). The scar tissue presses against the right vocal fold, and inhibits my singing as well as my speaking voice. In fact, the scar tissue somehow continues to return and none of my doctors have an explanation why this continues to occur ! (?) In fact, I'm unable to swallow properly unless I receive these injections on a regular basis. The injections relieve the "spasms" (?) of the resulting scar tissue and do, in fact help me, but I have to believe there is another remedy.

 

Any suggestions or assistance would be sincerely appreciated !

 

Sincere Regards,

Adolph

[KillerKu]

You sound compassionate. Wish some of the speech therapists I saw were more like you.

 

Our interactions were often like:

 

Therapist: Make noise

Me: All noises are very painful, some hurt less

Therapist: I can already tell you'll make the wrong noise. Make the right noise and lots of it.

 

I felt totally dehumanized. Nothing I said mattered and I was just a broken voice. One of the speech therapists, finally had some knowledge and said, she couldn't speak either, as the nerve was causing too much pain in the area. She needed meds to help her speak, and that's part of how I became a speech therapist as she couldn't speak either and realized how life destroying such a situation is. The meds they tried that time didn't work, and I was dropped as a 'hopeless patient', but her words definitely helped me in my search.

 

I saw a specialist recently who suggested I have a functional speech problem because I allowed my voice to go breathy during a pain flare up. It's a much less aggravating way to speak. I'm not very comfortable with specialist these days. The average person doesn't judge my every word, and instantly categorize me into some 'medical box to file away into a cabinet' at the first sign of anything less than immaculate vocal production.

 

If you're one of the good ones, who sees human beings and tries to listen to  them as such, I think it can be an enormously helpful thing. Thank you, it saves lives. Some of those encounters had me feeling very suicidal and completely hopeless that I was to be blamed for the rest of my life for the pain in my throat. I'm glad I didn't give up, but I'm still apprehensive of 'voice nazis.' I'm glad I've got the meds and the voice now to speak my mind and stand up for myself. People have no idea how defenseless you feel when you lose your voice. When you can't speak, it's most common for others to insert words into your mouth. And since you can't speak back, you just have to 'take' whatever dish out. 

[VocalScience]

Excellent post, Diana !!!

 

I can totally relate to this as I've had several spinal surgeries (a total of six), due to an injury in 1994. Since then, I've been to a specialist who injects me with botox approximately every six months due the the significant scar tissue as a result of four anterior cervical surgeries/fusions. (Obviously, the posterior surgery/fusion does not cause any problems). The scar tissue presses against the right vocal fold, and inhibits my singing as well as my speaking voice. In fact, the scar tissue somehow continues to return and none of my doctors have an explanation why this continues to occur ! (?) In fact, I'm unable to swallow properly unless I receive these injections on a regular basis. The injections relieve the "spasms" (?) of the resulting scar tissue and do, in fact help me, but I have to believe there is another remedy.

 

Any suggestions or assistance would be sincerely appreciated !

 

Sincere Regards,

Adolph

Hi Adolph,

Thank you for your message.

You are more than welcome to give me a call; and then I will be able to explain to you, what could be done in your situation.

I'm quite certain I can help you.

My phone number is 416-857-8741.

Looking forward to speaking to you.

Best Regards,

 

Diana Yampolsky B.M. Ed.

World renowned Voice Repair Specialist

Specializing in Extreme Voice Disorder Cases.

Alternative and holistic approach to voice mechanics.

The Royans Professional Vocal School

www.vocalscience.com

www.repairyourvoice.com

416-857-8741

077 88 989 319 while in the UK

[VocalScience]

You sound compassionate. Wish some of the speech therapists I saw were more like you.

 

Our interactions were often like:

 

Therapist: Make noise

Me: All noises are very painful, some hurt less

Therapist: I can already tell you'll make the wrong noise. Make the right noise and lots of it.

 

I felt totally dehumanized. Nothing I said mattered and I was just a broken voice. One of the speech therapists, finally had some knowledge and said, she couldn't speak either, as the nerve was causing too much pain in the area. She needed meds to help her speak, and that's part of how I became a speech therapist as she couldn't speak either and realized how life destroying such a situation is. The meds they tried that time didn't work, and I was dropped as a 'hopeless patient', but her words definitely helped me in my search.

 

I saw a specialist recently who suggested I have a functional speech problem because I allowed my voice to go breathy during a pain flare up. It's a much less aggravating way to speak. I'm not very comfortable with specialist these days. The average person doesn't judge my every word, and instantly categorize me into some 'medical box to file away into a cabinet' at the first sign of anything less than immaculate vocal production.

 

If you're one of the good ones, who sees human beings and tries to listen to  them as such, I think it can be an enormously helpful thing. Thank you, it saves lives. Some of those encounters had me feeling very suicidal and completely hopeless that I was to be blamed for the rest of my life for the pain in my throat. I'm glad I didn't give up, but I'm still apprehensive of 'voice nazis.' I'm glad I've got the meds and the voice now to speak my mind and stand up for myself. People have no idea how defenseless you feel when you lose your voice. When you can't speak, it's most common for others to insert words into your mouth. And since you can't speak back, you just have to 'take' whatever dish out. 

Hi there,

Thank you for your comment on my post.

Yes, you are right, even the healthy voice is a very sensitive matter; as the voice is in fact a reflection of the state of your being and identification of who you are.

 

So when you lose your voice, you feel that your, so to speak, identity is lost also.

I can relate to it myself and I know that it is an extremely scary feeling.

You feel hopeless and helpless.

 

In 1989, I had lost my own voice, as I found out later, due to my thyroid, in a manner of speaking, closing on me.

According to the holistic teaching, thyroid represents suppressed emotions and hurts.

I had a lot of those, those days.

The so-called top ENT of one of the leading hospitals in Toronto, while doing a test, put the needle in the wrong place on my neck and injured my trachea.

I ended up being in excrutiating pain for two weeks with almost paralyzed neck and head inclined to the right side.

He also sent me to a speech therapy, which was the least to say laughable and completely useless.

I survived one session and then took the matter into my own hands.

 

Let me tell you, by being a musician, a vocalist, and voice educator all my life, I have to say that I went to hell and back, to put it mildly.

Thank God by that time I was already established with my own vocal technique (Vocal Science).

And once learning about natural herbs and remedies, I was able to conquer my vocal issue and then help thousands to return to their normal lives, and also, nevertheless, singing careers. 

 

If you want to know more about it and if you still have any problems, you are more than welcome to give me a call directly at 416-857-8741 or e-mail me at info@vocalscience.com.

Either way, you have my sympathy.

Best Regards,

 

Diana Yampolsky B.M. Ed.

World renowned Voice Repair Specialist

Specializing in Extreme Voice Disorder Cases.

Alternative and holistic approach to voice mechanics.

The Royans Professional Vocal School

www.vocalscience.com

www.repairyourvoice.com

416-857-8741

077 88 989 319 while in the UK

[Adolph Namlik]

Hi Adolph,

Thank you for your message.

You are more than welcome to give me a call; and then I will be able to explain to you, what could be done in your situation.

I'm quite certain I can help you.

My phone number is 416-857-8741.

Looking forward to speaking to you.

Best Regards,

 

Diana Yampolsky B.M. Ed.

World renowned Voice Repair Specialist

Specializing in Extreme Voice Disorder Cases.

Alternative and holistic approach to voice mechanics.

The Royans Professional Vocal School

www.vocalscience.com

www.repairyourvoice.com

416-857-8741

077 88 989 319 while in the UK

Thank you SO MUCH, Diana,

 

I am looking forward to speaking with you as well. Not only with regards to my "issues", but I have always followed your posts both here and on our "old home" as well. I had considered contacting you back then, but for some reason was reluctant to do so. (???)

 

On a side note : I noticed your comment >>>

 

"The so-called top ENT of one of the leading hospitals in Toronto, while doing a test, put the needle in the wrong place on my neck and injured my trachea.

I ended up being in excrutiating pain for two weeks with almost paralyzed neck and head inclined to the right side."

 

Many years ago, I had a discogram done at the Buffalo General Hospital which was done the wrong way and as a consequence, I had significant problems for several weeks. While my doctor who does the botox injections is very good, I simply believe there is another alternative. Also, will there come a time when he too, makes a mistake ?

 

I have an appointment today and another tomorrow (Tuesday) and am wondering if I can give you a call Wednesday or Thursday ? Also, will I be able to contact you at the toll free number you have listed above >> 1-888-229 - TUNE (8863) toll free in North America

 

Again, Thank you so much for your reply and concern !!!

 

I'm looking forward to speaking to you SOON

 

Sincere Regards,

Adolph

[VocalScience]

Thank you SO MUCH, Diana,

 

I am looking forward to speaking with you as well. Not only with regards to my "issues", but I have always followed your posts both here and on our "old home" as well. I had considered contacting you back then, but for some reason was reluctant to do so. (???)

 

On a side note : I noticed your comment >>>

 

"The so-called top ENT of one of the leading hospitals in Toronto, while doing a test, put the needle in the wrong place on my neck and injured my trachea.

I ended up being in excrutiating pain for two weeks with almost paralyzed neck and head inclined to the right side."

 

Many years ago, I had a discogram done at the Buffalo General Hospital which was done the wrong way and as a consequence, I had significant problems for several weeks. While my doctor who does the botox injections is very good, I simply believe there is another alternative. Also, will there come a time when he too, makes a mistake ?

 

I have an appointment today and another tomorrow (Tuesday) and am wondering if I can give you a call Wednesday or Thursday ? Also, will I be able to contact you at the toll free number you have listed above >> 1-888-229 - TUNE (8863) toll free in North America

 

Again, Thank you so much for your reply and concern !!!

 

I'm looking forward to speaking to you SOON

 

Sincere Regards,

Adolph

 

 

Hi again Adolph, 

 

Thank you for your response. 

 

I could sense that you have suffered a lot, unfortunately.

 

I do not have a toll free number anymore, but I could call you myself. (let's say 10:00 AM on Thursday?)

 

What is your number?

 

So if you want to send it to me and the time is fine for Thursday, I will call you and we can discuss everything. 

 

I will be looking forward to hearing from you and speaking to you soon. 

 

Also, if you are planning to e-mail me again, please use my regular e-mail address, as I could receive it on my Blackberry and see it and respond right away. 

 

My address is: info@vocalscience.com

 

You can also text me at: 416-857-8741.

 

Best regards,

 

Diana