A Quiz: Test Your Vocal Health Smarts

Lynda Stucky March 28, 2017 Develop Your Voice

This weekend, I will be attending the 2017 Voice Therapy Conference in Pittsburgh.  I am attending for two reasons.  First of all, I must get my Continuing Education credits to maintain my license to practice. Secondly, my absolute favorite part of speech pathology when I was in graduate school was in the area of voice.  I had a fabulous professor who got me hooked on the capabilities of our tiny instrument, the larynx.  I just loved to learn about the anatomy, diagnosing voice problems and helping patients learn to use their voices in better ways.

I still love to learn about our amazingly unique and complex larynx and I want to stay current with trends in techniques, so I am excited to attend!  Here are a few amazing facts that I found fascinating….

The Effects of Air Quality on Speech and Voice (and What You Can Do About It!)

Lynda Stucky April 23, 2015 Develop Your Voice

The other day while walking downtown Pittsburgh to one of my clients, the air was thick and smelled…well, let’s just say, interesting. Because it was foggy, the air was thicker and trapping pungent smells. Did you know that the air state affects our nasopharynx (nasal cavity and soft palate), sinuses and respiratory system, and has an effect on our speech and voice as well? Some environmental exposures include pollen, fog, dust and chemicals like pesticides. In California, there have been studies done that link these environmental factors to increased voice problems and respiratory stress.