Influence of a Whisper Loading Test on the Vibration Mechanism of the Vocal Folds in the Context of Organic Dysphonia

TL;DR

This study examines whether whispering affects vocal function in patients with vocal fold issues and finds no significant negative impact.

Contribution

The study provides empirical evidence that short-term whispering does not worsen vocal function in patients with organic dysphonia.

Findings

No significant changes in vocal function or vibration patterns after a 10-minute whisper task.

Pathological vibration patterns remained unchanged despite the whisper loading task.

Patients with vocal fold mass lesions did not show acute biomechanical impairments from short-term whispering.

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Whispering has frequently been recommended to patients in order to avoid vocal overuse, particularly in those with organic dysphonia. However, there is controversy as to whether whispering may negatively affect vocal function by promoting malregulatory phonatory patterns. The aim of this study was to investigate whether a standardized short-term whisper loading task induces measurable changes in vocal function and vocal fold vibration characteristics in patients with organic dysphonia. Methods: Eight patients with clinically diagnosed vocal fold mass lesions scheduled for phonosurgery were examined before and immediately after a 10 min forced whisper loading task. Vocal function was assessed using the Dysphonia Severity Index. Vocal fold vibration and phonatory characteristics were analyzed using transnasal high-speed videolaryngoscopy, electroglottography, and acoustic measures. Pre–post differences were evaluated using non-parametric statistical testing with Bonferroni correction. Results: All participants completed the whisper loading task, although most were unable to consistently reach the target sound pressure level. No statistically significant pre–post differences were found in DSI, acoustic measures, perturbation parameters, or glottal vibration indices derived from high-speed recordings and electroglottography. Pathological vibration patterns related to the underlying mass lesions were present but did not show systematic changes following whisper loading. Conclusions: In patients with organic dysphonia, the short-term forced whisper loading task did not result in statistically significant alterations of vocal function or vocal fold vibration patterns. These findings suggest that short-term whispering does not acutely exacerbate biomechanical or vibratory impairments in organic vocal fold pathology.

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