Spasmodic Dysphonia Bulletin Board

amplification triggered it?
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Posted by: bywjg ® 02/24/2006, 13:26:09

Hello, I have a hypothesis that my dysphonia, which is either spasmodic or functional, doctors are not sure which, was actually triggered by my use of an amplification system in a lecture hall. The most recent posting about this in the archives seems to be from 2002, where I was quite excited to read about a device that somehow feeds your voice straight into your ear with good results for some. I am seeking more current information. The reason for my hypothesis is that within a week or two of first using the amplification system, I was lecturing (using a microphone amplified through two wall mounted speakers) and I began to see spots, had to sit and dismiss the class and went straight to the doctor alarmed about "breathlessness" for the very first time. This was almost two years ago and then led on the same path that many of you have experienced which I have read about here, and eventually led to the current diagnosis. I had requested the system because I could not be heard too well in the back of a 100 person room, but I had never had any voice problems. In retrospect, I believe that my voice was a little weak but that something about the time dely, or trying to suppress puffs of breath set off a continuing problem. A year of voice treatment has not worked too well. Any similar experiences or current information on this topic would be of great interest. Thanks

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Re: amplification triggered it? Re: amplification triggered it? -- bywjg Top of thread Archive Posted by: grannijudi ® 02/27/2006, 10:52:28 It may be comparing apples and oranges, but I, too, have a similar hypothesis. I have always had a very soft voice, and after years of trying to "project" during classroom teaching, I developed SD (eventually). I'm sure most people would call it vocal abuse, but in my heart I know it at least contributed, if not caused, the problem. Actually, it's irrevelent at this point. Hope you can get some relief in some form for your problem. Sincerely, grannijudi@xit.net | Recommend | Alert Where am I? Original message Top of thread Current page Re: amplification triggered it? Re: Re: amplification triggered it? -- grannijudi Top of thread Archive Posted by: bywjg ® 03/01/2006, 12:46:16 Thanks for answering! I think it might still be relevant to my case. It seems that if amplification triggered it, then some sort of voice feedback could be used to treat it. I also am struck by the fact that almost all of us have trouble on the phone. I sometimes wonder if it is more than just the lack of visual cues, but that the slightly delayed feedback of our own voices is part of the problem. | Recommend | Alert Where am I? Original message Top of thread Current page Re: amplification triggered it? Re: amplification triggered it? -- bywjg Top of thread Archive Posted by: Maria ® 03/03/2006, 14:00:08 Hi! What an interesting hypothesis! A french ENT/researcher (I think he passed away some years ago) called Alfred Tomatis says that voice and ear are two sides of the same coin. "Your voice can only produce what your ear can hear". The theories of Dr Tomatis are fascinating. He developed the Tomatis method (filtrated Mozart that works on the inner ear and thus on the nervous system). There are Tomatis centers worldwide. I have tried the method in Paris for a couple of months, but it was too expensive to keep on trying something that did not give very good results. The best result was that my ears became a little less sensitive to noise. My voice can immediately get much worse if I'm on a concert that is too loud. I will look into the old posts with information on the device you mentioned. Thanks for your post. Maria abSD or paresis or ? Scandinavia | Recommend | Alert Where am I? Original message Top of thread Current page Re: amplification triggered it? Re: Re: amplification triggered it? -- Maria Top of thread Archive Posted by: Laurie ® 03/03/2006, 18:06:37 That quote "Your voice can only produce what your ear can hear," stands in contradiction to the fact that plenty of deaf people can speak. Regarding feedback helping SD somehow, I'm not sure I follow that theory either. If the argument holds that "amplification triggered it," (i.e., a consequence of some sort of feedback), and the result of talking on the phone with delayed feedback makes it worse, how then can "some type of feedback" help SD? Any "feedback" is by definition delayed. If anything, by this theory, feedback should make it worse. But that is assuming one buys into the original feedback premise in the first place. I think people should save their money and analyze things for a minute before so easily buying into these theories. Laurie | Recommend | Alert Where am I? Original message Top of thread Current page Re: amplification triggered it? Re: Re: amplification triggered it? -- Laurie Top of thread Archive Posted by: kim ® 03/03/2006, 21:23:28 Hi Laurie, Yes, plenty of deaf people can speak. But isn't it by sign languange, or copliar (sp? sorry) implants? Really, my voice is much worse on the phone, and I have thought it was due to my voice in my ear, feedback, I don't know. It is interesting though, how deaf people can speak, if they can't hear what they're saying. That would be really hard. I think theories are good, though, because since what we have, there is no known cure or cause, we need scientific theories, medical theories, in order to try and make sense of something that normally would not. Well, I'm just here searching for answers, like everyone else. Maybe some day, I hope for this, I hope for all of us to get better. Take Care, Kim | Recommend | Alert Where am I? Original message Top of thread Current page