Posted by: Renee ®
01/06/2008, 12:26:40
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Hi!
This has been discussed on the board several times before. Many people report that their voices get better with a cold. The reason for this is that the larnyx inflames, or something like that. I am sure that if you search the archives you will find more information on this...
Renee ADSD/ Austin, TEXAS
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Posted by: hoarse whisperer ®
01/06/2008, 23:05:07
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When you have a cold or other respiratory illness, your vocal chords can become inflamed, which can make it easier to talk for many people with SD, including me.Lori
AB/SD and VCD since 2003
Dallas, Texas
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Posted by: trodnod ®
01/30/2008, 15:14:30
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I have recently been diagnosed with SD by a respected otolaryngolgist and voice specialist in NYC. I had been trying to diagnose myself for at least 5 years. I still however am not convinced that the Dr. is correct. I too have often noticed that my voice gets much better - even totally normal, when I have a cold. I have a slight cold right now in fact and sure enough - I sound great today! If SD is neurological in origin - which to me means there is something messed up with electrical impulses sent to my vocal chords, then why does a cold make things better??! A cold shouldn't have any effect on electrical impulses/signals. What it does change though is the degree of congestion in one's sinuses and post nasal drip, etc. I am inclined to think that perhaps I have some sort of chronic sinus and post nasal drip situation that MECHANICALLY (vs. electrical signals from the brain) negatively effect phonation. It could be coincidentally that a cold changes those mechanical things just enough to make things better. Changes in one's sinus congestion could also effect resonance in the facial "mask" area - something that is important for good sound quality.I have also observed that after I spent some time with friends in a noisy smokey bar, and I labored to be heard and overstressed my voice, I sounded GREAT for 2 or 3 days afterwards! That too suggests to me that there was some vocal irritation and perhaps that made for complete vocal fold closure and improved phonation. Perhaps my "normal" vocal chord status is such that I have incomplete vocal chord closure during phonation. My point is - I see no logical explanation for being in a noisy smoky bar to have improved a NEUROLOGICAL condition! I have also noticed that my voice was much better when I was away on extended business trip.s I spent time in Hawaii and my voice was darn good. Likewise when I was along the ocean in san Fransisco, and also in some clean, fresh air areas of northern Idaho my voice was much better than when I was around home in NJ. So.... perhaps I have some sort of an allergic condition due to my home or work environment, or the poor air quality in NJ, or some combination of these things. It is all very complicated - but the bottom line is I am not convinced I have SD and I suspect many other people may have ben misdiagnosed as well - even by "experts". My expert doctor even admitted that he can not be certain.
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Posted by: hoarse whisperer ®
01/30/2008, 16:44:47
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All of these conditions - post nasal drip, congestion, coughing, smoky bars, poor air quality, allergies, can all cause inflammation of the vocal chords. When the vocal chords are inflamed, it's easier for them to "come together" and improve phonation. This has nothing to do with the underlining neurological condition that interferes with the function of the correct opening and closing of the vocal chords.This is also why thyroplasty helps some SD patients, especially those with AB. A substance is injected into the vocal chords to "plump them up" and make it easier for them to come together. Lori
AB/SD and VCD since 2003
Dallas, Texas
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Posted by: trodnod ®
01/30/2008, 22:00:49
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Lori:Thank you for your response - however what you said does not explain my vocal IMPROVEMENT in a FRESH air environment - e.g. Hawaii, along the coast of California and in North Idaho.
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Posted by: Linda AB/SD ®
01/31/2008, 05:22:30
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I never heard of thrynoplasty before. Have you had it done?
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Posted by: hoarse whisperer ®
01/31/2008, 10:13:00
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To Trodnod: Sometimes when very relaxed, the voice is better. Some people with SD also report better voices when singing, or during emotional times, such as crying, laughing, or being angry or scared. This is all considered "normal" for those with SD. Obviously there is still much to be learned about this extremely rare disorder.To Linda: I had the gel foam thyroplasty surgery in November 2006. The doctor injected the gel foam directly into my vocal chords to "plump them up" and make it easier for them to come together normally. Gel foam only lasts a few weeks, so if a patient gets a good result, they can then follow up with a longer lasting or permanent substance, such as collagen, fat, or even teflon implants. Unfortunately, and much to my disappointment, the thyroplasty didn't help my voice much at all. I had high hopes for it because my voice does sometimes get much better when I'm sick with an upper respiratory illness and my vocal chords are inflamed. This bulletin board is a terrific resource and there is a lot of great information in previous posts and in the archives. You can also search for specific information by using the "find" option at the top of the "current page". When you do, be sure to check the box to "Search in message body" because if this is not checked, then only the message subject and author are used in the search. Lori
AB/SD and VCD since 2003
Dallas, Texas
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Posted by: LINDA AB/SD ®
01/31/2008, 14:49:20
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After I read your posting I did a search on thyroplasty and discovered that's the operation I had about 20 + years ago by Dr. Blitzer in NYC. I had the shim attached to my left vocal cord. Didn't help much and it was harder than I thought it would be. You're awake under anesthetic. At the time I was desperate to try anything. I love this bulletin board. Can't believe I haven't been using it all this time.
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Posted by: hoarse whisperer ®
01/31/2008, 17:53:54
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I was put completely out under general anesthesia during my procedure. I don't think any doctors use the shims anymore.Lori
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Posted by: Linda AB/SD ®
02/01/2008, 06:33:57
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I went to a new ENT in Albany yesterday. Had my cords scoped for the first time in 20+ years. He said, "Are you sure you have AB because you look more like an AD patient to me." He showed me the film later and sure enough my vocal cords were shutting when I was trying to speak (with a tremor). I still sound like an AB/SD. Can't shout or sing. Speaking in a whisper. I can laugh. So maybe I have a mix? My voice is worse than it used to be years ago. I made an appt with Dr. Blitzer in NYC. he used to be my doctor back when I was willing to try anything to fix the problem. But after many disappointments and $$ I couldn't afford I gave it up. It's still going to cost me $700+ out of pocket for the xam since he's not covered under my insurance. The new doctor also suggested speech therapy which I'm going to try. Any thoughts?
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Posted by: trodnod ®
02/01/2008, 18:06:37
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Linda: There is also a Dr. Lucian Sulica in NYC that is a voice specialist with impressive credentials. I went to him last year and he took my insurance. He has a very informative website as well. He is also a professor at Cornell Med school and very heavily published.
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Posted by: spasdysian ®
02/02/2008, 04:58:22
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Hi, thank you all for the replies. I have learned A LOT just from replies to the question I originally posted.I need to make a correction. When I posted the original question, I had not had a cold for a couple of years, and I forgot whether it was "nasal congestion" or "soar throat" that made me sound better. While reading your replies, I started to remember that it was soar throat that made me sound better. I am happy to announce that I am having a soar throat now and I feel great :-) Most people would feel terrible having a cold, but not me :-)
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Posted by: trodnod ®
02/03/2008, 10:11:40
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I am about 4-5 days into a relatively mild cold now. The first one in about 1.5 years. My throat is not sore - which is a bit unusual as far as colds go for me. I have a bit of a chest centered cold with a somewhat "dry" cough. My voice has been deep, rich and perfectly clear since the cold began! I am tempted to try and "harvest" this cold germ - keep it in a jar and re-innoculate myself when the cold goes away - if it will enable me to keep this voice! I would gladly trade off this modest cold in exchange for a great voice. This just still makes me think that I don't have ADSD. How can a cold restore normal neurological based firing of signals to vocal chords if indeed that is the faulty mechanism in the first place as an ADSD diagnosis would suggest? Something else must be going on.
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Posted by: Laurie ®
02/03/2008, 11:31:30
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Hi, there,Most people with SD... either AD/SD or AB/SD report that their symptoms are a lot better during a cold. It's not so much that the cold restores normal neurological firing of signals (that'd be some amazing feat for a virus!) but more that the inflammation of those muscles caused by the cold very simply just blocks some of those abnormal signals from getting through. So the abnormal signals are still there, but the muscles are simply too inflamed to react as they normally would. Not sure you can bottle your current cold as theoretically you'd have antibodies to it next time around so wouldn't be able to catch that exact virus again! Unless you figure out a way to mutate it, of course. If anything, I'd take the voice improvement during a cold as a sign that it is likely SD! Good luck. Can't keep a cold around forever but it's a nice break when it happens. Laurie
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Posted by: trodnod ®
02/03/2008, 15:58:15
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Laurie - Please don't take offense at my asking, but... You gave an explanation with what appears to be a bit of authority or certainty. How is it that you have that certainty? Do you have a medical background? Is there some sort of research that you have encountered that indicates that those signals indeed won't get through inflamed muscle tissue? Thanks.
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Posted by: Laurie ®
02/03/2008, 18:44:44
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Hi, there,I've heard it mentioned many times by ENTs and neurologists in the field over the last several years. Not sure it's worth research or publishing (so you won't find studies or abstracts on medline if that's what you're looking for) as creating a cold or intentional inflammation to cure or treat a disorder isn't the most plausible avenue of research. No offense taken.... not at all. I certainly would not swear my life on this explanation but I do know that it is a "classic" thing that many SD patients report (i.e., the improvement of symptoms with a cold, URI, etc.) and I've heard that explanation from many MDs in the field. So it's an extremely common finding. And I have no problem whatsoever if people think what I report makes absolutely no sense to their own case or doesn't apply to them. I think SD can be a devastating diagnosis so of course it's tempting to look for other explanations. Good luck,
Laurie
Modified by Laurie at Sun, Feb 03, 2008, 19:11:06
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Posted by: trodnod ®
02/03/2008, 19:26:56
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Thanks Laurie. I wasn't really serious of intentionally creating a cold or culturing my current cold to sustain my improvement. I was however curious if you were aware of any research that supported your statement that swollen/irritated vocal chords/muscles interfere with (or prevent) the irregular firing signals due to SD from impacting speech.
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Posted by: Laurie ®
02/03/2008, 19:40:14
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Well, you can always sip the drink of a neighbor with the flu from time to time if you get really desperate! :)
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Posted by: hoarse whisperer ®
02/04/2008, 15:32:14
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trodnod:It is extremely common for SD patients to report that their symptoms improve when they have a cold. Who knows why? But almost everyone who has been around SD long enough knows it's true, including every doctor I've ever been to who was knowledgeable about SD. This phenomenon has been discussed repeatedly on this forum, at symposiums, and at support group meetings. Also, I doubt anyone took either your comments about cultivating cold viruses or Laurie's humorous reply seriously. Laurie may not be a medical professional, but she is considered very informed and respected within the SD community. In closing, I would like to make a comment about a statement you made previously in this discussion thread: "Perhaps my "normal" vocal chord status is such that I have incomplete vocal chord closure during phonation." Honestly, this is a simplistic, but accurate description of SD. Good luck to you. Lori
AB/SD and VCD since 2003
Dallas, Texas
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Posted by: spasdysian ®
03/09/2008, 04:16:06
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When I went to see Dr. Allen Hillel of UW Medical Center a week ago, he mentioned there was a reversible surgery that can simulate the symptom of having a cold.I didn't follow up on the surgery Dr. Hillel brought up, so I am sorry I can not share with you more detailed/accurate information about this surgery. I am very excited I am going to get my first BOTOX shot on Tuesday. I feel very lucky that I can have Dr. Hillel and Pat Waugh (Speech Pathologist) care for me. They are both very nice and explained things very well to me. I really want to give them a big hug. Where did I learn about Dr. Hillel? Right here on this forum:-) THANK YOU ALL!!!
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