Over the years I have had the opportunity to address various throat conditions from a musculoskeletal perspective. A common symptom has been a hoarseness or loss of voice. These clients commonly present with a whispering voice and loss of strength affecting their ability to sing or even be heard over the phone. In more involved cases there has been a struggle with swallowing, a sensation in the back of the throat, and sometimes throat pain and tension.

This video shows an example of how the neck is directly related in a patient’s ability to project her voice.

Dig deeper (the cause)

The current working theory is that tension to the neck and hyoid, or inframandibular muscles, is creating a strain to the vocal cords. The system is not efficient and this lack of efficiency in the presence of muscle tension is affecting the voice. A common finding on cervical x-rays is associated degenerative changes to the mid cervical spine that coincides with the level of tension and pain to the throat. Mid cervical instability is sometimes caught as well through flexion and extension radiographs.

Loss of voice – check the vertebra

Common symptoms to look for include:

Decreased strength of voice and projection

Throat pain

Swallowing difficulty

As practitioners we need to remember how scary this condition can be to our patients. Anxiety is a very common feature, especially when their swallowing is affected. Identifying an underlying and treatable cause is transformative to our patient’s wellbeing, giving them hope.

When you have a loss of VOICE check the VERTEBRA.

get better

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