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How Singing Can Help Improve Your Voice
For people with voice disorders, singing can serve as a supplement to other voice therapies.
Voice Therapy
Our vocal therapy team offers the latest diagnosis and treatment options for a variety of voice issues and disorders.
It’s easy to take your voice for granted, until you’ve experienced a loss of voice or a voice disorder. Many different types of disease processes can negatively affect your voice. In addition, your voice may be less than optimal due to poor vocal habits in the absence of disease. At Henry Ford Health, we offer comprehensive voice therapy, including advanced diagnosis and therapeutic programs to restore your voice to an optimal level of function, so you can maintain the highest quality of life.
Voice therapy: Why choose Henry Ford Health?
- Advanced diagnosis: We have treated area residents and well-known celebrities in our voice therapy program. Our vocal therapy team uses state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment such as videolaryngostroboscopy (VLS), a technique that provides slow motion viewing of the vocal folds and a detailed picture of the vocal folds in motion. A perceptual analysis is then performed to define the specific characteristics of the voice that are contributing to the problem. It’s a complete voice workup, with trained staff that makes the experience as comfortable as it is informative and enjoyable.
- Whole-person care: Our vocal therapy experts evaluate all the ways your condition is affecting your life. This includes assessing physical, mental and emotional barriers before working with you to develop a personalized care plan designed around your voice therapy goals.
- Experienced team: Our voice therapy team stays current on the latest evidence-based treatments, so you can receive the highest standard of care. Our team has published numerous voice disorders and vocal therapy papers and book chapters, as well as presented research at national and area meetings. We have also taught the voice disorders course in the graduate school speech pathology programs at Wayne State University and Eastern Michigan University.
- Integrated care: Our speech-language pathologists and otolaryngologists (ear, nose and throat doctors, or ENTs), work as a team to diagnose and treat a variety of voice problems. Our vocal therapy team also stays in close communication with your referring provider. We work together to adjust your care plan as needed, so you can get the most effective treatment. For complex cases, we also streamline referrals to other Henry Ford Health specialists.
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Do I Need Voice Therapy?
Voice therapy may be recommended for:
- Vocal nodules or polyps
- Vocal fold paralysis
- Chronic laryngitis
- Chronic coughing
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
- Vocal cord dysfunction
- Aging-related affects to your voice
- Neurological disease
- Transgender individuals as part of their transition
Helpful links
- American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
- International Association of Laryngectomees
- National Spasmodic Dysphonia Foundation
- Voice Foundation
FAQs about the Henry Ford Motor City Upbeats therapeutic choir
When it comes to communicating, our voice is one of the most valuable tools we have. Certain medical conditions can affect the volume, tone and strength of your voice as well as the muscle and breath control needed to make your voice heard and understood. Speech or voice therapy are often recommended to help people with these conditions, including singing therapy.
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How Does the Therapeutic Choir Work?
Designed by a speech-language pathologist, the Henry Ford Motor City Upbeats therapeutic choir offers people with voice disorders the opportunity to apply and practice the techniques learned during voice therapy in a fun, supportive environment.
Led by an experienced vocal performer and singing instructor, members work on vocal strength, vocal range and breath control by singing popular songs from different eras, incorporating the tools and methods learned in therapy along with new exercises. Rehearsals often incorporate light stretches and gentle body movements combined with vocal exercises to engage the entire body in singing. Caregivers, friends or family members may also join the choir to support their loved one.
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What Voice Conditions Can Benefit From Therapeutic Singing?
Therapeutic singing may benefit people with a variety of medical or neurological conditions that impact their voice, including:
- Parkinson’s disease
- COVID-19 recovery
- COPD
- Multiple sclerosis
- Myasthenia gravis
- Pulmonary fibrosis
- Stroke
- Vocal fold paralysis or vocal fold bowing
- Any medical or neurological conditions that cause shortness of breath
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Is Therapeutic Singing Right for Me?
You do not need choir experience or know how to sing to join the Upbeats—just enjoy music and singing in a group. The choir is open to anyone with a medical or neurological condition that affects their voice. There are many reasons to consider joining, especially if you:
- Have a breathy voice
- Have a raspy voice
- Have a harsh or strained voice
- Struggle with a quiet voice
- Often need to repeat yourself because people can’t hear you
- Find it difficult to coordinate breathing and speaking
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How Can I Join the Choir?There is no cost to participate. For more information, contact us at (248) 661-7241 or by email.
Support the Motor City Upbeats
You can support the therapeutic choir by donating to the Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Program Fund.