A clinic to help you find your voice

When Ramesh injured his neck in an accident, little did he realize he would not be able to speak for a very long time.

When Ramesh name changed injured his neck in an accident, little did he realize he would not be able to speak for a very long time. For Sarita name changed, it was a blow when she could not participate in her college8217;s talent competition despite being a trained singer for years. Reason: she just lost her voice.

But Vasant Oswal Voice Disorder clinic 8212; set up at Deenanath Mangeshkar hospital in Pune 8212; had a solution for both. After intensive sessions of voice therapy there, both have literally started their lives anew.

The clinic, opened in 2000, was aimed at helping professionals like singers deal with the change in their voice, says Dr Sachin Gandhi, in-charge of the clinic and an otolaryngologist. Today the voice clinic has over 2,000 patients including the who8217;s who from the film industry and even singers from Bangladesh, UAE and Pakistan.

So what do they do?

8220;Like you have physiotherapy for the aching muscles, here too the same principle is applied and we provide therapy for the tired vocal chords,8217;8217;says Gandhi. The therapy could last from three weeks to three months depending on the patient8217;s condition.

Voice therapy is a mode of treatment which includes a vocal hygiene programme 8212; relaxation and breathing techniques and exercises like 8220;respiration8221; and 8220;tension reduction8221;. Following the diagnosis of the voice disorder by the otolaryngologist and the voice therapist, the treatment options are discussed and decided upon. This may include surgery, voice therapy or a combination of both.

A definite change in the 8220;singing8221; voice discomfort while speaking or singing, vocal fatigue, frequent throat clearing and an increased effort to talk are just a few of the symptoms that these people face, says Gandhi. Singers are mainly at risk as continuous riyaz leads to straining the vocal chords.

Gandhi, who is a Master of Surgery in ENT ear, nose and throat was inspired by Abit Bol 8212; a voice surgeon in Paris who8217;s a consultant for top singers and even trains them. 8220;I met him and decided to register for a certificate programme in voice and airway disorders in UK. Thereafter I participated in several such fellowship programmes in Belgium and Israel,8221; said Gandhi.

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But he still rues the fact that there was no specialization in this subject.

8220;Recently the National Board of Examination has announced a fellowship in voice disorders and at our clinic too, we have started a fellowship programme for three months. This involves ENT surgeons working in our clinic, learning the latest techniques and interacting with patients . They are given a certificate later,8221; said Gandhi, who is assisted by two consultants and a voice therapist at the clinic.

The voice clinic has now included some of the latest technical advances including laser surgery to provide better and faster relief to its patients. There are new technologies that assist in patient evaluation too 8212; including the video stroboscope, an unique technique for diagnosis of all voice disorders. The clinic also plans to import titanium implants which are more bio-compatible and reduce surgery time.

8220;See, more and more people relying on verbal communication and their voices in their professions, the awareness of the need to improve/maintain voice is extremely important,8221; said Gandhi.