Lesley Childs
Session
Singers have a disproportionally high prevalence of self-reported dysphonia compared to the general population and phonotraumatic lesions are significantly more prevalent in performers versus nonperformers. Against this backdrop of high disease prevalence, the stigma of vocal injury in the singer population is pervasive and increases the likelihood of misinformation circulating widely within this community. These factors underscore the need for evidence-based information about phonotrauma in this population rather than a reliance on anecdotal insights or expert opinion. Research at the UT Southwestern Voice Center in Dallas, Texas, USA on over 400 singers with phonotraumatic lesions over a 9-year period revealed much about lesion types and the likelihood for vocal fold surgery, as well as unique associations with singing genre and insights into voice therapy duration. These findings provide a framework for counseling and managing expectations in this unique population.