What’s happening
- Vocal cords are not acting normally, making it hard to get air into the lungs
- Vocal cords close when breathing in (instead of staying open)
- Tight muscles are seen in the neck, shoulders, and throat area during an episode or when one takes a “deep breath”
- When taking a deep breath, the shoulders may rise instead of the stomach
- A sore throat which may be caused by reflux, coughing, vocal abuse/overuse, allergies or medications
Signs/Symptoms
- Shortness of breath with exercise
- Hard to breathe in
- Throat tightness and soreness
- Trouble breathing occurs suddenly
- Wheezing or noisy breathing when breathing in
- Dizziness
- Coughing/throat clearing
- Hoarse voice or change in voice
- Asthma medications usually do not help symptoms
Typical Patient
- Athlete or performer
- Type-A, high-achieving personality
- Patients with asthma, reflux, post-nasal drip, and/or anxiety
- History of or current anxiety issues
- Occurs more in females than males
- Age ranges from school age to college
Diagnosis
- The patient reports signs and symptoms as well as medical history
- Laryngoscopy (not always done): a test to see what the vocal cords are doing during breathing
- o Vocal cords can appear to work normally when not having breathing difficulty at testing
- Spirometry: a test to see how much air a patient breathes in and out
CHOC Rehab VCD Program
- 5-week program goals:
- Education about VCD and how to take care of your vocal cords
- Breathing training for easier breathing
- Biofeedback to slow and control breathing rate
- Recovery breathing training
- Decreasing muscle tension and helping relaxation
