A videostrobe exam is the gold standard for taking good care of your voice.

Videostroboscopy works like slow-motion photography. A videostrobe exam allows us to watch the vocal cords vibrate, then decide how to help them move normally again. If your vocal cords vibrate normally, you have a clear voice.

What to Expect

No preparation is required. You may follow your normal routine for meals and medication the day of your videostrobe examination. If your physician sent a script with you, please bring this to your appointment.

At your first appointment, your clinician will discuss your voice with you and use videostroboscopy to obtain images of your voice. Typically, a full examination is completed in approximately 60 minutes.

Your certified speech language pathologist, specializing in voice therapy, will insert a small endoscope either through your mouth or nose to your throat. That will enable your voice specialist to see your larynx.

As you are guided through various voice tasks, your clinician will be able to view possible irregularities of movement. This will also make it possible to assess the health of your laryngeal tissue.

Following this exam, your speech language pathologist/voice specialist will assess your recording, using the reflux finding score. This instrument and the reflux symptom index are the screening tools used to assess possible changes in your throat, consistent with laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR).

LPR occurs when stomach acid travels up the esophagus and into the voice box or throat, during the day or night. The damage can be extensive.

Results

You will know your exam results immediately after the videostrobe examination. Patients are invited to review the videostroboscopic recording with the clinician to discuss the findings as soon as possible.

If results indicate the need for a medical, surgical or behavioral response/therapy, your voice specialist will let you know this. We will also give your physician our recommendations.

Videostroboscopy Video

Select videostroboscopy to watch a close up view of a patient exam including vocal cords in motion.

To make an appointment with a voice specialist at Performance Voice Solutions, call (317) 705-2732. We are a division of Northside ENT.