[Analysis of the causes of vocal tract diseases in singers]

The etiology of vocal apparatus diseases in opera singers is due to both specific features of their theatrical activity and conventions of opera genre in particular. A hundred and twenty seven vocalists (soloists and choristers) aged 23 to 70 years with service length of 3 to 40 years were examined. Both the status of the vocal apparatus itself and comorbidity were found to affect the occurrence of occupational diseases of the larynx. Of great importance are the quality of vocal background of a singer, his/her age, length of service, the even distribution of vocal load during a month and a season, the volume of additional work (concert and pedagogical activities), the correspondence of parts to his/her techniques and actor's capacities, and living and social conditions. The pattern of vocal apparatus diseases also depends on the type of a singer's voice and on the status of his/her nervous system. This study-based recommendations for singers and theater managers administrators reduced the incidence rates of laryngeal diseases in the followed-up professional opera singers by 15-20%.