Bio-feedback and the yawning breath pattern in voice therapy: a clinical trial

A breathing technique, or effective breath method is important for both singers and speakers for effective vocalization, and also useful for helping people with a voice problem. Here a diaphragm support breath pattern was used in voice therapy for patients with vocal nodules, recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis, and incomplete glottal closure. Singing teachers use a technique, called the diaphragm breath support. This is called the yawning breath pattern (YBP) in our voice clinic and is used in teaching the patients with some kinds of voice disorder. In order to correct patients' breath pattern, an equipment system was designed to check their breath patterns conveniently in voice therapy practice. A respiratory kinematic sensor which connected to a TV monitor was attached to the patients' rib cage near the diaphragm, and by bio-feedback, patients could observe and adjust their breath pattern to the desired pattern during vocalization. In each of the 10 outpatient sessions, the patients performed for 20 to 30 min, and were instructed to practice at home for 3 or more times daily. The YBP method was applied to 91 patients, 17 males and 74 females, with ages ranging from 17 to 79 years. Of the 91 patients 41 had vocal nodules, 20 had recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis and 30 had incomplete glottal closure associated with chronic laryngitis and sulcus vocalis. Most of the patients could master the YBP technique successfully. The higher the patients' ability to master the YBP was the better the results of both voice tests and subjective evaluation. The scientific background of the YBP method and its clinical effects in voice therapy was reviewed.