Voice Evaluation
Comprehensive Voice Evaluation, Singing Voice Evaluation
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Voice specialists at Duke Voice Care conduct a thorough evaluation to find out what’s causing your voice problem. Based on the results of your evaluation and the way you use your voice -- professionally or for everyday communication -- your voice care team will recommend a treatment approach personalized to be most effective for you. This may include some combination of voice therapy, medical or surgical care, and/or singing and performing voice services.
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Comprehensive Voice Evaluation
Duke Voice Care is one of the few voice centers in the Southeast with a comprehensive team of experts working together to provide the highest-quality voice care. Our team includes laryngologists -- ear, nose, and throat (ENT) physicians who have advanced training in voice disorders -- as well as specially trained speech pathologists who are skilled in voice care. To complete a comprehensive evaluation of your voice, you will meet with a laryngologist and speech pathologist. Our team will assess:
- How and when your voice problem started
- Medical causes for your voice problem, such as illness, allergies, acid reflux, sleep apnea, chronic cough, or surgery
- Your voice use patterns: how much you speak, sing, or use a loud voice
- What your voice sounds like: rough, raspy, weak, strained, breathy, shaky, etc.
- Any changes to your breathing and/or swallowing
We'll also do a thorough examination of your head and neck, and a visual examination of your voice box.
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Singing Voice Evaluation
Whether you are a professional or someone who sings for pleasure, our thorough singing voice evaluation will also assess your:
- Pitch/vocal range
- Loudness range
- Vocal stamina
- Breath support
- Resonance
- Register transitions
Our clinical singing voice specialists -- speech pathologists with additional training in vocal performance and singing instruction -- will evaluate factors that may be contributing to your voice problem, such as the amount and intensity of singing, singing environments, and lifestyle. We also identify strategies to optimize your vocal hygiene and vocal pacing. If needed, we will advocate for your vocal health with directors, producers, tour managers, and other artistic personnel.
Emergency Voice Evaluation
If you are a performer and have an urgent need for a voice evaluation prior to a performance, please call us to arrange a timely evaluation.
Voice Evaluation Tests
Videolaryngostroboscopy
Videolaryngostroboscopy is the gold standard for vocal cord and voice box evaluation, and it is typically only available at ENT clinics that specialize in voice disorders, like those at Duke. This detailed visual exam enables your provider to observe how your vocal cords vibrate while you speak or sing and to look for lesions, stiffness, paralysis, irregular movements, throat strain, incomplete closure of the vocal cords, or other physical contributors to your voice problem.
A tiny camera attached to a small tube called an endoscope is inserted through your nose, allowing your provider to see your vocal cords and larynx (voice box). The camera records while a flashing strobe light simulates slow motion video capture of your vocal cords moving. Compared to a still photo, this video allows your provider to see subtle changes in how your voice box and throat function when you make different sounds. It takes only about a minute, and your nose may be sprayed with topical anesthetic to numb and open the nasal passages to make it more comfortable for you. After the exam, your team will review the recording with you to determine an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan.
Consistently Ranked Among the Nation’s Best Hospitals
Duke University Hospital is proud of our team and the exceptional care they provide. They are why we are once again recognized as the best hospital in North Carolina, and nationally ranked in 11 adult and 10 pediatric specialties by U.S. News & World Report for 2024–2025.
This page was medically reviewed on 02/26/2025 by