title: Type and severity of pain during phonation in professional voice users and nonvocal professionals.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to determine the presence, frequency, and intensity of pain during speaking in professional voice users and nonvocal professionals and to determine if the presence of pain is significantly related with the profile of the professional voice user. Based on the available literature, significantly more pain symptoms in professional voice users can be hypothesized.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sample survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  To characterize the presence, type, and degree of pain symptoms during speaking, a questionnaire was used. Pain severity was measured by means of a numerical rating scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-five (176/320) percent of the nonvocal professionals and 84% (698/832) of the professional voice users mentioned the presence of one or more pain symptoms during speaking. Throat pain was mentioned as the most common pain in both the professional and nonvocal professional voice users. The professional voice users showed significantly more throat, neck, shoulder, headache, ear, and back pain. Moreover, the intensity of throat pain was significantly increased in the professional voice users.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study showed evidence that several types of pain are present with significantly greater frequency in professional voice users. Vocal screening strategies, diagnostic, and treatment protocols should include the assessment of the type and severity of pain. Currently, the voice clinic is working on improving the diagnostic protocol with the objective of defining the combination of tests, which best diagnose voice problems and related complaints and which evaluate progress in vocal characteristics and pain after rehabilitation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Logopaedics and Audiology, University of Gent, Gent, Belgium. kristiane.vanlierde@ugent.be
authors.forename: Kristiane M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Van Lierde
authors.forename: Joke
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dijckmans
authors.forename: Lara
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Scheffel
authors.forename: Mara
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Behlau
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001530:Belgium / Q000453:epidemiology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D009790:Occupations / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010146:Pain / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010699:Phonation; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014831:Voice; D014832:Voice Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D055815:Young Adult