title: Pain in popular singers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify and characterize the presence of body pains in popular singers, to observe the differences in the reported pains according to gender, and to relate with data regarding vocal behavior and usage in this population.
  
  
  METHODS
  A self-explanatory questionnaire was applied to 100 popular singers (50 men and 50 women), in order to collect information about personal identification, voice use and presence of pains. Pains were divided into two groups: proximal pains (TMA, tongue, throat, nape, shoulders, neck, and pain during speech), and distal pains (arms, back/column, chest, hands, ear, and headache).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean value of pain presence referred by popular singers was 2.9. There was no difference in reported pain according to gender. Predominant pains were on the throat (66%), during speech (41%) and on the neck (35%), all classified as proximal to the larynx. The least predominant pains were in arms, hands and chest (4%), all classified as distal pains.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Popular singers reported presence of body pains mainly proximal to the larynx. There is no difference in reported pain according to gender. The presence of body pain is related to the presence of voice disorders, the need to stop singing, the absence of vocal training, and search for professional advice (otolaryngologists and speech-language pathologist) due to vocal problems. These data justify the investigation and attention to body pain symptoms by the professionals responsible for the treatment of this population.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Specialization in Voice, Centro de Estudos da Voz, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. claracrds@yahoo.com.br
authors.forename: Clara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rocha
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moraes
authors.forename: Mara
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Behlau
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009146:Music; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010146:Pain / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012737:Sex Factors; D063346:Singing; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014832:Voice Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014833:Voice Quality; D014834:Voice Training; D055815:Young Adult