Regaining your voice 

Taking a Closer Look at Laryngectomy Recovery and Voice Rehabilitation

Your voice is important, it’s how you communicate and express your thoughts and feelings, so losing it after a total laryngectomy can be upsetting. Thankfully, there are methods available for you to regain your voice.

We have put together this guide so you can have a better understanding of how to rehabilitate your voice effectively.

What happens to my voice after a total laryngectomy?

A total laryngectomy is the removal of the voice box or larynx which includes your vocal cords, so you will not be able to speak as you did before surgery. There are several ways to regain your voice after a laryngectomy, such as speaking with a voice prosthesis ‘tracheoesophageal’ speech and speaking with an electrolarynx or oesophageal voice ⁽¹⁾.

What will my voice sound like with a voice prosthesis?

In a word, different. As you will no longer have vocal cords, you will have to learn tracheoesophageal speech to communicate. A voice prosthesis is a small silicone device that sits between the oesophagus ‘food pipe’ and trachea ‘wind pipe’. By blocking your stoma with your finger, you can redirect air from your lungs through the voice prosthesis and up into your mouth ⁽¹⁾. Using this technique can give you a more natural voice quality compared to other methods ^{(1, 2)}.

How to communicate after a voice prosthesis insertion

After the voice prosthesis insertion, you may have to wait a few weeks for your throat to heal. You won’t be able to eat or speak during this time. Once your throat has healed, you can begin speech therapy and start learning how to use your voice prosthesis. It may take weeks or even months to learn how to use your new voice effectively. Have a pen and paper or an iPad handy during this time to help convey your thoughts and ideas effectively. During this time, you can also use an Electrolarynx to communicate.

• Staying motivated
  A total laryngectomy can be a disorienting and challenging experience. Having a voice is a large part of our identity and something that many of us take for granted on a daily basis. We’ve put together a few tips that can help you stay motivated and encouraged during the voice rehabilitation process.
• Be patient
  Communicating after a laryngectomy can be frustrating and can be especially daunting when meeting new people. Take time and move forward at your own pace.
• Embrace change
  Your voice will sound different after the procedure. It will take some time to adjust to the new you. Some people like to record their voices before the procedure so they have a memory of what they used to sound like.
• Get support
  You are not alone. Your friends and family can support you during this process. You can also look for local laryngectomy support groups (also known as lary groups) if you’d like to meet others in the same situation. Talk to your doctor or a mental health professional if you’re struggling with negative thoughts or depression.
• Listen to the stories of others
  We’ve created a series of videos featuring the empowering stories of a diverse group of people with a laryngectomy using voice prostheses. In the videos, people speak in their local languages about their experiences and the significance of regaining their voices. The videos are heartwarming, emotional and real – showing the human side of regaining voice after a total laryngectomy.

Provox Vega

The Provox Vega voice prosthesis is designed for better voice quality and reduced speaking effort. It is also easy and effective to clean and maintain*.

*Data on file.

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Bibliography

¹ Tang CG, Sinclair CF. Voice Restoration After Total Laryngectomy. Otolaryngol Clin North Am. 2015;48(4):687-702.

² van Sluis KE, van der Molen L, van Son R, Hilgers FJM, Bhairosing PA, van den Brekel MWM. Objective and subjective voice outcomes after total laryngectomy: a systematic review. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2018;275(1):11-26.