ROLE OF SURFACE EMG IN DIAGNOSTICS AND TREATMENT OF MUSCLE TENSION DYSPHONIA

In muscle tension dysphonia (MTD) excessive tension of both the intern al and external laryngeal muscles is observed. In the present pilot st udy, 9 pairs of surface electrodes were used to determine the electrom yographic (EMG) characteristics of different muscles in the perioral a rea and anterior neck before and during phonation. Eleven patients wit h MTD and 5 normal speakers were included within the study. The result s show a 6-8-fold increase of EMG activity and/or an alternation of th e EMG activity level in the perioral and supralaryngeal muscles before and during phonation in most of the patients with MTD. It is not clea r whether these muscles are activated as compensation for excessive te nsion of internal laryngeal muscles, or whether they are responsible f or some of the voice disorders.