Vocal tract discomfort symptoms in patients with different voice disorders.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the symptoms of vocal tract discomfort in patients with different voice disorders. STUDY DESIGN: This study was descriptive, observational, and cross-sectional. METHODS: A total of 210 subjects with vocal complaints and prior medical assessment were divided into five groups according to diagnosis: no laryngeal lesion, lesion to membranous portion, voice disorder of neurological origin, incomplete glottal closure without organic or neurologic cause, and voice disorder secondary to gastroesophageal reflux. All participants responded to the vocal tract discomfort scale at the time of assessment. RESULTS: Patients had a mean of 4.01 +/- 0.70 symptoms, with sore throat being the most commonly reported. Compared with patients in other groups, patients with lesions in the membranous portion of the vocal folds and those with voice disorder due to gastroesophageal reflux showed an increased number of symptoms. Voice disorders of reflux were shown to result in a higher frequency of sore throat and lump in the throat than in those with neurological etiology. The intensity of the lump in the throat was higher in patients with reflux than in patients with neurologic voice disorders. CONCLUSION: There was a difference between the number, frequency, and intensity of symptoms of vocal tract discomfort based on the type of voice disorder.