VOICE, RESONANCE & TONGUE TIE

Voice and resonance disorders can be a result of psychological, physical and/or physiological issues. Polyps, Vocal Nodules, granulomas, thyroidectomy, vocal overuse/abuse, Parkinson's Disease, Spasmodic Dysphonia, vocal performance, Paradoxical Vocal Fold Motion (PVFM), and head/neck cancers are among the issues that Speech Language Pathologists (SLPs) address. 

But what about Voice and Tongue Tie?

Research shows that Functional Oral Restrictions (aka tongue-tie or lip-tie) do impact an individual's eating, swallowing, breathing, facial development and speech as well as sleep disordered breathing such as apneas or snoring among much more. But they can also impact voice and resonance. A restricted tongue doesn’t only impact articulation – your ability to make the sounds correctly. Speech includes so much more than just articulation. Research has shown significant improvements in fluency (stuttering), speech delay, and many patients have reported increased ease of speech and endurance after a functional lingual release (medically known as Frenectomy). 

In the professional singing arena (whether it’s opera, theater, or even touring music groups), tongue/lip tie is not often considered as a contributing factor in a singer’s vocal endurance, range and resonant quality. The tongue is not a free-floating organ. The base of the tongue is connected all the way down into the larynx at the level of the hyoid bone. It makes logical sense that a "restricted" tongue can affect the tension of the entire laryngeal area, thus impacting ones vocal quality. It is not difficult to imagine that a singer's vocal range or endurance might be impacted or lessened when it is working against physical resistance. 

Numerous extrinsic lingual muscles are responsible for lingual movement. There are four pairs of extrinsic lingual muscles, which include the genioglossus, hyoglossus, styloglossus and palatoglossus. These extrinsic lingual muscles produce the lingual movements that the intrinsic muscles can’t produce such as protrusion, retraction/retrusion, depression and elevation. These extrinsic lingual muscles are connected throughout the neck, larynx and thoracic area. 

Clearly, any restriction in the body’s main articulator (the tongue) which is connected to the main organ responsible for speech (the larynx) – could greatly impact a person’s ability to optimally use their voice to produce the best quality sound. The upper lip could also be restricted, which impacts bilabial articulation sounds (B, P, M, and W) as well as buccal frena restrictions in the cheeks to a lesser degree. Many professional singers who are masters of their craft (along with their vocal coaches), report a limited vocal range, frequent vocal fatigue and strained vocal quality prior to diagnosis and subsequential release of tongue tie. 

As a side note, a tongue does not have to be completely restricted to the tip to impact vocal quality or resonance. Oral ties are assessed over a spectrum of restriction, so even a 20% restricted tongue could impact speech, singing, sleep, or eating. While professional singers might be trained to hold the tongue's positioning low in the mouth during operatic performances, for instance, Myofunctional Therapy teaches proper lingual, labial and mandibular positioning during rest, and also during daily functions such as breathing and swallowing. 

Myofunctional Therapy does not target the “larynx” directly, but rather strengthens the muscles of the face and throat to better support proper functioning and reduce tension that could be impacting the larynx. Significant improvements in technical qualities of the voice are often reported post-frenectomy. The professional singers that we have worked with have reported significant improvements following their tongue tie release. They attribute the process of Frenectomy combined with Myofunctional Therapy to be the "key" that unlocked greater vocal ability and led them to the greatest success in their careers.

• Difficulty in swallowing
• Breathing troubles
• Sleep Disordered Breathing (Snoring, Sleep Apnea)
• Difficulty in chewing and speaking
• Vocal Fatigue
• Temprormandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMJD)
• Headaches/Migraines
• Facial Pain
• Postural Issues/Neck Pain
• Speech Articulation Concerns
• Fluency/Stuttering
• Bruxism (teeth grinding)
• Difficulty in moving the jaw
• Gagging, gasping, and choking during feeding 
• Irritability and fussiness

 For more information - contact us or visit Myofunctional Spot