SERVICES
VOCAL MASSAGE
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What is Vocal Massage?
Vocal Massage is a unique, none invasive, pain free treatment, which supports healthy vocal function and assists in restoring the voice after injury or over use. It is a great rehabilitation tool for professional voice users including singers, actors, presenters, voice over artists and teachers.
Vocal Massage is a soft tissue massage with an integrated myofascial release, for a therapeutic, yet affective pain free treatment. The Laryngeal manipulation therapy, combined with assisted stretches, focuses on freeing up the muscles surrounding the larynx and vocal tract. This supports voice function with the aim of achieving a free-er feeling when vocalising and allowing the voice to be in optimal condition.
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The larynx is suspended by muscles which can be affected by certain voice use, such as; vocal workload, certain voice qualities, support patterns and postural influences. All of these factors can result in a high level of muscle tension leading to restriction of vocal fold movement. Symptoms of this may be loss of range, breathy vocal tone, constriction whilst voicing and vocal fatigue. Vocal Massage is a specific and proven treatment for helping with some of these voice pathologies.
Yorkshire Voice Care specialists have trained in Vocal Massage, Anatomy of Voice and Voice Rehabilitation. They are also experienced performers, allowing treatments to be thoroughly researched and devised for a bespoke voice-specific massage treatment to help with rehabilitation, maintenance and to reduce vocal injury.
With our patient centred approach to treatment, every session is unique to the client and tailored to the specific needs established in the initial assessment.
We aim for every client to leave their session feeling calm, relaxed and having a greater connection with their body and voice.
This treatment has been designed to not only benefit the singing population but all professional voice users such as teachers, barristers, presenters etc.
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When to have a Vocal Massage:
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Globus Pharyngeus/Globus Hystericus (a sense of a ‘lump’ in the throat)
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Muscle tension dysphonia
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Improve vocal function
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Alleviate acid reflux symptoms
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Release emotional tension
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Improve stamina
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Range and flexibility
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Free up the breathing mechanism
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Jaw and tongue root tension
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Relieve muscles which have been overcompensating
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Assists in freeing up the Belt voice quality
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What To Expect:
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Yorkshire Voice Care specialists will work areas such as the neck, the jaw, areas of the cervical spine and the larynx. Assessments of the postural alignment including jaw symmetry and tension patterns will also determine the course of treatment. The aim of vocal massage treatment is to identify and treat any areas of restriction and address the possible causes. Treatment is specifically tailored to meet a clients vocal demands and goals and usually involves soft tissue work of the laryngeal musculature, the mandibular area and passive stretches to improve vocal fold mobility. Correcting any faults allows for safe and consistent sub glottic pressure levels leading to healthy long term singing.
Vocal Massage is administered in our relaxed and inviting clinic space using the massage table or a seated position depending on the area that is been worked.
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VOCAL HEALTH/VOICE MAINTENANCE
Good vocal health can be simple when you know where to start. Sometimes making the smallest of changes to your vocal health routine can make the biggest difference.
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A good vocal health routine is everything you can do day to day to keep your voice in top condition. Understanding basic care of the voice is essential for anyone who speaks, sings, teaches or uses the voice in a more demanding way.
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Yorkshire Voice Care offers advice on how to adopt a specific routine that works for each individual client and their own voice needs, helping clients establish a manageable routine that their voice will thank them for! This could range from Warm Up/Cool Down Habits, nutritional advice and performance habits. By establishing a routine for optimal vocal health and listening to the signs when their voice tells them to stop, clients can break bad habits and adopt positive change to their voice routine, enabling more effective voice management, .
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Not only can a good vocal health routine help manage voice use day to day it can also ensure the maintenance of a healthy voice as a preventative measure.
VOICE REHABILITATION
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At Yorkshire Voice Care, we also offer support for singers who are having vocal difficulties and require rehabilitation. Our voice specialists can work alongside clients who are attending speech therapy sessions or who have undergone treatment for pathologies. We can help to apply a treatment plan to assist in the road to recovery. Using recognised Speech therapy technique including straw work and SOVT exercises that can be applied to singing and speech, we combine these exercises with our expert research and speech therapy knowledge, along with a clients diagnosis to support voice users back to full voice!
VOICE COACHING
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At Yorkshire Voice Care we help clients understand their own voice. We work with clients to develop personalised warm-up routines, use exercises to improve clients’ range and breathing, work on articulation and projection ability, or provide other specialised instruction in advanced vocal techniques.
Like any instrument it is important to practice regularly for the upkeep of the voice. With over 10 years experience in professional performance and coaching we understand the stresses and pressure that can come with being a professional voice user. We are here to help you along the way and work with you to make a vocal programme that works in easily with your life. Vocal coaching isn’t just for singers, it can be beneficial for professional voice users such as public speakers, teachers and actors.
Our vocal coaches are highly trained, holding a number of qualifications in music and voice and also have years of professional performance experience. Yorkshire Voice Care coaches ensure they are up to date with current industry trends on innovative approaches to the voice and work with leading practitioners in the field to enable them to deliver the most advanced level of voice training. Through their research into various aspects of the voice, our vocal coaches can deliver expert advice on a range of vocal health issues and encourage awareness of vocal hygiene and wellbeing. They have conducted extensive research into a number of popular voice techniques, to inform each session they teach, allowing them to match each client to their individual training technique.
VOCAL INJURY PREVENTION
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By combining Vocal Health, Vocal Maintenance and Vocal Coaching, clients can gain the knowledge of their own voice and ability to ensure they are using their voice safely and efficiently. By applying changes that have been discussed and indentifiyng possible patterns, clients can help prevent the injuries that lead to vocal strain and pathologies that require more intense treatments and referrals.
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If you would like further advice on how Yorkshire Voice Care can work with you, contact us