Vocal symptoms analisis in singers with and without voice pathology in presence of noises

Abstract

Singers need a proper hearing monitoring for a good production of vocal parameters. However, this population is highly exposed to noisy venues, a factor that disturbs audition monitoring and voice production, resulting in alteration and vocal symptoms. Thus, this work aims to verify the occurrence of vocal symptoms, with or without voice pathology, in the presence of noise, besides relating the presence of noise to the quality of the hearing monitoring, to identify if the time and frequency of exposition are determining factors of the vocal alterations. Thereunto, through a cross-sectional epidemiological study, an individual questionnaire, composed of nine questions, was applied to amateur and professional singers addressing vocal health and hearing monitoring. Then, a statistical analysis of the data was done descriptively, qualitatively and quantitatively through Office Excel version 13.2. The descriptive measures were calculated with percentages and chi-squared independence test. The research observed that 70% of singers, regardless of the presence of pathologies, presented some vocal symptom, being hoarseness, tired voice and throat clearing the most frequent. There was an association between vocal symptoms and frequency of rehearsals and gigs in singers with or without voice pathology. Noise was found to hinder hearing monitoring, resulting in vocal effort.