It allows for the diagnosis of dysphonia caused by many different etiologies and can be confirmed by history, physical exam, laryngoscopy and videostroboscopy, a technique that allows for the direct visualization of the larynx, vocal cords, and vocal cord motion.
[3] MTD is more commonly diagnosed in women,[5][3] the middle aged,[2] and individuals who have high levels of stress.
[3] Primary MTD makes up a significant proportion (as high as 40%) of patients seen for voice complaints.
[2] Larynogopharyngeal reflux, a process that is similar to GERD, can bring stomach acid into the larynx.
[3] It also has been found that MTD can occur in postmenopausal women due to decreased hormone levels which lead to swelling of the laryngeal tissues and eventual atrophy.
For example during an episode of laryngitis, the muscles of the larynx tense secondary to the inflammation and residual tension can remain following the resolution of the illness.
[1] A multidisciplinary team including otolaryngologists and speech language pathologists is useful for the evaluation and diagnosis of MTD.
[15] Stroboscopy allows the visualization of vocal cord movement, which vibrate too quickly for human eye to perceive.
[15] When assessing the vocal cords, the most common finding in MTD is a posterior glottic gap.
[3] Laryngopharyngeal reflux is treated similarly to GERD with diet and lifestyle adjustments and consideration for a proton pump inhibitor.
[7] The goal of voice therapy is to encourage proper vocal used and decrease the tension of the laryngeal muscles.