How Persistent Should We Be in Voice Therapy in Mutational Falsetto Patients?

Objective: The purpose of this study is to determine the efficacy of voice therapy in the treatment of patients with mutational falsetto and which parameters should be used as a more specific criterion for assessing the effectiveness of this treatment. Methods: The objective and subjective voice evaluation data from the files of patients diagnosed with mutational falsetto between 2014 and 2019 were retrospectively evaluated in the study. Fundamental frequency, jitter (%), shimmer (%), noise-to-harmonics ratio, voice turbulence index, soft phonation index, voice handicap index-10, and Grade, Roughness, Breathiness, Asthenia, and Strain scale are all used in the evaluation of voice. The acoustic and perceptual analysis findings of the patients before and after therapy were compared. Results: A total of 31 participants were enrolled in the study. After therapy, the Grade, Roughness, Breathiness, Asthenia, and Strain scale and voice handicap index-10 scores were statistically substantially lower than before therapy (P <.05). The mean fundamental frequency of the patients before therapy was 230.65 +/- 69.16 Hz, whereas after therapy, it was 126.32 +/- 16.86 Hz. After therapy, there was a statistically significant difference in fundamental frequency, jitter (%), and soft phonation index values when compared to before therapy (P <.05). All patients received an average of 4 sessions of voice therapy. Conclusions: Voice therapy has been identified as a significant treatment approach among the treatment choices for individuals with mutational falsetto. Although fundamental frequency is the most prominent parameter among the acoustic analysis results for determining the efficacy of this therapy, the jitter and soft phonation index parameters were also found to be significant.