Laryngeal muscle tension in patients with sinonasal diseases: prevalence and clinical significance.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the prevalence of laryngeal muscle tension in patients with sinonasal diseases.

METHODS

The medical records and video-recordings of patients with a history of sinonasal disease were reviewed to identify one of four muscle tension patterns during phonation. A control group with no history of sinonasal diseases was matched according to age and gender.

RESULTS

Seventy-seven patients were divided into a study group (n = 47) and a control group (n = 30). In the study group, 29 patients had at least one muscle tension pattern compared with only 9 in the control group (p = 0.007). The most common muscle tension patterns observed in the study and control groups were muscle tension patterns II and III. In the study group, 79.3 per cent of patients with at least one muscle tension pattern reported dysphonia compared with only 33.3 per cent in the control group.

CONCLUSION

Patients with sinonasal diseases are more likely to exhibit laryngeal muscle tension and dysphonia in comparison with healthy subjects.