Impact of Manual Therapy on Laryngeal Function Following Total Thyroidectomy
Johns Hopkins University
Summary
In this clinical trial, the investigators are seeking to learn if a course of voice therapy, including neck massage, stretches and pain science education in addition to voice exercise and scar massage will effectively treatment patient complaints of swallowing or voice changes after total thyroidectomy as compared to voice exercise and scar massage alone. The main questions it aims to answer are: Will neck massage, stretches and pain science education reduce patient complaints of swallowing changes after total thyroidectomy? Will neck massage, stretches and pain science education reduce patient complaints of voice changes after total thyroidectomy? Will neck massage, stretches and pain science education reduce patient complaints of scar tethering and quality changes after total thyroidectomy? Will neck massage, stretches and pain science education improve quality of life after total thyroidectomy? Participants will: Participate in 4 visits with the participant's endocrine/laryngology surgeon. One prior and 3 after surgery for endoscopic evaluation and tests. Participate in 5 Speech-Language Pathology Sessions for intervention exercises and tests. One prior and 4 after surgery. Complete a journal of the participant's Home Exercise Practice
Eligibility
- Age range
- 18+ years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria: * The study population consists of individuals with malignant or benign thyroid disease scheduled to undergo total thyroidectomy * native speakers of English * All patients will be greater than or equal to 18 years of age Exclusion Criteria: * Participants will be excluded if they have completed voice therapy prior * are current smokers * have organic vocal fold pathology or clear mucosal changes to the vocal folds that can affect vibration (e.g., vocal fold scar, polyp, or nodules), * pre-existing unilateral or bilateral vocal fold paralysis * have had prior surgical ne…
Interventions
- BehavioralAnterior Neck Manual Therapy
Manual massage applied to the anterior neck, including hyolaryngeal elevators, depressors, sternocleidomastoid.
- BehavioralPain Neuroscience Education
Description of how the pain system works from a neurobiological level, discussing the biopsychosocial model that influences pain.
- BehavioralNeck Stretches
Bilateral cervical side bending, cervical extension and bilateral rotational neck stretches held for 20 seconds x3.
- BehavioralScar massage
Digital manipulation of the scar itself in circles.
- BehavioralVoice Exercises
Stemple Voice Exercises
- BehavioralPlacebo Anterior Neck Manual Therapy
Will apply extremely light manual contact to the anterior neck, including hyolaryngeal elevators, depressors, sternocleidomastoid.
Locations (2)
- Johns Hopkins HospitalBaltimore, Maryland
- Suburban HospitalBethesda, Maryland