A multidisciplinary team including otolaryngologists and speech language pathologists is useful for the evaluation and diagnosis of<unk> . It is important to consider other dysphonias in the differential diagnosis. Physical Exam Palpation is a key exam maneuver when evaluating<unk> . Because of the increased<unk><unk>  of the paralaryngeal and laryngeal<unk> s, the larynx will be elevated on palpation. To make the exam more objective, various scales have developed to help standardize the process. Voice Quality The voice in<unk>  has been described as hoarse and breathy.<unk>  can be distinguished for another similar dysphonia, adductor spasmodic dysphonia, by differences in voice characteristics. In<unk> , all vocal tasks (vowels, singing, etc) are difficult for the patient while in adductor spasmodic dysphonia, some vocal tasks are difficult while others are unaffected. There are objective parameters that help characterize the degree of dysphonia such as the Dysphonia Severity Index. This index is made up of many measurements of the voice include voice frequency measurements (high and low), maximum phonation time (MPT), and jitter (frequency instability). Vocal Fold Visualization Videostroboscopy is the use of a camera to see the larynx and vocal cords. Stroboscopy allows the visualization of vocal cord movement, which vibrate too quickly for human eye to perceive. When assessing the vocal cords, the most common finding in<unk>  is a posterior glottic gap. Other findings include increased movement of the vocal folds towards one another, and changes in the angles of the vocal fold openings. Other Diagnosis Modalities Surface electromyography (sEMG) has been considered as a diagnosis tool for<unk> . sEMG can measure the<unk>  units of the<unk> s of the larynx to deduce if there is increased activity which means they are more tense. The results of studies using sEMG in<unk>  is currently mixed. Some studies demonstrate increased EMG levels in<unk>  while others do not demonstrate a difference in EMG between individuals with<unk>  and individuals without<unk> .
Muscle tension dysphonia
Spasmodic dysphonia
Cricopharyngeal spasm
Odynophagia
Dysphagia lusoria
Nasal voice
Pseudodysphagia
Oropharyngeal dysphagia