Vocal symptoms and musculoskeletal pain in non professional voice users

Abstract

Purpose To identify the presence of vocal symptoms and musculoskeletal pain in non-professional voice users, to verify whether there is a relationship between such variables, and to compare women and men. Methods Crosssectional, observational study. Fifty-nine non-professional voice users (NPVU) were included. The data were collected on-line. A characterization questionnaire and self-assessment protocols were applied: Voice Symptoms Scale (VoiSS) and Musculoskeletal Pain Investigation Questionnaire (MPI). A descriptive statistical analysis was performed. The inferential statistics compared the variables between women and men and a correlation analysis was carried out between the VoiSS and MPI using the Spearman correlation test. Results For the entire studied group , mean values of the total VoiSS score were observed above the cut-off point, indicating risk for dysphonia. There was musculoskeletal pain in the regions assessed, but at low frequency and mild intensity. Women had a higher frequency of pain in the shoulders, temporal region and larynx, when compared to men. There was a positive correlation between the pain frequency in the regions: neck, temporal region, below the chin and larynx/throat in all or some of MPI scores. Conclusion The NPVU population in this study presented with high scores for signs and symptoms of voice disorders. Musculoskeletal pain was rarely present, with mild intensity, but more frequent in women in regions close to the larynx. There was a relationship between vocal symptoms and musculoskeletal pain, especially in regions proximal to the larynx, so that the greater the frequency of pain, the greater the presence of vocal symptoms.