Living With Vocal Cord Dysfunction (VCD)

(Also Known as Paradoxical Vocal Fold Motion or PVFM)

Living with the symptoms of vocal cord dysfunction (VCD)  - shortness of breath, intermittent hoarseness and/or wheezing, chronic cough and throat clearing, chest and throat tightness, or “just having trouble getting air in,” - can be frustrating at best and even downright scary. The good news is that you don’t have to live with these symptoms; VCD can be treated.

What can I do to alleviate symptoms of VCD in my daily life?

Probably the best thing you can do to treat VCD is to see a speech-language pathologist (also known as a speech therapist). A speech-language pathologist can help you in many ways:

• Symptoms of VCD are often brought on by triggers, such as strong chemical fumes, cold air or laughing. A speech-language pathologist can help you recognize the early symptoms of an episode as well as help you identify the triggers. Early recognition of symptoms enables you to start your preventative breathing techniques early. Identifying the triggers of your episodes will help you avoid these triggers and reduce the number of episodes.
  
• A speech-language pathologist can teach you techniques to control abusive throat behaviors such as a chronic cough or chronic throat clearing. These abusive throat behaviors aggravate the vocal folds and makes VCD worse.
  
• A speech-language pathologist can teach you new breathing techniques like diaphragmatic breathing (or abdominal breathing) and vocal fold control that can help make symptoms less severe during an episode. Stress reduction and relaxation techniques can also be learned to alleviate the anxiety that often accompanies or triggers an episode. The goal of therapy is to teach you techniques to prevent and eliminate VCD, chronic cough and chronic throat clearing.
  
• A speech-language pathologist will teach you about the anatomy and the functioning of the vocal folds. Learning about what happens to the vocal folds during an episode is helpful because it allows you to visualize what’s going on inside your throat when practicing your new breathing techniques.
  
• A speech-language pathologist can also recommend other sources of information and help. Doctors that specialize in asthma and other throat and lung problems may be able to help. Also, specialized counseling can help with behavioral or emotional problems.

The most important thing to know about living with VCD is that you don’t have to live with it . Talk to a speech-language pathologist today and take back control of your breathing.

Learn how National Jewish treats VCD.

This information has been approved by Marcy Hicks, M.S., CCC-SLP. (January 2008).