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Does singing voice weaken with age?

In some people, changes from aging cause the vocal fold muscles to weaken or lose muscle mass (atrophy). This can keep the vocal folds from closing all the way, making it harder to speak. This increased effort to talk causes the voice to tire more quickly.

ukhealthcare.uky.edu - Feeling hoarse as you get older? Here's how to protect your voice

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JoAnna Sloggy, MA, CCC-SLP

Written by JoAnna Sloggy, a speech language pathologist and singing-voice specialist at the UK Voice and Swallow Clinic. As you grow older, you may not be able to talk all day without your voice getting tired or hoarse. These vocal changes happen gradually and can cause multiple issues. Some find that to avoid straining their voice further, they start avoiding activities that they used to enjoy when these activities include a lot of talking. People often complain of vocal tiredness (fatigue), vocal quality changes (such as roughness, scratchiness or hoarseness), changes in how high or low your voice can go, and increased vocal “work” (effort). These changes can be due to aging changes of the voice, or presbyphonia. Vocal quality changes are a result of changes to the voice box (larynx) and the vocal cords (vocal folds) which is called presbylarynges. The vocal folds need to be able to completely close and vibrate evenly for efficient voicing. In some people, changes from aging cause the vocal fold muscles to weaken or lose muscle mass (atrophy). This can keep the vocal folds from closing all the way, making it harder to speak. This increased effort to talk causes the voice to tire more quickly. These vocal aging changes may even contribute to swallowing problems if the vocal fold gap grows large enough.

Diagnosis and treatment

This type of vocal change is usually diagnosed by an ear, nose and throat doctor (ENT) and a speech-language pathologist (SLP) who specializes in voice disorders. Once the vocal folds have been visualized and the diagnosis made, the primary way to restore the voice is to work with the voice SLP for specific vocal exercises designed to strengthen and rebalance the vocal folds and the surrounding musculature and other systems that work together for voice production. If the vocal atrophy is bad enough, you may be recommended to see the ENT for a procedure that uses fillers to plump up the vocal folds to help them close. This type of “voice lift” is performed by an ENT or laryngologist (an ENT with specialized training in treating voice disorders). You may need to see the SLP following the procedure for exercises to rebalance your throat muscles. Once you have reached the improvement in vocal quality that you are pleased with, voice exercises to maintain this level of improvement are suggested to keep your voice strong.

Tips to help keep your voice healthy as you age

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schoolofrock.com - What Is the Best Age to Learn to Sing? - School of Rock

Learning to sing is a universally rewarding experience. Many children enjoy singing, even from a very young age, and people of any age can learn to sing, even with little to no prior musical experience. The best age to learn to sing depends less on physical maturity and more on factors like self-motivation, available practice time and the ability to focus.

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Because singing does not depend on the fine motor skills and coordination involved with other instruments, the best age to start singing lessons varies from student to student. However, learning to sing requires regular practice, focus and attention to detail. Students who start singing lessons should be socially mature enough to focus in the lesson room and follow the coaching of their instructor. Children are generally ready for this type of instruction between ages 7 and 9. The human voice continues to mature throughout life, however, so students of any age can benefit from singing lessons.

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