Covid: with telework possible boom cases of voice disorders

(ANSA) - ROME, NOV 26 - With the spread of teleworking as a result of the pandemic there has been a surge in cases of vocal tract disorders such as dysphonia (the difficulty in producing a normal voice, from hoarseness to complete aphonia) and other problems of the vocal tract such as golasecca, probably linked to the massive use of telephones and video conferences to work remotely and communicate with colleagues. This is what emerges from a study by Trinity College in Dublin published in the Journal of Voice. The work involved 1575 people subjected to ad hoc questionnaires to assess the quality of their voice, the presence of discomfort and annoyances of the vocal tract such as dryness of the throat. The experts have seen that the problems of the vocal tract increased during the lockdown, especially among those who started working from home: the origin of 85% of the new cases of dysphonia and similar disorders reported during the survey, in fact, can be traced back to start of lockdown. According to author Ciarán Kenny, "the research indicates the importance of employers considering the opportunity to adopt specific measures (such as training for employees) to limit the risk of speech problems by working remotely, especially if working from home becomes the standard even after the COVID ". (HANDLE).