Further information

Medical academies

The following are geographically based organizations that represent the interests of their members. They may be strictly educational or have political motivations. Members of the groups listed here are principally physicians and principally otolaryngologists.

Regional

Oregon Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
represents otolaryngologists from Oregon and southwestern Washington.

Northwest Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
represents otolaryngologists from Washington state.

Oregon Speech-Language and Hearing Association
represents Speech-Language Pathologists from Oregon.

Pacific Voice and Speech Foundation
hosts a biennial conference that encourages competing ideas and opinions about voice disorders and their care.

The Otolaryngology department at the University of California at San Francisco has started hosting an annual conference.

United States

American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
is the main group representing ear, nose, and throat surgeons in the United States. They have a very general guide on hoarseness.

American Board of Otolaryngology
is the national board that certifies training for otolaryngologists in the United States.

American Speech-Language Hearing Association
provides a searchable database for a speech therapists.

National Center for Voice and Speech
represents the research interests of four major institutions involved in voice research. Their research is thought-provoking, high-caliber, and extensive.

Europe

The British Voice Association

Union of European Phoniatricians

Photo collections

The following are photo collections illustrating vocal fold lesions and anatomy. (For Dr. Thomas’s photo gallery, please click here.)

• University of Iowa Department of Otolaryngology has a series of well illustrated case studies including audio and video of several common voice problems.
• Dr. Chris Chang has a very nice photo gallery of vocal fold lesions.
• Dr. Lucien Sulica has a very nice collection with explanations.
• Dr. Milan Amin has collected photos and written on voice problems.
• Dr. Kevin T. Kavanagh has a collection of vocal fold photos.
• A few notes on voice problems from Johns Hopkins University.

Medication and product guides

The following are external sites covering medications and types of products. This information is meant to be a helpful guide.

• The National Institute of Health has a very complete overview of drugs by name as well as by class of treatment.
• Healthsquare.com has nice overviews of medications.
• Physicians Desk Reference includes information on most drugs produced in the United States.
• Drug Infonet is a more user-friendly version of Physicians Desk Reference listed above. The information is written by the pharmaceutical company, rather than a third party.
• Voice side effects is an extensive list of 200 medications and the potential vocal side effects.
• Entertainer’s Secret is a product for moisturizing the throat.
• Kay Elemetrics makes stroboscopes, the product that is the heart of the visual portion of the diagnosis of voice disorders. They continue to research and innovate diagnostic voice products.

More Information

The following are useful external informational websites, search engines, and organizations that provide more information on voice issues, disorders, and history.

Search indexes

• Find an ENT doctor in your area with the AAO-HNS search engine. Under the sub-specialty pull down menu you may select laryngology to limit your choice to physicians that say they see primarily voice problems.
• National Library of Medicine hosts Medline and other search engines. Medline is quite useful in looking up medical references. Medline Plus provides consumer-oriented information.
• National Institute of Health has an information service on cancer called PDQ for both patients and health professionals. There is also information on head and neck cancers for patients and health care professionals.
• Health on the Net is a non-profit Swiss organization that provides a guide in common language about medical care. 
• Medical Document finder is a medical index of the internet. Much of the index has been reviewed.
• Spears and MacLeod Pharmacy in Nova Scotia has a large set of medical links, including one on hoarseness.
• Answersleuth.com has a good index on hoarseness.
• Dr. Moses has a site designed for family practice physicians. It is in outline form and I wouldn't agree with all the conclusions; but it is a very large site.
• NATS is the site for the National Association of Teachers of Singing.

More information on spasmodic dysphonia

• Dystonia Medical Research Foundation (DMRF) is a US support group that disseminates fairly balanced information regarding spasmodic dysphonia.
• National Spasmodic Dysphonia Association (NSDA) has a site with a voice recordings of spasmodic dysphonia, although the audio quality is a bit hollow sounding (there are some recordings on our site as well).
• International Dystonia Online Support Group is an organization with frequently updated information in dystonias and an extensive website.
• Online Support Group Bulletin Board is a place to share opinions and information.
• Speechless: Living with Spasmodic Dysphonia is the biography of NSDA board member Dot Sowerby's experience with spasmodic dysphonia as told to Betty Schonauer.
• Washington State Chapter of the DMRF is a support group site with posted meeting times.
• Index of other spasmodic dysphonia websites. The home page of this site provides information on a number of focal dystonias and is maintained by Anne Brett.
• Another index of other spasmodic dysphonia web sites maintained by Micki Nellis.
• NIH - the government renders a very brief opinion.
• "The Hoarse Whisperer" is an article by a writer for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. He details his bad initial experience with Botox. Please read Dr. Thomas’s reply to this common complaint.
• Washington Post interview with Diane Rehm, a radio announcer for National Public Radio. She developed spasmodic dysphonia and went through a series of aggravating mis-diagnoses before being correctly diagnosed and treated for the disorder. She has used her high-profile status to raise awareness about the disorder.
• Spasmodic dysphonia and "The Diane Rehm Show" Diane Rehm's site at radio station WAMU. On November 3, 2000 she interviewed Dr. Paul Flint of Johns Hopkins University, Dr. Stephen Reich of Movement Disorders Center, and Dr. Susan Miller of the Center for the Voice at Georgetown University Hospital. You can listen to this show on RealAudio.
• Jefferson Medical School in Philadelphia has a brief blurb.
• Dr. Jones in Texas has some opinions regarding spasmodic dysphonia. Medical references are well documented.
• Morton Cooper, PhD is a speech therapist who does not believe in the use of Botox and presents his strong, solo opinion on therapy for spasmodic dysphonia. Much of what he shows as patients with spasmodic dysphonia are really patients with non-organic dysphonia which can mimic SD and be confusing to many physicians. Certain types of speech therapy can be very helpful for non-organic dysphonias.
• Dr. Isshiki has been a forerunner in the development of laryngeal surgery. While his surgery may not be appropriate for the condition, here is where to find information about his approach.

Other organizations

• Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis organization supplys information for patients with papillomatosis of the breathing tube (larynx). They discuss current treatment options.
• Voice Academy is an educational site for teachers. They have a very complete glossary of medical terms.
• Speech Pathology provides further information and speech pathology job listings.

History of laryngology

• A brief biography of J. Solis Cohen (1838-1927) who was a father in the field of laryngology.
• Sir Morell Mackenzie. The contents of a book written by Sir Morell Mackenzie in 1888 describing his care of laryngeal cancer in the Crown Prince, and later Emperor of Germany, Frederick the Noble. The story is interesting reading as the intrigue in this story persists today, even in the field of larynogology. Additionally, the skills of laryngoscopists vary tremendously in this story and this is no less true today.