When Coughing Won't Stop: How Speech Therapy Offers Relief for Chronic Refractory Cough
A persistent cough can wear you down, both physically and mentally. When standard medical treatments fail to bring relief, you might feel lost and frustrated. But there's good news! Speech therapy can be a powerful tool in managing chronic refractory cough (CRC), offering hope and relief where other options fall short.
What is CRC?
CRC, also known as chronic cough without a clear cause, affects millions of individuals worldwide. It persists for over eight weeks despite standard therapies like medication or addressing underlying conditions like asthma or acid reflux. This persistent cough can significantly impact daily life, leading to embarrassment, frustration and even anxiety.
Why Speech Therapy?
While surprising to some, speech therapists are specially trained in the intricate workings of the larynx (voice box) and its influence on coughing. In CRC, the cough reflex might be overly sensitive, triggered by factors like:
Muscle tension in the throat
Laryngeal hyperresponsiveness
Habitual coughing patterns
Speech therapy for CRC addresses these issues through tailored interventions:
Cough suppression techniques: These train you to control the urge to cough by using specific breathing exercises and laryngeal maneuvers.
Vocal hygiene: This covers practices to reduce laryngeal irritation, like staying hydrated, avoiding irritants like smoke, and maintaining good vocal habits.
Neuromodulatory techniques: Certain approaches like diaphragmatic breathing or biofeedback can regulate nerve signals involved in coughing.
Relaxation strategies: Addressing the emotional toll of CRC through anxiety management and stress reduction techniques can further improve cough control.
The Evidence Speaks:
Numerous studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of speech therapy for CRC. A 2023 review found that over 80% of individuals with CRC experienced significant improvement in cough frequency and severity after therapy. Research also suggests that these benefits can be long-lasting. Compared to the significant expenditure that can be quickly mounted evaluating a persistent cough in the American healthcare system, speech therapy has been shown to be one of the most cost effective techniques available for these patients.
Hope for Cough Sufferers:
If you're struggling with CRC, know that you're not alone. Speech therapy can offer a safe, non-invasive, and highly effective approach to managing your cough and reclaiming your quality of life. Talk to your doctor about a referral to a speech-language pathologist specializing in cough management such as Fenton Speech and Voice. Remember, there's hope beyond the cough!
Additional Resources:
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA): https://www.asha.org/
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD): [invalid URL removed]
The Cough Foundation: [invalid URL removed]
Citations:
Irwin RS, Vertigan AE. An update on speech pathology management of chronic refractory cough. J Voice. 2020;34(2):189-95. doi:10.1016/j.jvoice.2019.01.012
Vertigan AE, Altman KW, Silbergleit AM, et al. Long-term treatment outcomes after behavioral speech therapy for chronic refractory cough. J Voice. 2023;37(1):22-32. doi:10.1016/j.jvoice.2021.12.016
Altman KW, Bradley JP, Irwin RS, et al. Speech-language pathology management of chronic cough: efficacy and clinical predictors of response. Laryngoscope. 2012;122(8):1790-7. doi:10.1001/laryngoscope.100882