Using Voice Aids In Your Daily Life

The spoken word is the bedrock of much of our communication. Without it, we lose critical information that helps us to empathize with and understand others. That's why, when your voice begins to falter for once reason or another, it's important to find ways to restore what has been lost to allow you to communicate as normally as possible. In the same vein, those whose voices aren't damaged, but who regularly use their voice, whether for work or recreation, need to do all they can to protect their voice, so that they never have to deal with the life-altering realities of having their voice diminished or lost.Fortunately, in all of these situations, there are options available to augment and assist the human voice. Through the application of technology, these devices, known as "voice aids," "speech aids," or simply "speech amplifiers," are revolutionizing what the human voice can do, and allowing even those with no voice at all to still be able to communicate. Not only that, but they continue to develop to sound more natural, not to mention being more portable and easy-to-use. Combined, this means that there are voice aids available for every situation, for every type of person, and for every budget.

What Are Voice Aids?

Voice aids refer to any one of a number of devices that allow the augmentation or creation of voice that is audible to others. In the case of someone who has had their larynx removed, thus making speech impossible, it allows the movement of air to the mouth to result in speech which can be understood by others. In the case of those who simply have a weak voice, either due to age or illness, a voice aid receives the normal spoken word of an individual and amplifies it so that it's loud enough to be able to be heard by others. In either case, a voice aid provides a critical communications link for those whose voices have become weak due to illness, age, disease, or overuse.In the case of an individual who has had their larynx removed, using a voice aid involves the placement in the tracheal stoma of a device that allows air to be diverted from the stoma and up to the mouth, thus resulting in audible speech. This device, officially called a tracheoesophageal voice prosthesis, is placed after the larynx is removed. For those who retain the ability to speak and only need amplitude assistance, the device is much less invasive, consisting of a unit with a small microphone and a speaker that amplifies the spoken audio.Next