Diagnosis of Spasmodic Dysphonia
Diagnosis of spasmodic dysphonia is sometimes difficult because individuals with spasmodic dysphonia often have symptoms similar to other voice disorders. The diagnosis of spasmodic dysphonia usually is made following careful examination by a team that includes an otolaryngologist, a doctor who specializes in diseases of the ear, nose, throat, head, and neck; a speech-language pathologist, a health professional trained to evaluate and treat speech, language, and voice disorders; and a neurologist, a doctor who specializes in nervous system disorders.

The otolaryngologist examines the vocal folds for other possible causes of the voice disorder. A small lighted tube is passed through the nose and into the back of the throat-a procedure called fiberoptic nasolaryngoscopy-allowing the otolaryngologist to evaluate vocal fold structure and movement during speech and other activities. The speech-language pathologist evaluates the types of voice symptoms to see if they are characteristic of spasmodic dysphonia or other voice disorders and voice quality. The neurologist evaluates the patient for signs of other muscle movement disorders.