Medical Management of the Professional Singer: An Overview

Caring for the professional singer, whether an operatic performer or serious amateur, involves careful consideration of both physical and emotional components, as it does in other performing artists. However, because the head and neck contain representatives of other major organ systems in close proximity to the phonating larynx, singing is additionally vulnerable to a range of diseases of the respiratory, gastrointestinal, and endocrine systems. This review provides an overview of the conditions typically encountered in singers. These include occupational disorders (muscle tension dysphonia, vocal nodules, vocal hemorrhage and polyps, chronic voice deterioration), general health issues with vocal implications (respiratory diseases, gastric reflux, endocrine problems, medication usage), as well as lifestyle considerations. Med Probl Perform Art 2009; 24(1):3–9.