30-Year Imam Regains His Voice With Voice Therapy

Occupational groups such as religious officials, teachers, lawyers, politicians, actors, theatre actors and singers are under the threat of voice disorders. One of them is imam Şükrü Koç, who is at risk of losing his voice. Koç, who has been an imam for 30 years and regained his health with singing voice therapy, said, “I have noticed that my vocal cords are getting stronger with the treatment.”

Hoarseness can be seen temporarily after cold and flu, and it can be experienced for a long time as well. Experts state that it is necessary to consult a physician in case of hoarseness exceeding two weeks. The 30-year imam Şükrü Koç, who lives in Sakarya, also began to have difficulty in performing his duty due to hoarseness. Şükrü Koç, explaining that he could not perform his readings as he wanted, said, “I could not fulfil my duty completely, there were breaks in words. I applied for treatment because of low voice and voice break."

“I'll Regain My Voice With Voice Therapy"

Koç, expressing that he had difficulty in doing his duty as an imam because of not using his voice as he wanted, said, “I was having trouble when I started using my voice tone. I couldn't breathe; I was having trouble saying two words successively. My doctor gave me medication first. We also strengthened my vocal cords with diaphragm exercises and voice-using activities. There is a serious difference between the beginning and the result in my diaphragm movements.”

Which Professions Do Voice Problems Affect The Most?

Yeditepe University Hospital, Ear Nose and Throat Diseases and Head and Neck Surgery Specialist stating that voice problems affect some professional groups intensely, made the following assessment:

“People who use their voice a lot due to profession, such as lawyers, call center workers, politicians, anyone working in front of the stage, actors, theatre players, singers, and musicians, may experience voice problems due to fatigue, overuse or increase in workload. Teachers, religious officials, imams, and muezzins may have fatigue-related problems. Or, because they do not use their voice with the right technique, they may consult us with a voice problem. Religious officials come very often. Because after a certain point, their voices get tired. They don't get the sound quality they want. Therefore, they are unable to perform their duties fully. Just as the problem of the meniscus is more common in a football player, voice problems are more common in these professional groups. It's a natural consequence of the workload. In addition, if the person is unable to apply certain techniques correctly, it is our goal to ensure that the person learns those techniques.”

Drink Two Litres Of Water A Day

 Pointing out there are many reasons for hoarseness, stated that it is necessary to pay attention to the amount of water drunk during the day for healthy vocal cords, stating “Healthy function of the vocal cords is possible with wetness and humidity”, said, “We need to drink water regularly. We should try to consume up to 2 litres of water during the day. Secondly, it is necessary to pay attention to smoking. Smoking causes many diseases, especially in the vocal cords. Smoking is the main risk factor in the vocal cord nodules. A smoker is always ready for the disease. Besides, all tobacco products damage the vocal cords. Using the voice beyond its natural range also damages the voice. The nutrients also have negative effects on the vocal cords. There is a close relationship between the food and vocal cords."

Two Weeks Is A Significant Duration

Warning of attention to the duration of hoarseness, continued as follows:

"If the duration of hoarseness exceeds two weeks, it is absolutely necessary to consult the doctor. With the help of a device, we take a close look at the patient's vocal cords. After the diagnosis, treatment begins. In voice problems, medication alone is not enough. With singing voice therapy, the person is taught to use his/her voice in a healthy way. We make sure that he/she stays away from damaging habits or breaks the routines, and that instead of them develops healthy habits. Therapy is an important alternative to our treatment. In some cases, surgical treatment may be required. If we suspect cancer-like nodules, we need to remove them. A change in the tone of the voice when there is no infection, and no disease in the throat should be a disease warning. The person should not attribute this only to fatigue.”