Outpatient clinic for individuals with functional voice and swallowing disorders

The special outpatient clinic is a cooperation of the Section of Phoniatrics and Pedaudiology (Peggy Herrmann, Ph.D.) and part of one of the clinical and research focuses of the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy on stress, trauma sequelae and dissociative disorders.

Target group

The special outpatient clinic for people with functional voice and swallowing disorders specializes, on the one hand, in the voice therapy examination, holistic assessment and treatment of existing or recurring voice disorders with partial or complete voice loss (functional dysphonia or aphonia) and, on the other hand, in the examination and treatment of functional swallowing disorders. Functional voice, speech and swallowing disorders may be related to functional neurological disorders in which the hardware is intact but the software is dysfunctional, so to speak. More information can be found here:
http://www.neurosymptome.org/
https://fndhope.org/

In the foreground are voice disorders in which the vocal cords are not organically altered but nevertheless there is a strained, pressed or whispering voice quality, possibly accompanied by muscle tension in the throat area.

Overall, the following disorders are treated

Functional voice disorders (hyperfunctional dysphonia, aphonia)
Voice disorders in professional speakers such as teachers
Inducible laryngeal obstruction (ILO) or vocal cord dysfunction
Chronic cough
Laryngeal dystonia (spasmodic dysphonia)
Functional swallowing disorders/phagia

Diagnostics and treatment

Phoniatric diagnostics of the vocal folds and voice function are performed by Peggy Herrmann, M.D., Ph.D., (Phoniatrics, ENT) and a voice or swallowing therapy examination is performed by Maria Dietrich, M.D. (Psychiatry). Interprofessional additions to the examinations take place in the Clinic and Polyclinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy as well as Neurology and Psychosomatic Medicine as indicated.

Based on a holistic voice or swallowing therapy examination, we will inform you about therapy options, whereby an interplay of different therapy approaches such as voice therapy and aspects of cognitive behavioral therapy may be important for the treatment process. The swallowing therapy examination does not include an endoscopic swallowing examination.

A special scientific focus of our work is functional aphonia and dysphonia, functional dysphagia, voice fatigue in teaching staff and stress-related voice disorders. We are happy to inform you about our studies, and the possibility to participate.

Registration phoniatric diagnostics (phoniatrics)

To make an appointment for the evaluation of voice disorders, please call +49 228 287 11280 Monday through Friday 09:00 - 11:00 or Monday through Thursday 14:30 - 15:30 or alternatively make an appointment online. Please indicate the keyword Special Outpatient Clinic for Functional Voice Disorders.

For all patients with statutory health insurance, a referral from a practicing ENT specialist with the diagnosis/suspected diagnosis of "voice disorder/dysphonia" or "dysphagia" is desired.

Registration voice therapy or swallowing therapy examination (psychiatry)

Registration can be made by the affected persons themselves or by physicians in private practice. Please bring a prescription for voice or swallowing therapy with you to the appointment. Please note that an endoscopic swallowing examination is not provided as part of the special outpatient clinic.

Appointments can be made at the outpatient clinic office of the Polyclinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, by calling 0228 287-15732. Prior contact with Dr. Maria Dietrich during telephone consultation hours is requested.

The telephone consultation with Dr. Dietrich is on Tuesdays from 2 to 4 p.m. at 0228 287-31059.

Management

Peggy Herrmann, M.D., Ph.D., Specialist in Phoniatrics and Pedaudiology, Specialist in Otolaryngology & Maria Dietrich, M.D., Certified Speech-Language Pathologist, Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP)

Peggy Herrmann, M.D., Ph.D., is an active member of the following professional organizations