Upper airway and breathing therapy
Breathing Therapy in Sydney
Episodes of throat tightness or difficulty breathing in can be frightening. When the upper airway is involved, speech pathology may form part of care after the cause has been properly assessed. Nikki Martin works with adults in Edgecliff, Sydney.
Breathing difficulty has many possible causes. If yours seems to start in the throat, appears during particular activities or keeps returning despite treatment, the next step is a careful medical and speech pathology assessment—not an assumption that it is asthma or anxiety.
Which Breathing Problems Can Speech Pathology Help With?
Speech pathology can be relevant when the upper airway or voice box contributes to breathing difficulty. Some people feel tightness in the throat, have noisy breathing when they breathe in, or experience episodes triggered by exercise, strong smells or other exposures. Inducible laryngeal obstruction (ILO) is one possible explanation. It has also been called vocal cord dysfunction or paradoxical vocal fold motion.
Those symptoms overlap with asthma, allergy, heart and lung conditions, anxiety and other causes. It is important not to self-diagnose from a symptom list. Medical assessment helps identify what is happening and whether more than one condition is involved.
How Are Upper Airway Breathing Symptoms Assessed?
Nikki may ask when episodes start, what the breathing feels and sounds like, whether difficulty is worse breathing in or out, and what happens during exercise, speech or rest. Your medical history, current diagnoses and previous respiratory or ENT tests matter.
Where ILO is suspected, ENT or respiratory assessment may be needed. A flexible camera examination of the larynx, sometimes while symptoms are provoked, can help clinicians see what the upper airway is doing. The right test depends on the situation and is arranged through the appropriate medical team.
Breathing symptoms need the right diagnosis. Speech pathology assessment can contribute to care, but it should not replace medical review for unexplained breathlessness.
What Does Breathing Therapy Involve?
For a suitable upper airway problem, therapy may focus on recognising early signs of an episode, reducing unnecessary throat tension and practising a breathing pattern that helps keep the larynx open. Techniques are selected and rehearsed with a clinician, then applied to real triggers such as exercise or speaking where appropriate.
If breathing pattern difficulties, chronic cough, voice strain or reflux-related irritation are also present, care may need to address those factors. Medical treatment for asthma or another condition should continue as directed by the treating doctor. A breathing exercise is not a substitute for an inhaler, emergency plan or medical diagnosis.
The point is to build a practical response the person can use outside the clinic, not to promise that every episode has a single cause or a quick fix.
When Should You Seek Urgent Medical Help?
Sudden, severe or worsening breathing difficulty needs urgent medical attention. Call 000 if breathing is severely impaired, if there is chest pain, fainting, blue lips or another emergency sign. New breathlessness should be assessed by a doctor even when it feels centred in the throat.
If episodes keep returning, ask your GP or specialist whether upper airway assessment and speech pathology might be relevant. Bring any previous ENT, respiratory or allergy reports to the appointment.
Breathing Therapy in Edgecliff, Sydney
Nikki’s adult practice includes upper airway and breathing-related difficulties that overlap with voice and throat symptoms. She sees clients in Edgecliff and collaborates with medical specialists when appropriate. The first conversation can establish whether her service fits your symptoms or whether you need a different assessment first.
Explore Nikki’s Sydney speech pathology services, read about her clinical background, or contact the practice to describe your concern.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a speech pathologist help with vocal cord dysfunction?
Yes. Vocal cord dysfunction is an older term often used for inducible laryngeal obstruction. Speech pathology can provide behavioural therapy after appropriate assessment.
Is ILO the same as asthma?
No. They can produce similar symptoms and can also occur together. A medical team may need to assess both.
Will breathing exercises work for all breathlessness?
No. Exercises may help selected upper airway or breathing pattern problems. Other causes need their own medical treatment.
Do I need a referral?
You may contact Nikki directly, but existing GP, ENT or respiratory reports are helpful. Unexplained or severe breathing problems should be medically assessed.
Concerned about recurring throat or breathing symptoms?
Tell Nikki what happens during an episode and what has already been checked. She can help identify an appropriate assessment pathway.
Further Reading
Clinical background: ASHA: Inducible Laryngeal Obstruction Speech Pathology Australia: What to Expect.
