Access expert private voice assessments at Three Shires Hospital.
If you're experiencing persistent hoarseness, voice changes, vocal fatigue or difficulty projecting your voice, a specialist voice assessment can help identify what may be troubling you and guide you towards the most effective treatment for your unique needs.
At Three Shires Hospital, our expert consultant ENT surgeon, Mr Rohan Bidaye, offers specialist voice assessments using advanced stroboscopy technology. This gold-standard examination provides a detailed view of how your vocal cords vibrate and function. This helps to diagnose voice disorders and vocal cord conditions that may not be visible during a standard examination.
Our specialist voice service supports patients across Northamptonshire and beyond, particularly for those whose voice is essential for their profession such as singers, performers, teachers, presenters, and voiceover
Stroboscopy is an advanced diagnostic examination used to assess the vocal cords in far greater detail than standard throat examinations alone.
The technology uses a synchronised flashing light and specialist camera system to create a slow-motion visualisation of the vocal cords as they vibrate during speech. This allows your consultant to assess vocal cord closure, symmetry, vibration and mucosal wave activity with exceptional accuracy.
Stroboscopy is widely regarded as the gold standard for clinical voice assessment and plays an important role in diagnosing many voice-related conditions.
You may benefit from a stroboscopy assessment if you have ongoing voice symptoms that have not improved, particularly if they affect your daily life, work or professional performance.
Stroboscopy can provide a more detailed assessment of the vocal cords than a standard examination, helping to identify subtle abnormalities that may be contributing to hoarseness, vocal fatigue, voice loss or changes in voice quality.
A specialist voice assessment may be recommended if you experience:
Getting an early diagnosis can help guide you to the most appropriate treatment and, in some cases, prevent symptoms from worsening.
A stroboscopy assessment can be particularly valuable for those who need their voice for their profession, including those who are singers, actors and performers, teachers and lecturers, presenters and broadcasters, voiceover artists, and public speakers.
By assessing the quality of your vocal cord vibration and movement, stroboscopy can help diagnose conditions such as:
Analysing the detailed images produced during the examination by the stroboscope often allows subtle abnormalities to be detected much earlier than with traditional scanning techniques.
Your journey will begin with an initial consultation, where Mr Bidaye will discuss your symptoms, medical history and any concerns about your voice. Following this assessment, he will determine whether a stroboscopy examination is appropriate and explain how it may help diagnose the cause of your symptoms.
The total duration of the consultation is 30 minutes. Most of that time is spent talking, examining and planning, while the procedure itself takes less than 5 minutes.
If you are recommended for a stroboscopy, your assessment will be performed by our expert consultant ENT surgeon, Mr Rohan Bidaye.
During your examination, a small tube with a tiny specialist camera on the end (stroboscope) is inserted into the nose and passed back through into the throat. This device is used to view the voice box while a synchronised flashing light creates a detailed slow-motion image of the vocal cords. To get an accurate image, you may be asked to do some voice exercises during the assessment so the scope can record your vocal cords while in action.
Patients often feel some discomfort during the examination but it isn’t usually painful. If you do feel pain or extreme discomfort during the procedure, communicate this to your consultant so they can help adjust to help the exam be as painless as possible.
The procedure usually takes around 30 minutes to complete, depending on the voice exercises recommended your consultant. During the assessment, aA video recording of the examination will be captured, allowing your consultant to compare findings before and after treatment where required.
The procedure is typically an outpatient appointment, as it does not require a general anaesthetic and recovery is often swift. This means that you are able to go home the same day, given that there are no complications or issues after the assessment.
At Three Shires Hospital, we manage voice disorders through a multidisciplinary approach.
Alongside assessment with Mr Rohan Bidaye, you may also be referred to our specialist speech and language therapist, Mrs Sophie Sawbridge, who has extensive experience in assessing and treating voice disorders.
This collaborative approach helps ensure that our patients receive the most accurate diagnosis and a personalised treatment plan, tailored to their individual needs.
Typically, a stroboscopy examination requires little to no recovery time, and most people can return to work and resume their normal daily activities shortly after their appointment.
You may experience mild temporary irritation of the throat or nose following the examination, particularly if a flexible camera has been used. Any discomfort is usually short-lived and will resolves without treatment.
If a local anaesthetic spray is used, you may be advised to avoid eating and drinking until the numbness has fully worn off.
After the stroboscopy procedure, Mr Rohan Bidaye will explain what was picked up during the examination and discuss any recommended next steps. Depending on the cause of your symptoms, recommended further treatment may include voice therapy, vocal health advice, medication, further investigations or, where appropriate, surgery.
Due to your examination being recorded, this video may also be used by Mr Bidaye to monitor your vocal cord health, progress during treatment, and compare vocal cord function before and after treatment.
When you choose to go private with Three Shires Hospital, you can expect:
Going private for your healthcare journey provides you with faster access to a vast range of treatment options, greater flexibility in choosing specialists, and more personalised care.
Stroboscopy assessments at Three Shires Hospital are provided by our consultant ENT and voice surgeon, Mr Rohan Bidaye.
To book a consultation to discuss a stroboscopy assessment with Mr Bidaye near you, use our online booking system, or give us a call and one of our dedicated advisors will help you find an appointment time that suits you.
Reception: 01604 620311
Mon-Fri: 8 am-8pm
Sat: 8:30am-12:30pm
The Larkin Unit (Oncology): 8am - 4pm
75 car parking spaces, 1 oncology bay, and 3 disabled parking bays.
