"I felt trapped in my own body," says Kimberly Williams-Paisley, the Father of the Bride star, as she opens up about the "terrifying" two years of losing her voice, in an exclusive interview with People.

Williams-Paisley who was diagnosed with muscle tension dysphonia in 2023, regained her voice through a life-changing surgery this year. Williams-Paisley first noticed something was wrong while co-hosting a fundraiser in 2022, when "nothing came out" as she put the mic to her mouth to welcome the guests."It was terrifying," she recollected.

Initially, Williams-Paisley thought sipping hot tea and resting would help, as she had experienced vocal weakness before. However, over time, she found she couldn't speak louder than a whisper, forcing her to turn down opportunities and even withdraw from family and friends.

"There was so much shame involved," Williams-Paisley said. "I didn't want to do anything. I wouldn't say I had clinical depression, but I was sad."

Williams-Paisley visited the Vanderbilt Voice Center in early 2023, where she was diagnosed with muscle tension dysphonia, a common voice disorder where the muscles around the larynx become so tight during speaking that the voice box does not work efficiently.

After her diagnosis, she tried physical therapy, a nighttime mouthpiece, and various treatments, including antidepressants and hypnosis. In January, a throat examination revealed her left vocal cord was not meeting the right, possibly due to a viral infection.

"Once I got that diagnosis, my body could relax in a whole new way. The shame and blame dissipated. It was largely a technical issue, not something I did wrong," she said.

Williams-Paisley underwent a medialization laryngoplasty in August, a procedure that aligned her weak left vocal cord closer to the right, restoring her voice. While not perfect, she feels "much better" about her voice and says, "I had to fight to be heard. Now, no matter what my physical voice is, my voice underneath is stronger. I feel more confident. I know myself better.

Know signs of muscle tension dysphonia:

Typical signs include changes in voice into a rough, hoarse, raspy voice, or a weak, breathy, airy voice. Other symptoms can involve a strained, pressed, or tight voice, or one that suddenly cuts out, breaks off, changes pitch, or fades away. Patients may also experience pain or tension in the throat when speaking or singing, as well as a feeling of fatigue in the throat during these activities.

Treatment:

Treatment for muscle tension dysphonia mainly involves voice therapy with a speech-language pathologist to reduce throat tension and improve vocal efficiency. Additional treatments, like massage, acupuncture, or physical therapy, may also be recommended. In some cases, surgical intervention might be required to correct the issue.

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