Speaking hands-free

Key points

• A hands-free device allows you to speak without the need to occlude your stoma.
• Give yourself time to practise and learn how to use the device.
• Depending on your situation, you may be able to use a hands-free valve occasionally or all the time. Regardless, speaking hands-free can give you a real boost because you can more fully participate in activities such gardening, socialising, cooking or working.

Introduction

Speaking hands-free is a desire shared by many laryngectomees. With your hands free valve, you can have the freedom to express yourself like before and be able to do other things while speaking.

Get your hands free again

“I felt like I could have normal conversations again, using the Provox FreeHands FlexiVoice. It made me feel a step closer to how I was before surgery, and that felt so, so good.”

The ability to speak hands-free is something most would have taken for granted before the laryngectomy. Following surgery the need to use a hand for speaking might feel uncomfortable or unnatural because it becomes harder to make gestures and multi-task during conversations.

Thankfully, there are devices like the Provox FreeHands FlexiVoice that allow you to speak with your hands free again. Talk to your clinician to see if a hands-free device is right for you and start working towards your hands-free goals like socialising, cooking or gardening.

It may take some time – but it’s worth the effort

It will take some time for most people to learn how to speak hands-free but with the practise you can get there and each day should become easier.

You should work together with your clinician from day one. We recommend that you create a plan that will be right for you and get you to your goal of being able to talk with your hands free.

Once you’ve learnt to use the Provox FreeHands FlexiVoice it will become second nature. Over time, you may even get to the point where you don’t notice it’s there.