A steadily growing number of professional women are suffering from voice problems.

As we told you Thursday, researchers at the University of Utah have completed some groundbreaking work that not only documents the problem, but also a treatment.

It could change the way doctors and patients deal with their voices.

Before treatment, this woman had such voice problems, she could barely read out loud. Now it's different.

Other women found the same dramatic results.

The before and after is significant because doctors at the University of Utah's Voice Disorders Center are seeing a disporportionate number of professional women with voice problems.

Women like lawyers, teachers and telemarketers, who rely on their voices to do their jobs.

Dr. Nelson Roy/Dept. of Communication Disorders: "SOME PEOPLE WOULD ARGUE THIS IS AN OCUPATIONAL RELATED HANDICAP OR DISORDER."

It's also caused by the different makeup of women's vocal chords, compared to mens'.

But once doctors documented the problem, they began testing treatments. The standard therapy is to save the voice.

In fact, singers like Celine Dion, for example, won't speak at all the day of a concert.

But in the working world, that approach doesn't help.

Traci England/Teacher: "USUALLY DOCTORS SAY REST YOUR VOICE. BUT HOW DO YOU REST YOUR VOICE WHEN YOU HAVE 30 KIDS YOU NEED TO TEACH?"

Rather than restricting the voice, researchers found much better success with women who exercised their voice in very specific ways.

Dr. Nelson Roy: "THE INJURED VOICE IS VERY MUCH LIKE INJURED SYSTEMS THROUGHOUT THE BODY. THERE IS A PLACE FOR REST, BUT PERHAPS BY ITSELF THAT ISN'T ENOUGH TO AID IN THE REHABILITATION OF THE INJURED VOICE."

Another thing they found that works: Amplification devices, like microphones.

In this case, they allow students to hear, and yet teachers don't have to talk so loud. The microphones get rave reviews.

Mary Stewart Bullough/Teacher: "THIS HAS ALLOWED ME TO TEACH. WITHOUT THIS, THEY COUDLN'T HEAR ME."

Shauna Starr/Teacher: "FOR ME THIS IS THE BEST THING THAT'S HAPPENED IN THE 11 YEARS I'VE TAUGHT SCHOOL."

Paul McCarty/Principal: "WE ARE ACTUALLY SAVING THE DISTRICT AND THE STATE MONEY, BY LESS SICK LEAVE DAYS."

Physical voice therapy helped a lawyer regain her voice.

Elaina Maragakis/Lawyer: "THERE WAS A TIME WHEN I COULDN'T SING A NOTE, BUT IT'S WORKED ITS WAY BACK. SEE, YOU COULD JUST HEAR IT."

And she also learned practical ways to protect this valuable resource. By avoiding:

• loud cheering
• talking over noise
• talking during exercise
• smoking
• getting dehydrated
• dry condtiions, a humidifier in your room may help