Introduction:

At present, odynophonia is considered one more symptom within voice disorders and, therefore, its study has had less relevance if compared to the research of pain expressed in other regions of the human body.

Objective:

To update the concept of odynophonia, according to the latest findings that explain its etiology, evaluation and therapeutic management.

Methodology:

The databases PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and SciELO were searched. Articles were selected according to various criteria, including date of publication, design and objective.

Results:

The etiology of odynophonia, according to criteria of intensity and chronicity of pain, includes primary and secondary odynophonia. The evaluation of odynophonia entails a detailed clinical interview; the identification of its frequency, intensity and duration using scales and indexes; and the application of tools such as algometry, to recognize the degree of sensitivity of the affected tissues. The intervention of odynophonia depends on its nature (primary or secondary) and, in general, includes educational, symptomatic, biomechanical and psychosocial approaches.

Conclusion:

Current literature positions odynophonia as a complex condition, whose etiology, evaluation, and intervention are still not fully understood.

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