Common Causes of a Hoarse Voice
Ahoarse voicemay be a barely noticeable change in the volume of your speech.
Or it may change your voice into a raspy sound that it’s possible for you to hardly hear.
This can include swelling and inflammation.
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It might be polyps that get in the way of the vocal cords closing properly.
Or it could be a condition that results in one or both of the vocal cords becoming paralyzed.
Occasionally, hoarseness can be a sign of a serious underlying condition, like cancer or stroke.
It also highlights which symptoms may warrant a call to your healthcare provider.
But it can also be a symptom of something more serious.
Hoarseness can be caused in different ways.
Often it is due to a problem with the vocal folds (a part of the larynx).
Some possible causes of hoarseness include:
Laryngitis:Laryngitisis the most common cause of hoarseness.
Laryngitis usually self-resolves within three weeks.
it’s possible for you to aid healing along by resting your voice and staying hydrated.
They usually result from overuse of your voice, much like skin calluses develop.
Singers, teachers, and other professionals who use their voices a lot can get polyps.
Treatment may involve rest, voice therapy, or surgery.
Allergies: Both seasonal and year-round allergies can result in hoarseness.
Prescription corticosteroids can be used to treat nasal inflammation.
When reflux affects the vocal folds, it is calledlaryngopharyngeal refluxor silent reflux.
Proton pump inhibitors are considered the most effective medicine for treating laryngopharyngeal reflux.
Thyroid conditions: Thyroid conditions, especially untreated hypothyroidism (low thyroid), can cause hoarseness.
The standard treatment for hypothyroidism is a medication called levothyroxine.
Smoking: Smoking and secondhand smoke exposure may result in a hoarse voice.
Avoiding exposures is key.
It is seen most often in children and is usually sparked by thehuman papillomavirus (HPV).
Most are resulting from HPV types 6 and 11, strains that are included in HPV vaccinations.
RRP is typically treated with surgical removal of the papilloma.
Cancer treatment may involve chemotherapy, surgery, or radiation therapy.
Treatment focuses on managing symptoms and slowing disease progression.
For example, stroke survivors and people with Parkinson’s disease or multiple sclerosis may benefit from speech therapy.
Blunt trauma to the throat is usually repaired with surgery.
Spasmodic dysphonia:Spasmodic dysphoniais a local problem with the muscles of the larynx, resulting in hoarseness.
Treatment usually involves voice therapy and, in some cases, surgery.
How Hoarseness Manifests
At rest, the vocal folds are open.
Sound passing to the outside world also resonates in the sinus cavities.
Hoarseness can either involve both vocal folds or only one.
How Is Hoarseness Diagnosed?
If you have a history of cancer, a positron emission tomography (PET) scan may be recommended.
Healthcare providers vary on what they call “persistent.”
Having a hoarse voice can impact the quality of your life.
Keep in mind that many possible causes are more treatable when caught early.
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