Voice emerges as a formation that is unique to the individual and enables communication between people. Many people, especially those working in some professional groups, may experience problems due to voice diseases. Hoarseness can be a simple disorder or a symptom of many diseases. Assoc. Prof. from the Department of Ear, Nose and Throat. Dr. Mehmet Akdağ gave information about hoarseness, its causes and treatment options.
Many reasons can cause hoarseness
Infection, allergies, smoking. Reasons such as heartburn, reflux, cough, and loud speaking may cause hoarseness. Hoarseness may also develop after goiter surgery, heart surgery, and thoracic surgery. Moreover, it can also be seen with neurological disorders, psychological diseases, genetic syndromes, adolescence, hypothyroidism, pregnancy, old age, hypertension medications, hormones, birth control pills, nodules, polyps, malignant tumors.
The causes of hoarseness should be investigated
The onset of hoarseness, its duration, the treatments applied, whether hoarseness has existed before, smoking, the patient's profession, systemic diseases, genetic characteristics, history of hoarseness. Surgical interventions, the patient's psychological state should be evaluated. Nasal congestion, which may cause changes in voice, enlarged tonsils, pharyngitis, sinusitis, and allergic rhinitis, which may cause pathology in the vocal cords, should be investigated. Under outpatient clinic conditions, it is evaluated endoscopically whether there are nodules, polyps, cancer, reflux or closure disorders in the vocal cords during voice formation.
The appropriate treatment option should be determined according to the cause
Rest is important in hoarseness. Drug treatment is given in cases such as infection, allergy, reflux, psychogenic hoarseness. Voice therapy may be beneficial in the treatment of nodules and polyps in the vocal cord, in cases where the unilateral vocal cord does not work, in neurological hoarseness, before and after vocal cord surgery. If surgery to the vocal cord is necessary, it should not be delayed. Botox can be used in treatment depending on the condition of the disease.
Treatment for advanced stage vocal cord cancers Depending on the stage, the treatment varies between open or closed technique surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. If your hoarseness lasts longer than 10 days, be sure to be examined by your ENT doctor.
Pay attention to these suggestions to avoid experiencing hoarseness
Avoid speaking when hoarseness occurs.
Do not smoke.
Drink plenty of water.
Avoid hot, spicy and sour foods. and avoid acidic drinks.
Try not to have long conversations with loud voices.
Stay away from alcoholic and caffeinated foods.
Do not sleep full.
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