Hoarseness is a problem that almost everyone faces from time to time. The sound problem can be solved by eliminating the situations that cause hoarseness. So, what causes sound muting? My voice is hoarse, what's good for the vocal cords? You can find the answers to all these questions in the rest of the article.
What is Hoarseness?
Hoarseness occurs when there is damage to the vocal cords for various reasons. In this case, the vocal cords vibrate and have trouble producing sound. Hoarseness can be seen together with problems such as coarsening and thickening of the voice.
What Causes Hoarseness?
Air must hit the vocal cords in the larynx (larynx) for voice to occur in humans. The air that hits the vocal cords creates vibration and creates the sound. Why is the sound muted? If you are wondering about the subject; We have to say that the sound reduction can occur due to many different reasons. While some of these causes cause temporary hoarseness, some may cause permanent hoarseness. It does this by causing inflammation in the throat. As a result of inflammation, the vocal cords swell and this swelling disrupts the vibration of the wires. As a result, people who have a cold suffer from hoarseness.
Using the Voice Too Much When speaking or singing, many different types of muscles in the throat are used. As with other muscles in the body, the muscles in the throat can get tired, damaged and cause hoarseness as a result of long-term use. Using the wrong audio techniques can also cause muting. Examples of vocal misuse include:
- Too much talking, shouting, singing, or coughing
- Using a higher or lower-than-normal tone of voice
- Talking on the phone by squeezing the phone between the neck and the shoulder
Allergies The most common symptoms of allergy are runny nose, itchy eyes and sneezing. In addition, allergies cause some changes in the voice. These changes:
- May cause swelling of the vocal cords due to an allergic reaction.
- The condition called postnasal discharge, in which mucus secretion progresses from the nose to the throat, can irritate the vocal cords.
- Throat clearing and coughing behaviors can cause strain on the vocal cords.
Laryngitis Inflammation of the larynx, that is, the larynx, is called laryngitis. Laryngitis is one of the most common causes of hoarseness. Laryngitis can be acute or chronic. The most common cause of acute laryngitis with sudden hoarseness is upper respiratory tract infections such as influenza. Chronic laryngitis, on the other hand, can occur as a result of situations such as misuse of voice, excessive alcohol consumption, inhalation of smoke or chemical gases. Asthma patients using steroid inhalers may also develop laryngitis due to a fungal infection in the throat.
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) Reflux is a condition in which stomach contents leak back into the esophagus. Stomach contents can reach the mouth. The most common symptom of reflux is heartburn. In addition, acidic stomach contents in reflux can damage the vocal cords in the throat. As a result of the damage, symptoms such as hoarseness and excessive mucus production in the throat may occur.
Nodules, Polyps and Cysts Although the underlying mechanism has not been fully elucidated, it is known that benign structures can occur in the vocal cords. It is thought that excessive use of sound may be effective in the formation of these structures. Nodules are callus-like structures that form in the middle of the vocal cords. These structures usually disappear after voice rest. Polyps mostly occur on one side of the vocal cords. Polyps can vary in size and shape. nodules Unlike polyps, polyps do not disappear on their own, they usually need to be surgically removed. Cysts are fluid-filled masses that form near the vocal cords. If the cysts cause a serious voice disorder, surgical removal may be considered.
Rheumatoid Arthritis Rheumatoid arthritis; It is an autoimmune disease that causes pain, swelling and stiffness in the joints. Problems such as sore throat and hoarseness are seen in approximately 1 in 3 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (3). The reason for this is that the disease affects the small joints in the throat and changes the working mechanism of the vocal cords.
Thyroid ProblemsThe thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland located in the lower part of the neck. Hormones secreted from the thyroid are involved in the regulation of body metabolism. When a problem occurs in the functioning of the thyroid gland, the thyroid gland enlarges and a condition called goiter occurs. Goiter can cause coughing in the patient, resulting in impaired speech.
Laryngeal (Larynx) CancerLong-lasting hoarseness may be a symptom of laryngeal cancer. In addition to hoarseness in laryngeal cancer;
- Pain when swallowing
- Ear pain
- Difficulty in breathing
- Symptoms such as a palpable mass in the throat can also be seen. .
Neurological disorders that affect the nerves, such as Parkinson's disease, can cause problems in the use of the muscles in the face and throat. Most people with Parkinson's have speech and voice disorders such as hoarseness.
What's Good for Hoarseness?
Hoarse voice treatment is done according to the underlying cause. For example, rest and plenty of fluid intake are recommended for the treatment of hoarseness due to viral upper respiratory infection. Antibiotic drugs can be used for laryngitis due to bacterial infection. are planned taking into account such parameters. In the light of these parameters, treatment methods such as surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy can be applied to the patients.
How is the hoarseness treated, what is good for the sound? hoarseness p There are several apps that can help fix the problem. Things that are good for hoarseness, especially quitting tobacco use:
- Resting the voice: Not talking or shouting for a few days can help the vocal cords to recover. Whispering while doing voice rest is not recommended. Because whispering causes further strain on the vocal cords.
- Consuming plenty of fluids: Drinks can keep the throat moist and alleviate the problem of hoarseness.
- Staying away from alcohol and caffeine: Alcohol and caffeine, throat It may dry it out and cause the voice problem to worsen.
- Taking a hot shower: The steam in the shower contributes to opening the airways and moistening the throat.
- Sucking lozenges or chewing gum: Chewing gum, such as sucking lozenges Behaviors increase saliva secretion, keeping the throat soft and moist.
- Removing allergens from the environment: Allergens can make hoarseness worse. For this reason, allergens should be kept away from the environment as much as possible.
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