Losing your voice can be frustrating and unnerving—especially if you don’t know why. While many cases of voice loss resolve on their own within a few days, others could be symptomatic of an underlying condition and require ENT treatment. Let’s take a look at how your voice works, what the common causes of voice loss are and when to seek ENT treatment.
How Does My Voice Work?
Your voice is produced by the vibration of two smooth muscle bands, called vocal folds, positioned opposite each other in the larynx. The larynx sits at the back of the tongue above the trachea. When you speak, the vocal folds come together, and air from the lungs passes through them, creating vibrations that generate sound.
What Causes Voice Loss?
Voice loss doesn’t necessarily mean that you can’t produce any sound. More often, your voice may sound raspy, breathy, strained, lower in register or softer in volume. The medical term for this voice change is hoarseness. Anything that swells or affects the regular movement of your vocal cords can cause hoarseness. A few common culprits include:
- Laryngitis. Identified by a temporary swelling of the vocal cords, laryngitis is one of the most common types of vocal hoarseness. Laryngitis can result from allergies, upper respiratory infections or the common cold.
- Laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR). In cases of LPR, stomach acid rises all the way to the throat, irritating the vocal cords and, in some patients, resulting in hoarseness.
- Vocal cord growths. Vocal nodules, polyps and cysts are benign but irritating growths that form on opposite sides of the vocal folds due to too much friction, and they are often found on singers.
- Overuse. Overusing your voice or speaking at an unnatural pitch can strain your vocal cords, causing them to become inflamed and leading to hoarseness. You may notice this hoarseness after a day of cheering for your favorite sports team or a night of singing your heart out at an Alexandria Riverfront Amphitheater concert.
Other possible causes of vocal hoarseness include vocal fold paralysis, vocal fold hemorrhage, neurological diseases and thyroid problems.
When Should I See an ENT?
Because hoarseness can be a symptom of another underlying condition, you should seek help from an ENT expert if it continues for more than three weeks, does not respond to home remedies like hot tea and cough drops or is accompanied by symptoms including:
- Difficulty swallowing
- A lump in the neck
- Severe throat pain
- Difficulty breathing
- Coughing up blood
If you completely lose your voice (you’re unable to speak or generate any sound), it’s important to see an ENT specialist if it lasts more than a few days.
For more information on vocal hoarseness or to make an appointment with one of our specialists, contact Red River ENT Associates today.
