A Voice Disorder Called Dysphonia
Have you ever had a breathy, raspy, scratchy or strained-sounded voice? Chances are, your friendly and supportive Murrieta coworkers probably mentioned how weird your voice sounded every time you spoke, some even asking the ol’ cliché “got a frog in your throat?”
What Causes Hoarseness in Your Voice
This change in your voice is a type of voice disorder called dysphonia, which refers to voice impairment or any sort of difficulty speaking.
Hoarseness is the result of a problem with the vocal cords. It can be caused by a variety of different conditions including cold or sinus infections, acute laryngitis, voice misuse or abuse, benign vocal cord lesions, acid reflux, vocal hemorrhage, tobacco and alcohol use, thyroid diseases, cancer, trauma to the voice box and neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s or spasmodic dysphonia, a chronic vocal cord disorder.
Relieving a Hoarse Throat
Fortunately for you, hoarseness usually clears up on its own without any sort of medical intervention. Most ear, nose and throat doctors in Murrieta take a wait-and-see approach, treating symptoms with home remedies that include resting the voice, staying hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids and using a humidifier to add moisture to the air.
Making certain lifestyle changes – eliminating spicy foods, alcohol and caffeine from the diet, giving up cigarettes, avoiding activities that cause vocal cord strain such as shouting, whispering or using inappropriate pitch or volume – are all helpful ways to reduce or eliminate the symptoms associated with this voice disorder.
If hoarseness lasts longer than three weeks, is not accompanied by cold or flu symptoms, affects your ability to swallow or breathe or otherwise interferes with your livelihood, schedule an appointment with your Murrieta ear, nose and throat doctors.
You will be given a thorough physical examination, including the ears, nose and throat, and may be given a laryngoscopy or other special test to help analyze the vocal folds.