Hoarseness requires special attention

A clear. Strong voice is important not only for singers, actors and politicians but for teachers, secretaries, salespersons and many others who rely every day on verbal communication.

So when sickness, overuse or other causes make your voice come out in a raspy, gravely tones, it’s important to know what you can do to sound like yourself once again.

“Hoarseness is very common in most people, but the frequency and duration of it can be influenced by a variety of factors,” Says Dr. Allen Hillel, associate professor of otolaryngology/head and neck surgery at the University of Washington and director of Voice Disorder Clinic at University of Washington Medical Center.

Most abnormal voice changes are related to problems with the vocal folds, a part of the voice box responsible for producing sound. When a person speaks, the vocal folds come together and vibrate. When the folds develop swelling or bumps (called nodules) it keeps them from joining together as they should, causing the voice to sound abnormal.

In most cases, people develop hoarseness from laryngitis, due to swelling of the vocal folds from a common cold, respiratory infection or isolated instances of yelling or talking.

The best way to recover from laryngitis is to stop using the voice so swelling can subside. Yet, since most people don’t follow such advice, Hillel says there are other things you can do to limit recovery time.

“Don’t whisper or clear your throat if you have laryngitis – it will just make it worse,” he says. “Though many people think whispering is the right thing to do, it actually puts more stress on the vocal cords.”

Instead of whispering, Hillel recommends that people speak in a normal voice at a lower volume and not try to compete with other background noises, such as other people talking. People should also avoid coughing and should drink a lot of water to keep the body hydrated. If hoarseness is related to a cold, be mindful of cold medications which can dry the throat.

Hoarseness that continues for a longer period of time is most often related to the overuse or misuse of the vocal cores – speaking or singing too loudly, too frequently or at a pitch which causes undue stress on the voice. Inc such cases, a speech pathologist can help “retrain’ a person to use their voice right.

“A person who speaks very loudly all of the time to get their message across may learn there are other valuable ways to communicate – such as changing intonation, using gestures or simply pausing to give the desired emphasis they are looking for.” Hillel said.

People who place great strain on their voices, such a singing or lecturing for log periods of time, should be sure to have periods of rest to cut down on the likelihood that hoarseness or vocal core fatigue may develop.

Other causes of hoarseness can include gastrointestinal reflux, smoking or neurological disorder or trauma. Aging can also affect the voice, as vocal cords lose elasticity and their ability to quickly recover from voice strain. In isolated instances, vocal nodules may lead to cancer.

People with voice problems that persist for more than two weeks should visit their physician or an otolaryngologist.

HealthBeat is provided by the University of Washington School of Medicine and Health Sciences division.