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The causes of hoarseness in the voice can be very diverse. A similar symptom often occurs in both an adult and a child. Before starting treatment, it is necessary to find out why the voice has become hoarse.
Hoarseness in voice
Hoarseness is not a disease, but a symptom of certain disorders in the body. And they can be very diverse. If viruses, fungi or bacteria get on the ligaments, they change their shape, become uneven, lengthen. The more the vocal cord is deformed, the more noticeable the hoarseness. To find out the cause of the violation, you need to contact a specialist.
It is impossible to control the hoarseness that has appeared in the voice. Normal vibrations of the vocal cords are disturbed, therefore, in addition to hoarseness, hoarseness and muffled tone may be observed. The ligaments of a wheezing person are subjected to intense stress, the patient can only speak in a whisper. In severe cases, the voice may disappear altogether. In this case, the doctor indicates aphonia.
Symptoms of a hoarse voice
In addition to hoarseness, a person may experience sensations such as:
Sore throat.
Dyspnea.
Dryness in the mouth.
Discomfort while eating.
You should not wait until these symptoms go away on their own. You need to see a doctor and start treatment. This will prevent the development of serious complications.
Causes of a hoarse voice
Hoarseness in the voice can be provoked by both pathological and physiological causes. Physiological factors include loud screaming or singing, prolonged conversation, and other circumstances that force a person to overstrain the ligaments. Therefore, it is not surprising that singers, announcers, and teachers often suffer from hoarseness. In a negative way, the state of the ligaments is affected by the use of alcoholic beverages, as well as smoking.
The pathological causes of hoarseness in the voice include:
Infectious diseases. The ligaments can be damaged when the airways become inflamed. A similar symptom is observed with tracheitis, laryngitis, pharyngitis, influenza, tonsillitis, fungal infections and SARS. In addition to hoarseness in the voice, the patient develops a sore throat and cough. The chronic course of the disease threatens the development of complications. Sometimes they lead to a complete loss of voice, or to its change. An example of irreversible changes is the roughness of the voice, lowering its tone.
Poisoning by chemicals. Pain and burning in the throat, hoarseness in the voice and other associated symptoms develop with ammonia poisoning. In addition, such violations are observed when chlorine or fluorine enters the body in large quantities.
Diseases of the endocrine system. The voice changes in patients with hypothyroidism. With this disease, the thyroid gland is not able to perform its functions to the fullest.
Taking hormonal drugs and iodine-containing products can cause hoarseness in the voice.
Dehydration of the body. In this case, hoarseness develops against the background of dryness of the ligaments.
Allergy. With an allergic reaction, the throat swells, the respiratory function suffers, and hoarseness appears. In severe cases, shortness of breath may develop, the skin becomes pale, and physical weakness increases. If you do not help the patient in time, then he can lose consciousness, fall into a coma and even die.
Damage to the nervous system. A person’s voice becomes hoarse due to the fact that the nervous patency of the vocal cords suffers. In addition to hoarseness in the voice, a person may complain of a feeling of numbness in the throat. Such symptoms cannot be ignored, as they can indicate serious diseases such as syphilis, thyroid cancer, botulism, and even rabies.
Neoplasms in the vocal cords. They can be represented by both benign and malignant cells. Any tumor is foreign, therefore, it will negatively affect the state of the vocal cords, preventing them from relaxing normally. In addition to hoarseness in the voice, a person may experience pain of varying intensity, he is haunted by a cough, and there are problems with the respiratory system. Cancer tumors often cause a complete loss of voice.
Burn. Aggressive substances injure the vocal cords and lead to hoarseness. Tobacco smoke, strong alcohol, vinegar, household chemicals can cause such a reaction. Chronic damage to the vocal cords occurs with reflux esophagitis. Their tissues are exposed to hydrochloric acid from the stomach, which is thrown into the esophagus.
Diagnostics
Diagnostic measures that are prescribed to patients with a hoarse voice:
Laryngoscopy The doctor examines the throat and determines the lesions.
CT With the help of tomography, it is possible to detect tumor neoplasms that put pressure on the ligaments. Tomography is not performed on pregnant women and children.
Ultrasound. The study is aimed at detecting tumors located in the throat.
What to do if the throat is hoarse?
If, in addition to hoarseness of the voice, a person has other pathological symptoms, then you need to consult a doctor as soon as possible. The doctor will identify the cause of the violation and prescribe treatment. Often it is carried out with drugs that are released only by prescription.
A specialist who treats aphonia or dysphonia is called an otolaryngologist. You can also contact the phoniatrist.
Medication
It is possible to get rid of hoarseness in the voice only after the cause that caused this pathological symptom has been eliminated.
For therapy, drugs such as:
Lozenges. If hoarseness is a consequence of a cold, or excessive tension of the ligaments. Taking such drugs can soften a sore throat, make the voice softer.
Sprays with anti-inflammatory effect. Sprays are convenient in that the medicine is delivered directly to the area of inflammation. This allows you to quickly get rid of hoarseness and other symptoms of the disease. Sprays are prescribed for angina and laryngitis.
Expectorants. Hoarseness is a common symptom of laryngitis. With this disease, a person suffers from a strong barking cough. It leads to irritation of the larynx and vocal cords, which causes a change in voice. If the treatment is chosen correctly, then it will be possible to cope with the problem in the shortest possible time. The doctor necessarily prescribes drugs that thin the sputum and contribute to its discharge from the respiratory tract.
Antihistamine drugs. Colds are not always the cause of hoarseness. Sometimes this symptom appears against the background of an allergic reaction of the body.
To get rid of hoarseness, it is recommended to supplement the treatment with inhalations. They are performed using a special device – a nebulizer (Rules for inhalation with a nebulizer ➤). The substances that pass through it do not heat up, do not irritate the mucous membrane of the throat and ligament tissues (Solutions for inhalers and nebulizers ➤).
Effects of inhalation with a nebulizer:
Moisturizing mucous membranes.
Liquefaction and removal of sputum from the respiratory system.
Improving the condition of the vocal cords.
Decreased intensity of the cough reflex.
With a hoarse voice, you need to gargle. This procedure helps to relieve swelling and restore its mucous membranes. Sore throat should be treated at least 5 times a day.
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