March 5, 2020 | Voice is the sound made by air passing from your lungs through your larynx, or voice box. The human voice is a powerful thing, capable of producing a variety of emotions. It can silence as well as excite. It can motivate and manipulate. Everyone’s voice is unique and, like fingerprints, is an instant method of identification. But did you know that there are approximately 7.5 million people in the United States who have trouble using their voices? Disorders of the voice involve problems with pitch, loudness, and quality. Pitch is the highness or lowness of a sound based on the frequency of the sound waves. Loudness is the perceived volume of the sound, while quality refers to the character or distinctive attributes of a sound. Many people who have normal speaking skills have great difficulty communicating when their vocal apparatus fails. This can occur if the nerves controlling the larynx are impaired because of an accident, surgery, a viral infection, or cancer.

March 5, 2020 | Is your voice hoarse or raspy? Does your throat feel raw or strained? Do you find talking requires more effort than usual? If so, you may have a voice disorder. Voice changes sometimes follow an upper respiratory infection lasting up to two weeks. Typically the upper respiratory infection or cold causes swelling of the vocal cords and changes their vibration resulting in an abnormal voice. Resting the voice typically improves the voice after an upper respiratory infection, cold, or bronchitis. If your voice does not return to its normal characteristics and capabilities within two to four weeks after a cold, a medical evaluation by an ear, nose, and throat specialist is recommended. A throat examination after a change in the voice lasting longer than one month is especially important for smokers. A change in voice is one of the first and most important symptoms of throat cancer. Early detection can significantly increase the effectiveness of treatment.

March 5, 2020 | Laryngitis can be either chronic, meaning its symptoms develop over a long period of time, or acute, meaning it’s sudden. Chronic laryngitis can be caused by acid reflux disease, by exposure to irritating substances such as smoke and by misuse of the voice box. Acute laryngitis is the most common cause of hoarseness and voice loss. Most cases of acute laryngitis are caused by a viral infection that leads to swelling of the vocal cords. When the vocal cords swell, they vibrate differently, leading to hoarseness. The best treatment for this is to stay well hydrated and rest your voice. Serious injury to the vocal cords can result from strenuous voice use during an episode of acute laryngitis. Since most acute laryngitis is caused by a virus, antibiotics are not effective. Bacterial infections of the larynx are much rarer and are often associated with difficulty breathing. Someone having problems breathing during an illness should be rushed to the ER.

March 5, 2020 | Auctioneers. Teachers. Ministers. Tour guides. Singers. Attorneys. Stage and screen actors. These are just a few examples of people who rely on their voice being strong and healthy. People who are required to use their voices on an extensive basis, whether it’s professional or otherwise, know that speaking is a physical task that requires coordination of breathing with the use of several muscle groups. It should come as no surprise that just like in any other physical task, there are efficient and inefficient ways of using your voice. Excessively loud, prolonged, and inefficient voice use can lead to vocal difficulties, just like improper lifting can lead to back injuries. Excessive tension in the neck and laryngeal muscles, along with poor breathing technique during speech leads to vocal fatigue, increased vocal effort, and hoarseness. Voice misuse and overuse puts you at risk for developing benign vocal cord lesions or a vocal cord hemorrhage.

March 5, 2020 | There are a number of ways you can protect yourself from voice disorders. Dr. Ozlem Tulunay, an otolaryngologist at UAMS, says it’s important to drink plenty of water since moisture is good for your voice. Hydration helps to keep thin secretions flowing to lubricate your vocal cords. Avoid screaming or yelling, as these are abusive practices for your voice and put great strain on the lining of your vocal cords. Dr. Tulunay says it’s a good idea warm up your voice before heavy use. Singers warm up their voice before a performance, the same approach can be taken by those who teach, give speeches or preach. Warm-ups can be simple, such as gently gliding from low to high tones on different vowel sounds, doing lip trills, like the motorboat sound that kids make, or tongue trills. And don’t smoke. In addition to being a risk factor for laryngeal cancer, smoking also causes inflammation and polyps of the vocal cords that can make the voice hoarse and weak.