Hoarseness
Q1. What are the common causes of hoarseness?
Hoarseness has many causes. The most common one is vocal cord strain, which occurs when one speaks or uses the voice improperly, e.g. talking too forcefully or loudly. Another common cause is any pathological change in the vocal cord, such as polyps and nodules. The third cause is swelling of the vocal cord triggered by a cold or flu. These conditions will likely lead to inflammation and edema in the vocal cord, whose resulting growths may develop into nodules and interfere with vocal cord vibration. Patients may present with symptoms like hoarseness, voice change, sore throat, or even loss of voice.
Q2. Can throat lozenges help soothe the throat and improve hoarseness?
Generally, throat lozenges contain soothing ingredients that can moisturise the throat and improve dryness. But they do not address the underlying causes of hoarseness.
Q3. When should I consult a doctor?
If hoarseness persists for more than two weeks without improvement and present with other symptoms such as sore throat, breathing difficulty, coughing up blood, etc., better seek medical attention for a detailed check-up.
Q4. How can hoarseness be treated?
The management of hoarseness depends on the underlying causes. If it is related to vocal cord strain, one should take rest and refrain from speaking for a while. If it is caused by improper voice use, we may refer the patients to a speech therapist for voice training. Medication may be prescribed in case of vocal cord inflammation. If there are polyps or nodules, surgical treatment may be necessary.
Q5. Is hoarseness associated with other illnesses?
While hoarseness is mostly caused by problems in the vocal cord structures, in a small number of cases it is attributable to the recurrent laryngeal nerve that controls the vocal cord. Vocal cord paralysis may also occur in patients with left-sided lung cancer or after surgery in the left lung, leading to incomplete vocal cord closure and voice problems. Similar problems are also known in some patients as a side effect after neck surgeries such as thyroidectomy, during which the nerves may have been pulled or cut.
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