The condition of a hoarse voice is a very unpleasant phenomenon. It is generally accepted that the cause of a hoarse voice is a cold or loud screaming. But there are other, more serious reasons that require mandatory treatment by an otolaryngologist and doctors of related specialties. Why does the voice wheeze and become hoarse? How to quickly restore a hoarse voice? What treatment for hoarse voice is effective? You will find the answers in our new article.
The voice plays an important role for a person. Thanks to it, we can fully communicate with each other and lead a normal lifestyle. Remember the discomfort that occurs when your voice becomes hoarse and hoarse. A hoarse voice is becoming a problem on a global scale for representatives of speech professions: singers, announcers, teachers, tour guides. And any ordinary person in everyday life, if his voice is hoarse, faces a lot of inconveniences: it is impossible to answer phone calls, contact colleagues, participate in discussions, etc.
In medicine, a disorder of the vocal apparatus, when the voice wheezes and becomes hoarse, is called dysphonia.
Hoarseness can occur at any age. Of course, when this symptom appears, the only desire that arises is to quickly restore a hoarse voice. The ability to speak fully, without hoarseness, is restored after proper treatment. But before you start treating a hoarse throat, it is necessary to establish the causes of a hoarse voice. Determining the cause and prescribing the correct treatment determines how quickly the functioning of the vocal apparatus will be restored.
Why does the voice wheeze and become hoarse? How to quickly restore a hoarse voice? What treatment for hoarse voice is effective? Let's find out!
Need to shout
To raise your voice, you need to shout well. If the idea is brought to life at home, then you should stock up on a large pillow. This is necessary so as not to scare the neighbors. Next, the algorithm of actions is as follows:
- We take a large pillow, lean it against our face and begin to scream heart-rendingly. The stronger the scream, the greater the chances of losing your voice in a short time;
- You need to scream without a break for 10-15 minutes, after which you should take a short break and continue;
- The procedure should be continued until overstrain of the ligaments begins to be felt.
It is worth considering that the loss of the ability to speak does not appear immediately, but after several hours.
If you experience severe pain in the throat while screaming, you should stop immediately!
Motives for losing your voice
Keep in mind! Such radical measures can be prompted by many reasons, for example:
- The desire to create a good reason not to go to school or work .
- Reluctance to go on a date.
- The desire to avoid any event : a trip to relatives or unnerving acquaintances, celebration of a certain holiday or a work corporate event, a cleanup day, or some stupidity invented by the authorities.
- The need to take sick leave in order to make time for yourself or some important goals.
- The need to temporarily put your voice on the line in a dispute .
- The desire to make your voice unrecognizable for conspiracy purposes and much more.
For your information! After successfully suppressing the voice, it is worth remembering that you will have to return it later, and therefore, before taking desperate steps, you should look for more acceptable solutions.
Whisper
Many people believe that speaking in a whisper protects their vocal cords. In fact, whispering is a great way to quickly get laryngitis in familiar home conditions. When a person talks quietly, his throat becomes very dry, which also helps to achieve the goal in a short time.
To lose the ability to speak, you need to switch to whispering for a while. Just a couple of hours of active conversations in lower tones and the result will be achieved. An important condition is that you should not drink water, as dry mucous membranes are more easily irritated.
How to increase the effectiveness of treatment at home?
When restoring your voice, you must follow a number of recommendations. Medicines prescribed by an otolaryngologist should be taken in a clearly indicated dosage. You need to increase your consumption of warm drinks, switch to bland food, walk in the fresh air, and use a humidifier at home, if possible. Staying in a room with high humidity (up to 70%) will promote a speedy recovery. Of course, the emotional mood is important. Psychosomatics is an important part of the treatment of any disease. It is important to set yourself up correctly, improve your mood, tune in to a speedy recovery, and be in a pleasant environment.
“Increase your consumption of warm drinks, switch to bland foods, and eliminate spicy foods from your diet. Get outside more and use a humidifier at home.”
Often there is no reason to worry and see a doctor. It is enough to follow a drinking regime, take care of a sufficient level of humidity in the room, and reduce vocal activity in order to recover faster.
Drinking plenty of fluids means drinking not only tea, but also soups and broths at room temperature. Both cold and hot liquids should be avoided.
An excellent means of recovery is honey. The product relieves inflammation, improves immunity, and restores the body. You can consume honey, for example, with herbal tea, warm milk, or on its own. This will have a beneficial effect on irritated vocal folds.
It is useful to drink black or herbal tea with chamomile and thyme, and add ginger to it. Tea with raspberry jam and tincture of raspberry leaves will also be beneficial.
Another good way to restore the sonority of your voice is inhalation. A simple inhaler is sold at any pharmacy. You can carry out inhalation procedures yourself, at home. To do this, just boil water poured into a pan and breathe over it for 15-20 minutes, covered with a towel.
At the first signs of hoarseness, pregnant women should immediately consult a doctor, as this may affect the development of the fetus and congenital abnormalities. It is important to respond to even seemingly minor hoarseness as quickly as possible, as there is a risk of a serious problem arising.
In any case, difficulty breathing, sore throat, and rapid fatigue indicate disturbances in the functioning of the vocal apparatus and become a reason for taking action. If you experience even minor discomfort, you can contact our clinic. Our medical institution specializes in phoniatrics: one of the rarest areas in medicine - phoniatrics and helps patients of all ages cope with diseases of the ear, nose and throat. Take care of your health and be vigilant!
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Cough
To quickly lose your voice, you need to cough intensely. The louder and more intense the cough, the greater the chance of a throat rupture and loss of the ability to speak normally. You should cough until you feel itching and pain in your throat. If this happens, we can say that the goal has been achieved and after a couple of hours, instead of a normal voice, only a whisper will be heard.
To achieve results faster, you can use several methods simultaneously. For example, shout, sing and cough in turns.
Symptoms of chronic laryngitis in adults and children
Signs of chronic laryngitis in adults depend on the degree of neglect and duration of the inflammatory process. The main clinical symptom is dysphonia, or in simple terms - voice disturbances, from hoarseness to complete loss of voice (aphonia). In addition, the disease may be accompanied by: cough, sore throat, irritation1.
With exacerbation of the chronic form, the symptoms become more pronounced. In addition, general weakness, fatigue, severe sore throat, and elevated body temperature appear. In this case, the cough increases and may be accompanied by attacks of suffocation. Headache is often a concern1.
During the period of remission, chronic laryngitis can also manifest itself with the following symptoms:
- Sore throat, foreign body sensation
- Dry cough
- Dryness of the laryngeal mucosa
Signs of chronic disease in children are approximately the same. However, in children, the lumen of the respiratory tract is initially narrowed and not fully developed, which contributes to faster penetration of infection into the larynx. A characteristic symptom of chronic laryngitis in children is suffocating coughing attacks that develop mainly at night1. If there is a sharp deterioration in the condition, the appearance of a barking cough and deterioration in breathing, it is better to immediately call an ambulance, especially when it comes to very young children.
Fan
A good way to lose your voice is to attend sporting events as spectators. In this case, the main thing is to shout loudly, supporting your favorites. Some people believe that the fans' throats are the main drawback of the competition, but if this is the task, then go ahead.
If there are no competitions planned, then you can go to a bar where they place bets on sports. You can definitely have a fun and useful time there, and most importantly, lose your voice for several days.
Forms of chronic laryngitis
Depending on changes in tissues, chronic laryngitis is divided into several forms1:
- Catarrhal form.
The most favorable and most common variant of the course of the disease. It is accompanied by a moderate clinical picture, hyperemia of the mucous membrane - the blood vessels are filled with blood. The main symptoms of the catarrhal form are associated with persistent hoarseness, incessant cough with sputum production. The most difficult period of the disease occurs in the morning. - Hyperplastic form.
Severe hoarseness of varying levels appears, the mucous membrane acquires a blue-red color. A characteristic sign of hyperplastic changes is thickening of the vocal cords and the appearance of nodules. This form is classified as precancerous processes. The hyperplastic form also includes dangerous forms of laryngitis - recurrent respiratory papillomatosis and Reinke's edema3. - Atrophic form.
Long-term laryngitis. Accompanied by depletion of the tissues of the larynx, pharynx, and nasal cavity. In addition to coughing, sputum appears, sometimes with bloody streaks. The main symptoms of the atrophic form are constant soreness and dry throat. Mucus often appears on the surface of the larynx, which leads to the formation of crusts.
Gargling
You can drink sour drinks or simply gargle with them. To do this, you can use a solution of lemon juice or vinegar. To make such a solution, you need to take ¼ cup of lemon juice and mix with the same amount of cold water. You should gargle several times until the result is achieved.
After rinsing your throat with an acidic solution, you should rinse your mouth with clean water. This will help preserve tooth enamel.
How to treat hoarseness?
Before prescribing a course of treatment, the otolaryngologist performs a visual examination of the larynx to identify the cause of the disease. Visual diagnostics and endoscopy of the throat are carried out: an integrated approach is used for a full analysis.
When diagnosing, specialized tools and equipment are used. A differentiated analysis of symptoms is necessary when it is not possible to find out the real cause of the problem. The doctor may use an endoscope, a probe to examine the throat and larynx during laryngoscopy. The otolaryngologist also works with the deep laryngeal laryngeal speculum. A fibrolaryngoscope is used to examine the nasopharynx under local anesthesia of the nasal cavity. Another commonly used tool is a strobe light, which allows you to diagnose pathologies. Electrophysical studies are carried out, the level of mobility of the larynx and folds in dynamics is assessed. Anesthesia is not required here, since the procedures do not cause discomfort or pain.
The course of therapy is prescribed taking into account the problem, the cause of its occurrence, medical history and examination. To treat hoarseness use:
- Drugs aimed directly at eliminating disorders in the vocal apparatus.
- Anti-inflammatory drugs, if hoarseness is accompanied by fever, more than 38 degrees.
- Antibiotics if the problem is caused by a bacterial infection causing hoarseness.
In addition to taking the above medications, physiotherapy is carried out, expectorants are prescribed in the presence of bronchitis or tracheitis, as well as vitamin complexes to increase strength and immunity.
When prescribing treatment, individual parameters are taken into account: age, concomitant and previous diseases, structural features of the larynx, the presence or absence of allergic reactions.
Cold
If the goal is to become hoarse for some time, then a cold would be an ideal option. It is not difficult to catch a cold; to do this you need to dress poorly in cold weather, eat a lot of cold foods, and drink cold milk.
In addition, poor sleep and poor nutrition contribute to a decrease in immunity. If you need to sneeze for a while, you can try to catch a cold, but you need to remember that a cold will bring weakness, high fever and a runny nose. But if the end justifies the means, then you can safely get down to business.
Reversibility of the process
Problems with the vocal cords are called laryngitis.
Need to know! Since it can appear from internal and external factors, its treatment must be approached based on the root of the problem.
In some cases, problems with the vocal cords may be irreversible and remain for the rest of your life , for example:
- With regular injuries to the larynx.
- When the stress on the vocal cords is too extreme.
- When the disease becomes chronic.
- In case of untimely treatment and ignoring doctor’s orders.
- If the mechanical damage to the vocal cords is too extensive, and so on.
When experimenting on the body, it is worth remembering that there is a possibility of permanently making the voice hoarse or disfiguring it.
Allergy
If a person knows that he is allergic to plant pollen or animal fur, then he can smell flowers in the park for a couple of hours or pet a cat. Usually this is enough for inflammation of the pharyngeal mucosa to begin, with all the ensuing consequences. But do not forget that a severe allergic reaction may occur, which may result in anaphylactic shock.
Before an allergic person comes into contact with an allergen, you should think several times. It is necessary to understand that the desire to become hoarse for a while can result in serious health problems.
Before resorting to all the proposed methods, you should analyze everything thoroughly. It may be easier to learn to pretend to be hoarse than to artificially create health problems for yourself. Smoking will help you become hoarse quickly, but before you start smoking cigarettes one after another, you need to think about whether you need health problems.
Beverages
How to quickly lose your voice? The next piece of advice that can be given to a person is to stop drinking liquid. Especially when screaming. You just shouldn’t limit yourself to fluids - this is fraught with negative consequences for the body. But during the screaming period, it is recommended to exclude all drinks.
The point is that the larynx will become tense faster without moisture. This means that the results from screaming will be faster. Therefore, if you want to know how to quickly lose your voice, you need to forget about drinks for a while.
Immunostimulants in the treatment of chronic laryngitis
During treatment, agents that activate the immune system are often used.
IRS® is a drug from the group of immunostimulants, containing bacterial lysates of the main pathogens of diseases of the upper respiratory tract. It is used in the complex treatment of chronic laryngitis, strengthening local immunity and increasing resistance to infections. IRS® is produced in the form of an aerosol, which makes the use of the medicine convenient even for children from three months5.
Once on the mucous membrane of the upper respiratory tract, IRS® helps destroy pathogenic microflora, strengthening defense mechanisms, directing the immune system to fight infectious agents. With the help of IRS® it is possible to reduce the number of colds and reduce the likelihood of complications. The immunostimulant helps stop the inflammatory process and prolong remission for a longer period6.
Treatment of chronic laryngitis
Before treating chronic laryngitis, it is important to eliminate the influence of negative factors on the larynx. For any form of the disease, it is necessary to give up smoking and alcohol, voice rest, eat moderately warm food, and regularly ventilate the room where the patient is staying1.
It is worth noting that if there is any suspicion of a disease, it is strongly recommended to consult a doctor, therapist or otolaryngologist (ENT). After diagnosis, establishing the causes of the disease, to stop the inflammatory process and normalize lost functions, the doctor will prescribe drug therapy, physiotherapeutic procedures or surgical intervention for advanced forms.
Drug treatment of chronic laryngitis depends on its form4:
- For the catarrhal form of the disease, anti-inflammatory drugs, weakly cauterizing and astringent compounds are used. Warm alkaline or oil inhalations, as well as immunostimulants, may be prescribed. In case of exacerbation, antibiotics are used, but only after identifying the bacterial pathogen and after consulting a specialist.
- For hyperplastic changes, the above treatment complex is supplemented by the prescription of hormonal drugs in the form of aerosols and inhalations, and to reduce tissue swelling, heparin-based drugs are used, they increase the access of oxygen and stop inflammation. Positive dynamics are observed when prescribing biological stimulants and regulators of metabolic processes in tissues. It is necessary to comply with the voice mode1.
- In the atrophic form of the disease, anti-inflammatory therapy is supplemented with alkaline calcium inhalations, and the use of mineral waters and alkaline mixtures is also indicated.
Regardless of the type of morphological changes (forms of laryngitis), expectorants and sputum thinners are prescribed to relieve inflammation. It is necessary to clear the larynx of mucus and crusts. Antitussive drugs are prescribed to relieve cough. And to relieve a sore throat, various local remedies are used: lozenges, sprays.
Physiotherapeutic procedures include4:
- UHF inductothermy
is the effect on the body of an ultra-high frequency (UHF) alternating magnetic field. - Mud applications
to the area of the larynx. - Electrophoresis
is the administration of drugs through the skin and mucous membranes using direct electric current. - Ultraphonophoresis
is an ultrasonic effect on the human body, enhanced by the administration of drugs. - Light therapy devices
- special lamps produce infrared light, which, with its thermal effect, increases the body's defense capability.
