Hoarse voice: reasons why it becomes hoarse and what to do

Quite often, adult patients turn to an ENT doctor complaining of hoarseness or loss of voice. The condition when an adult develops hoarseness in itself causes difficulties that affect everyday communication or work. Suffice it to recall the singers for whom losing their voice or becoming hoarse is a problem on a universal scale.

If the cause of a hoarse voice or its loss is a cold, then the appearance of hoarseness is quite understandable. But there are times when an adult has no other symptoms (for example, sore throat, fever, weakness). That is, the only discomfort that an adult experiences is a hoarse (hoarse) voice or loss of it. If the patient has hoarseness or hoarseness, and this condition progresses and occurs in an adult with no symptoms of infectious diseases, it’s time to visit an ENT doctor, since the causes of a hoarse voice in an adult are not always associated with colds.

Sometimes hoarseness and loss of voice are a consequence of serious health problems, and not always in the ENT part.

For what reasons can an adult become hoarse or hoarse? How are hoarseness and loss of voice treated? Do I need to give injections, take antibiotics, or do nothing, and the hoarse voice will recover on its own? Or maybe the best remedy for hoarseness is traditional medicine? Let's figure it out! The causes and treatment of a hoarse voice in an adult is the topic of our new article.

Make an appointment right now!

Call us by phone or use the feedback form

Sign up

Why is hoarseness attractive?

Some people are attracted to a man's hoarse voice because of its sexuality and seems like a treasured key to a woman's heart.

For some, female hoarseness has an attractive power.

For some, a hoarse voice adds reliability, severity and creates a sort of brutal image that one wants to imitate.

And then the obsessive thought “how to make a hoarse voice” haunts you.

When to see a doctor?

In some cases, hoarseness in your voice cannot be tolerated.

You should immediately consult a doctor if the following symptoms occur:

• Increased body temperature.
• Heavy sweating.
• Cough.
• Thick mucus produced when coughing.
• Dyspnea.
• Great weakness in legs and body.
• Weight loss.
• Chest pain.
• Loss of appetite, nausea.

Self-treatment without knowing the cause of hoarseness is unacceptable. Taking inappropriate medications can cause a deterioration in health, or contribute to the transition of the disease to a chronic form.

Country of Soviets

Tips that are better not to follow

Here are some ways to make your voice hoarse:

1. Start smoking. And if you are already an experienced smoker, then increase the number of cigarettes you smoke to a pack a day. The fact is that under the influence of nicotine and tar, the vocal cords lose their elasticity, become rough and smoky. And the expected result is not far off.
2. Drink to make your voice hoarse. Alcohol works in much the same way. The voice becomes not only smoky, but also drunk.
3. Get a cold. A sore throat will give you the treasured hoarseness in your voice. And no inhalations! For what? It's so easy to do this at home by drinking an icy liquid, be it water or milk, or eating ice cubes from the freezer.
4. Yell to add hoarseness to your voice. Long, half an hour at least. Better at a height unusual for your voice. But you can do it on your own, as long as you have the strength. A solitude in nature, a football match at a stadium or a rock concert are suitable for this. The resulting load on the vocal cords will do its job and help make your voice hoarse quickly.
5. Speak in a whisper and cry out loud. These actions contribute to overstrain of the ligaments. This way you can achieve a hoarse voice.
6. Drink less fluid to help dehydrate your body. With a dry mouth, you will definitely speak in a hoarse voice.
7. Eat spicy food. Chili peppers with every meal are just what you need. Irritation in the throat and at the same time a solution to the problem of “how to make your voice hoarse” are guaranteed to you.
8. A surgeon's knife will help you quickly make your voice hoarse. Modern medicine can do this and fulfill your cherished dream. But is it worth it?

Methods for losing your voice

The fastest ways

Sometimes efficiency is extremely important, and the fastest ways to “plant” your voice are :

• Gargling with vinegar and lemon juice . A solution of these components irritates the vocal cords and “destroys” the voice in a matter of minutes. To prepare, you need to pour a quarter glass of vinegar and a quarter of lemon juice and mix it all thoroughly. Then you need to gargle for 30 seconds and spit out the liquid. If you can’t stand the mixture, you can add a quarter glass of water.
• Cough. During coughing, the vocal cords become very tense, which leads to hoarseness and loss of voice. The stronger the cough, the faster the effect.

Least risky ways

• A heart-rending cry . The very first and most common means that comes to mind to achieve a goal. It’s best to bury your face in a pillow (so that others don’t hear your screams) and scream until your vocal cords give out. Depending on the intensity, the voice will “sit down” within a couple of hours or faster. You can speed up the process by adding a roar. You can shout without attracting attention at a rock concert, rally, stadium, and so on. The process can be painful and voice recovery can take a long time.
• Singing . Although song is medicine for the soul, if done incorrectly it can have a negative impact on the voice, which is a plus now. Especially if you take high and low tones without warming up before singing, and without special vocal training.
• Whisper . This method should not be underestimated, since the effect of whispering is equivalent to screaming for the larynx. The main thing is to talk as much as possible in this mode, and the result will not be long in coming. You can speed up and enhance the effect of the above methods without giving moisture to the ligaments, but you should not abuse this, since water is important for the body.
• Lots of talk . Even ordinary speech can overload the throat, the main thing is to make sounds without stopping. At the same time, you can hone your oratory skills. Conditions are being tightened by creating noise that will have to be shouted down.
• Keep your mouth open . This method is based on the fact that the throat cannot withstand dryness. And keeping your mouth open does just that; this technique will work faster for those who live in arid climates.

It is worth noting! To avoid the surprised looks of others, it is advisable to perform similar manipulations at home, or simply sleep with your mouth open.

More risky ways

• Sour, milky, fatty and spicy . Dairy and acidic products (apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, etc.) lead to the formation of mucus, which in itself does not affect the voice, but causes a cough that tears the ligaments. If you can’t force yourself to cough, then special foods will help with this: tomatoes, fried foods, red meat, bacon, cheese and citrus fruits. Acidic foods, hitting the mucous membranes, can cause damage to the stomach. You should also not take certain foods if you are allergic to them.
• Caffeine containing and alcoholic drinks . They dehydrate the body, causing dryness and irritation in the throat. To achieve your goal, just sit in a cafe, bar or at home, enjoying drinks. But dehydration carries with it risks for the body, and in general this category of products is not very healthy.
• Foods high in salt . Pretzels, nuts, soy sauce, pickles and dry soup concentrates are worthy of being an excellent help for “planting” your voice.
• Cold air help Frosty and dry air perfectly irritates the vocal cords. With the implementation of this method there will be no problems for people in cold climates. And if it’s hot outside, the air conditioner will come to the rescue.
• Using the weather. Depending on your mood and capabilities, you can go out into windy, rainy, snowy or cold weather and sing songs or shout there.
• Low temperature. You don't even have to go outside. may also help . You need to apply it to your throat for several hours. When the compress warms up, it must be replaced with ice. The mechanism of action of this technique is explained by the contraction of the muscles of the larynx due to low temperature, as a result of which the vocal cords are deprived of the ability to vibrate correctly. To enhance the effect, you can sing or scream while applying the compress. To avoid injury to the skin, it is recommended to wrap the ice pack in a towel, but this will slow down the effect of the procedure. You can also drink cold water, eat ice cream only from the freezer (especially if the temperature outside is minus), soak your feet in cold water, and so on.
• Application of allergies . Many allergy sufferers are familiar with throat irritation when interacting with an allergen. For example, if pollen causes a sore throat, then it’s enough to go to the park and take a deep breath while near the garden bed. This method is suitable for people only with moderate allergies, otherwise there is a high probability of experiencing anaphylactic shock, which can be potentially fatal.
• Having a cold or flu . This is the very first thing that may come to mind, since during such illnesses the voice disappears, a cough appears, the throat is constantly irritated, and so on. It’s quite easy to purposefully get sick; all you need to do is freeze the air as often as possible and communicate with carriers of the virus. To be on the safe side, you can weaken your immune system through lack of sleep or poor nutrition.

Popular and Famous Hoarse Voices

The desire to make a girl’s voice sound hoarse is quite understandable if you look at musical performers who have such a sound.

Here is a selection of Russian and foreign singers with a low, hoarse voice:

1. Russian singer Olga Kormukhina

2. English rock singer Bonnie Tyler

3. French singer ZAZ

4. American singer Nina Simone

British singer Bonnie Tyler suffered from a vocal cord disease, which caused the hoarse sound of her voice, thus giving its owner worldwide popularity.

Songs with a hoarse male voice are no less popular. Among the singers with a hoarse sound, I would like to especially mention the American black singer Charlie Armstrong, the grandson of the legendary jazz musician Louis Armstrong:

Among the singers with hoarse voices are our compatriots Vladimir Vysotsky, Nikolai Noskov, Grigory Leps:

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.

Reasons for voice change

Why does my voice become hoarse?
This occurs when the vocal cords become deformed. But it's one thing when you are healthy and you have understandable reasons to change it. Another thing is when hoarseness appears, but you don’t want it at all.

There are a number of reasons why the voice has become hoarse:

1. Inflammatory processes of the larynx. As a result of the accompanying swelling, hoarseness appears.
2. Consequences of chemical poisoning. There is a dry throat, sore throat, cough, and wheezing.
3. Allergy. Along with hoarseness, breathing becomes difficult, which is a reason to immediately consult a doctor.
4. Metabolic disorders, in particular the condition of the thyroid gland. This factor can also cause hoarseness.
5. Ligament strain. When speaking in front of a large audience, hoarseness may appear and the voice may “sag.”
6. Burns. You can damage the ligaments with acetic acid or ethyl alcohol. If this is aggravated by scarring, then hoarseness will remain with you forever.
7. Injuries. When foreign objects are removed from the respiratory tract as a result of certain medical procedures, hoarseness appears.
8. Damage to the nerves of the larynx, tumors, and vascular pathologies also have a negative effect on the vocal cords.

Treatment

Help before diagnosis

Targeted therapy is aimed at eliminating the cause of hoarseness. However, this is not always possible to achieve at the pre-medical stage. In the acute stage of inflammation and vocal fatigue, it is necessary to remain silent and avoid contact with any irritating substances.

In cases where hoarseness is associated with a cold, dry heat on the neck area (scarf, salt heating pad), inhalation, and warm gargling help. Any warming procedures are contraindicated when body temperature rises, so you should not self-medicate and postpone a visit to the doctor.

Conservative therapy

Local ENT procedures are indicated for laryngitis, tonsillitis, and phonasthenia. For hoarseness, endolaryngeal instillations of drugs, medicinal inhalations, and procedures using the Tonsillor apparatus are performed. Antiviral drugs, antibiotics, antiseptics and antihistamines are prescribed.

For laryngeal paresis and GERD, etiotropic drug therapy is selected. In cases of severe dehydration and hyperthermia, intravenous infusions of saline solutions are administered. Physiotherapy (electrophoresis, electrical stimulation, DMV therapy), psychotherapy, and IRT contribute to faster elimination of hoarseness. Foreign bodies in the throat must be removed using endoscopic techniques.

Surgery

If there is a threat of asphyxia due to acute laryngeal stenosis, emergency tracheostomy or conicotomy is indicated. The presence of tumors that interfere with normal breathing and voice formation is an indication for their endolaryngeal removal. For malignant neoplasia, resection intervention is required in the amount of hemilaryngectomy, extended or combined laryngectomy.

If the cause of hoarseness is compression of the recurrent nerve by tumor formations, appropriate surgical interventions are performed: thymomectomy, removal of a mediastinal tumor, excision of a retrosternal goiter, etc. For anomalies in the development of the larynx, cicatricial stenoses, various modifications of laryngoplasty are performed.

Phonopedic correction

If hoarseness does not disappear after eliminating the etiofactor, a course of phonopedic classes is prescribed. In speech therapy classes, phonation and voice exercises and speech therapy massage are used. At the final stage, they automate the skills of correct voice production, work on increasing strength, restoring timbre, and expanding the range of the voice. An important role in the prevention of recurrence of hoarseness and the effectiveness of rehabilitation work is played by compliance with the recommendations of a phonopedist on vocal hygiene.

Why does a child have a hoarse voice and what to do if this happens?

If a child wheezes and coughs, the reasons may be the same as in an adult.

There are also some features:

1. Strong, prolonged crying. It overstrains the ligaments and spoils the voice. It is necessary to take measures to make the baby calmer.
2. Restructuring of the body during adolescence in boys. The vocal cords increase in volume and hoarseness appears. If this process is delayed, then the doctor determines further actions.
3. Swelling of the larynx resulting from an allergen or infection. In this case, immediate emergency care is needed. The fact is that in children the airways are narrow, and asphyxia develops rapidly.

In each specific case, the doctor diagnoses the cause of hoarseness and prescribes treatment.

Diagnostics

It is not difficult to determine that an adult has a hoarse voice due to a cold or other condition. But it is not always possible to find out the reason for this on your own. The doctor looks at the throat and sees changes in it that an ordinary person would not notice through a mirror. If there is any doubt about the diagnosis, the patient is referred to an otolaryngologist or phoniatrist - a specialist in the voice apparatus.

The examination includes:

• general blood test - reveals the viral or bacterial nature of the disease;
• laryngoscopy - detailed examination of the ligaments using a laryngoscope;
• X-ray of the chest organs - if tuberculosis infection is suspected.

The patient goes to the doctor with the results of diagnostic procedures; you should not try to decipher them yourself. The specialist will select treatment and give recommendations on how to quickly restore your voice.

Read also: Why does a runny nose not go away?

Treatments for hoarse voice in infants

In infants, the voice may become hoarse due to infection or prolonged crying. It is extremely undesirable to treat the infection on your own, since while it is not difficult to cope with an ordinary virus, then with diphtheria, in which the voice also changes, you cannot do without a doctor. The doctor will prescribe remedies for treating a hoarse voice in an infant.

Be prepared that it will not be possible to quickly restore a hoarse voice. With any form of the disease, it will take several days until it begins to return, and at first the voice will be rattling and then return to normal timbre.

The cause of a hoarse voice without signs of a cold should be determined by a doctor. Cancer or hormonal disorders cannot be easily detected, and the consequences can be extremely serious.

Related services: Consultation with a pediatric ENT specialist

Initial symptoms

In the first stages, the volume of a person’s voice decreases, its quality and timbre changes. The folds quickly become tired, and it becomes uncomfortable for a person to swallow or talk. The most dangerous type of hoarseness is chronic, since in this case the entire vocal apparatus is gradually and permanently rebuilt. Subsequently, hoarseness increases and the voice weakens. When diagnosing, an otolaryngologist finds out the background and history of the development of the disease, and treatment measures taken previously. An ENT examination is performed with direct or indirect laryngoscopy. If required, the specialist will prescribe an ultrasound of the thyroid gland, MRI or computed tomography to identify possible causes of laryngeal depression.

“In the first stages, the volume of a person’s voice decreases, its quality and timbre changes. The folds quickly become tired, and it becomes uncomfortable for a person to swallow or talk.”

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.

What to do

Among the most common tips are:

1. Cold compresses. They apply to the throat. For example, you can put an ice pack on your neck for several hours.
2. Stimulation of the nasal passages. We are talking about tension in the larynx as when swallowing.
3. Jogging in cold, rainy weather is a great help if you want to catch laryngitis. Hypothermia, in principle, contributes to loss of voice.
4. Inhaling pepper or eating extremely spicy foods. Not the most effective and common techniques, but sometimes they are used in practice.

All of the above methods are not recommended to be used too often. As soon as you want to restore your voice, you can warm your throat, eat warm food or drink.

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.

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.

Songs

But that's not all. In addition to the methods listed above, you can use more interesting techniques. How to lose your voice? Singing at high notes will help you become hoarse for a while.

Quite often it is advised to simply sing your favorite songs a few notes higher or lower than your usual voice timbre. This technique strains the vocal cords very much. True, singing does not always help quickly.

As practice shows, vocals on high notes are the most effective solution to the problem. Sometimes you have to sing for several hours. But the first result will be noticeable in just a few minutes. It's enough to sing a couple of songs.

Screams

How to lose your voice? This method is familiar to everyone. First of all, you need to shout and raise your voice in every possible way. The technique is considered the basis for the successful implementation of an idea.

Screaming is the fastest and most effective technique that can help you lose your voice. But to get the desired result you will have to try. Sometimes you need to scream for hours on end. Only after this will the voice become hoarse or disappear.

Screaming strains the vocal cords. Therefore, it is considered the best way to lose your voice. And laryngitis occurs from overstrain of the ligaments.

Surgery and post-operative care

Vocal rest is recommended for 10 days. The first voice training is usually scheduled 2 weeks after surgery. After glottoplasty, it is recommended to avoid spicy foods. It is necessary to follow a gentle diet. Dairy products, nuts and red wine promote mucus formation. In addition, there is a risk of reflux in case of poor diet. Drink plenty of still water: this will ensure sufficient hydration of the mucous membranes and speed up the regeneration process. After glottoplasty, it is recommended to abstain from sports for 6 weeks. Exercises that involve elements of squeezing or grasping (strength training, heavy lifting, catching in balance exercises) can compromise the healing process of the vocal folds. You should refrain from air travel, visiting baths, swimming pools and saunas. It is necessary to follow the procedures prescribed by the doctor. This can be inhalations, intralaryngeal infusions, and it is also important to regularly work with a phonopedist.

What should you not do if you have hoarseness?

If your voice becomes dry, you should reduce your speech to a minimum so as not to strain your vocal folds. If possible, it is better to take a day off from work and get treatment. And, of course, it is not recommended to self-medicate for a long time. If after 1-2 days or more the voice is not restored, you should consult a doctor to clarify the problem.

Smoking and drinking alcohol should be avoided as this can also lead to sore throat. Juices, especially those containing citrus fruits, such as orange and grapefruit, should be excluded from the diet, as should cola, green tea, and coffee. All this provokes mucous membranes and aggravates the situation. Hypothermia and eating cold foods will also worsen the problem. It is necessary to avoid hot, spicy foods that can cause irritation.

Following these simple recommendations will speed up the healing process and voice restoration.

“When your voice becomes dry, you should reduce your speech to a minimum so as not to strain your vocal folds. If possible, it is better to take a day off from work and get treatment. If after 1-2 days or more the voice is not restored, you should consult a doctor to find out the problem.”

Nervous system diseases

Here we come to the causes of hoarseness, which are not directly related to pathologies of the ENT organs. One of these reasons is neurological. Hoarseness is caused by paralysis of the superior laryngeal nerve or recurrent laryngeal nerve. Palsy of these nerves itself is rare. It usually occurs against the background of syphilis, botulism, rabies, diphtheria, tumors of the esophagus and thyroid gland. All these diseases are very serious and can only be treated in a hospital setting. It is possible to predict whether the functions of the vocal apparatus will be restored and whether the symptoms of the disease will go away only after conducting the necessary examinations.

Also, being under constant stress or sudden fear can affect the ligaments and lead to hoarseness. In this case, complete vocal rest and the use of sedatives are indicated.

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.