Page 84 - (DK) Home Doctor: Providing practical advice on home treatments

82 COMMON CONDITIONS: MOUTH, NOSE, AND THROAT PROBLEMS

Hoarseness and loss of voice

When your voice sounds scratchy or husky and you have difficulty making yourself heard, the cause is usually
inflammation of the voice box (laryngitis) due to an infection such as a cold. Your throat may be sore as well
or feel as if there is a lump in it. You can also suddenly lose your voice as a result of overuse – for example,
after shouting at a football game. When hoarseness develops gradually, it is usually because of prolonged
overuse of the voice, smoking, or reflux of stomach acid (heartburn) irritating the voice box. In rare cases,
a hoarse voice is a symptom of cancer of the larynx.
See also Sore throat, p.81; Heartburn, p.107.

What you can do yourself
DRUG REMEDIES
Hoarseness and loss of voice are usually temporary,
lasting for no more than a week. The following Analgesics, such as acetaminophen (see
measures will help you recover your voice. p.177), will help to relieve the discomfort if your
throat is painful as well as hoarse.
● Rest your voice as much as possible. Don’t talk
or whisper. Whispering can strain your vocal cords
even more than normal speech.
● Drink plenty of warm fluids to soothe your PREVENTION
throat and 6–8 glasses of water a day to keep it
lubricated. Don’t drink caffeinated drinks or alcohol. Protecting your throat If you are
prone to hoarseness and losing your voice, try using
● Eat soft foods that can be swallowed easily. the following measures to help prevent recurrences.
● Avoid dry or smoky environments, which can dry ● Drink 6–8 glasses of water a day. Keep a bottle of
the throat and aggravate hoarseness. water on your desk at work, and take frequent sips.
● If your work involves speaking to a group or class,
● If your throat feels sore, take an analgesic (see
try to avoid raising or straining your voice. Organize
DRUG REMEDIES, right). smaller groups and sit closer together. If you need
to address a large audience, ask for a microphone.
● Try a steam inhalation to soothe inflammation
● Shouting or screaming puts unnecessary strain
and loosen secretions (see PRACTICAL TECHNIQUE: on your voice, so try to control anger or anxiety
STEAM INHALATION, p.79).
if it makes you prone to doing this.
● Don’t gargle – it does not help, and the alcohol ● Stop smoking and avoid spending long periods of
in some gargles may cause more irritation. Cough time in smoky atmospheres.
● Try not to cough or clear your throat forcibly.
medicines won’t relieve hoarseness, either.
● Try to breathe through your nose. Breathing
through your mouth dries the lining of your throat
and introduces cold, unfiltered air into the lungs,
Seek medical advice which contributes to hoarseness.
● Use a humidifier in your home, or place bowls
Arrange to see your doctor promptly if:
of water beside a radiator, to keep the air moist.
● Your throat is still hoarse after 2 weeks
in spite of following the advice given above
● You are also having difficulty breathing
or swallowing