How to restore a hoarse voice during a cold: causes, diseases and treatment

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!

Causes of the condition

A person makes sounds using the air that passes through the vocal cords. These are folds of the mucous membrane and muscles with which you can close them into a gap. The ligaments vibrate, resulting in speech or singing.

When the ligaments become inflamed, they swell, which is why they cannot fully form a gap. As a result, the voice becomes hoarse or disappears completely.

Fatigue and overstrain of the ligaments also leads to voice problems. They turn red, pain occurs, and it becomes difficult to speak. Increased dryness in the throat prevents the cords from vibrating, causing the sound to become hoarse.

If there are tumors on the ligaments, the voice changes. This occurs due to incomplete closure of the folds into the gap, due to which the passage of air causes not a melodic sound, but wheezing.

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:

Possible diseases

In a healthy person, the ligaments can become tired if you talk too much. In this case, vocal peace will help you recover. But sometimes hoarseness occurs due to various diseases.

Pathologies in which there is hoarseness:

laryngitis;
ARVI;
papillomas on the vocal cords;
tuberculosis;
neoplasms in the area of the vocal cords.

To find out what a person is sick with, you need to see a general practitioner for an initial consultation.

Let's go to the doctor

Dangerous diseases of the larynx are often mistaken for a cold, bronchitis or asthma, because the symptoms of these diseases are similar. Therefore, with persistent long-term hoarseness, patients often think that they have not recovered enough from a cold and try to undergo intensive treatment. But if hoarseness persists for more than two weeks, this is a reason to be wary.

To dispel fears, a visit to a therapist, alas, is not enough. Only an examination by an ENT specialist using special diagnostic equipment, ranging from a laryngeal speculum, which is available in any clinic, and ending with methods such as laryngoscopy with a rigid endoscope, fibrolaryngoscopy, stroboscopy, will reveal the cause of the disease.

Don't delay your visit to the doctor. The fact is that many oncological diseases of the larynx at the initial stage occur without pronounced symptoms and pain. The person does not notice that there is a slight hoarseness in the voice, and believes that this is the result of fatigue or excessive smoking. But without serious reasons, such a picture cannot exist.

Unfortunately, doctors often see patients with stage 3–4 cancer who have ignored their hoarseness for a long time and seek help only when they notice the sensation of a lump in the throat, and this is already a sign of an advanced disease that will require complex surgical treatment.

Age-related mutation or disease. Why do children's voices change? More details

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?

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.

Treatment

In case of hoarseness, vocal rest is required. You can't talk at all, especially in a whisper. Such speech strains the ligaments more than trying to speak loudly.

Recommendations for voice restoration:

Drink plenty of warm drinks to moisturize the ligaments and remove toxins released by the cold pathogen.
Herbal infusions - chamomile and thyme help reduce inflammation, and ginger tea relieves hoarseness.
Humidifying the air prevents the ligaments from drying out, which speeds up the return to normal voice.

If hoarseness appears against the background of an acute respiratory viral infection, you can use drugs for symptomatic treatment. They will help you recover faster and regain the ability to speak normally.

Medicines:

Antibiotics are necessary for acute laryngitis and high temperature from 38.5°C for longer than 3-5 days, as well as for tuberculosis infection.
Anti-inflammatory sprays - Hexoral, Cameton and others reduce the severity of inflammation.
Lozenges for resorption - Falimint, Strepsils and the like have an enveloping effect on the ligaments, relieving pain.

If you follow all the recommendations and follow the prescribed treatment, your voice can be restored in 3-4 days. Other remedies - cognac, raw eggs or hot beer - give a quick but temporary effect. It will last for an hour or two, after which the cords will feel even worse, and the voice may disappear completely.

Dear patients! Remember that only a qualified doctor can make an accurate diagnosis, determine the causes and nature of the disease, and prescribe effective treatment. You can make an appointment with our specialists or call a doctor at home by calling 8-(4822)-33-00-33

Be healthy and happy!

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.

What to do

Among the most common tips are:

Cold compresses. They apply to the throat. For example, you can put an ice pack on your neck for several hours.
Stimulation of the nasal passages. We are talking about tension in the larynx as when swallowing.
Jogging in cold, rainy weather is a great help if you want to catch laryngitis. Hypothermia, in principle, contributes to loss of voice.
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.

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.”

How to treat vocal cords?

Traditionally, inflammation of the pharynx and larynx is treated by an ENT doctor. If dysphonia is associated with an infectious disease, the treatment regimen may include taking antibiotics, antiviral or antifungal drugs, anti-inflammatory and antiseptic agents, lozenges and lozenges for coughs and sore throats, gargling, inhalations and a course of physiotherapeutic treatment. An ENT doctor will also help if voice loss is associated with burns to the larynx or exposure to harmful substances.

A phoniatrist treats strained ligaments. After the examination, the patient will be prescribed a treatment regimen, which, in addition to traditional treatment methods, includes special exercises so that the problem does not recur in the future.

If dysphonia is a consequence of an allergic reaction of the body to an irritant, treatment should be carried out under the supervision of an allergist. Neurological disorders and the consequences of stress are treated by a neurologist and a psychotherapist. If laryngeal tumors were discovered during the examination, further treatment must be continued with an oncologist.

Thus, treatment tactics will depend solely on the cause of dysphonia or aphonia!

Let's start shouting

This is a classic method. To implement your plan, you will need a pillow. You need to bury your face in it and scream. After 15 minutes, you can take a short break and then continue.

Screaming is the simplest and most effective method for quickly losing your voice. However, you will have to wait several hours. This method is the most effective, as the vocal cords are greatly strained. When carrying out such an exercise, you should refuse water. A dry larynx becomes more tense. However, you will lose your voice even if you take a few sips. It will just take longer.

Take care of the bundles!

The risk group for laryngeal diseases primarily includes people in vocal professions - teachers, actors, call center employees, educators, lawyers, as well as employees employed in hazardous work, smokers.

To prevent the development of dangerous diseases, you need to follow a number of simple recommendations.

Treat your cold promptly. Untreated acute laryngitis, which occurs against the background of colds or infectious-inflammatory processes, often becomes chronic and can lead to the growth of benign and sometimes malignant tumors.

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“The peeve of loudmouths.” Phoniatrician on how to save your voice

Do not allow prolonged overstrain of the vocal cords; from time to time you need to give your voice the opportunity to rest. Therefore, if you have to talk a lot at work, try not to strain your voice at least at home.

Avoid foods and drinks that are too hot, spicy or sour. Such food leads to irritation and sometimes burns of the laryngeal mucosa.

Use household aerosols carefully. Spray them as far away from you as possible.

Don't smoke, don't abuse alcohol.

If possible, try to avoid being in smoky rooms. When working with hazardous substances, use respirators.

Be careful about your health. Don't neglect going to the doctor. Even such a natural process as teenage voice breakdown, which is also accompanied by long-term hoarseness, requires observation by an ENT specialist.