Hoarseness Symptoms

Overview

Some people are hoarse in the morning, but it might be just be the result of rusty and sleepy vocal cords. Such conditions are not at all a cause for concern. However, a few others experience frequent spells of hoarseness, which is called laryngitis in medical lingo. Such hoarseness, or laryngitis, is technically described as an inflammation of the voice box or larynx, which affects the voice to sound raspy. In most cases, these periods of hoarseness don't last more than a week or two. However, some people do endure chronic bouts of laryngitis that should be referred to a doctor for medical therapy.

The most common cause of coarseness is flu or cold. Acid reflux disease is also a type of laryngitis. Sometimes, hoarseness may also crop up because you got a little more exuberant than your neighbor at a local sports event, and shouted till the exhaustion of your voice. Hoarse voice could also be the result of smoke, allergies, and other environmental pollutants.

While acid reflux is one of the most common causes of hoarseness, it can also occur due to other conditions such as vocal cord lesions and muscle tension dysphonia. This is a voice disorder that brings about neck pain and difficulty in speaking, accompanied by a poor voice quality. Hoarseness may also be a sign of the early stages of Parkinson's disease or other disorders in controlling the rhythm of speech.

One of the main indications of hoarseness is that the voice sounds deeper than normal, or even breaks during speech patterns. Some people lose their voice entirely, and others deal with symptoms of hoarseness such as a dry or sore throat, difficulty in swallowing, and coughing. Children who suffer from hoarseness may have a condition called as epiglottitis. This condition also displays other symptoms such as drooling, pain, and even breathing difficulties. This is a critical health condition, which requires emergency care.

In most cases, a doctor can confirm if you are afflicted with laryngitis or merely a harmless hoarseness, after performing a physical examination of your throat. More often than not, the affected person's throat would appear red and irritated. And the physician may also check the neck for swollen lymph nodes and glands, and inspect the nose and the mouth of the person under examination. In some cases, hoarseness may be caused due to postnasal drip, which is a state of constant irritation to the vocal cords. In some cases, a doctor might even examine the throat with a special scope or mirror that will enable him or her to look down into the throat.

Treatment

Most cases of hoarseness can be easily cured with the help of appropriate homecare. Intake of fluids and adding moisture to the air through the use of a humidifier or vaporizer can treat most cases of hoarseness. Also ensure to avoid smoke and give the voice a rest whenever possible, to help the vocal cords heal. In some cases, where there are signs of infection or chronic hoarseness, a doctor may prescribe an antibiotic. However, in most cases, the body will heal by itself and the symptoms will subside in time, as long as we don't voluntarily aggravate the condition.

If you suffer from persisting and prolonged hoarseness, don't take chances and self diagnose. If you have symptoms of hoarseness that have not ebbed even after two weeks, schedule an appointment with your physician for possible causes and treatment options.