Dysphonia is a disorder characterized by an alteration of the timbre of the voice, which may be due to various organic or functional causes of the larynx and vocal cords. In both children and adults, chronic dysphonia requires a medical visit to diagnose any disorder that lasts more than 2 weeks, both to rule out the presence of any serious injury and to prevent the dysphonia from becoming a chronic problem and leading to a total loss of voice (aphonia).
Dysphonia caused by forcing the voice or by infections and viruses will require rest, anti-inflammatory drugs and, depending on the case, therapy with a speech therapist to teach the patient how to use the voice properly and rehabilitate it.
What are the causes of dysphonia?
There are three types of causes:
- Functional: these are disorders that alter the functionalities of the larynx, without showing lesions in the examination.
- Organic: in these cases, the larynx itself or a nearby organ has some kind of alteration. They can be congenital, such as cysts or malformations, or acquired, such as malignant tumors or laryngitis.
- Due to associated or mixed lesions: these problems begin with vocal misuse, organic lesions such as vocal nodules, polyps or Reinke’s edema appear with time.
When dysphonia occurs in children, it can come from neurological disorders, malformations of the larynx, laryngeal papillomas caused by viral infections, or by forcing the voice too much. The latter is the most common cause of dysphonia in adults, since untreated vocal hyperfunction can lead to other pathologies such as nodules or polyps in the vocal cords.
In addition, there are other factors that can trigger dysphonia: gastroesophageal reflux, smoking, infectious processes such as laryngitis or tuberculosis, neurological disorders of the larynx or tumors.
The role of the otolaryngologist is key for the diagnosis in all cases.
How long can dysphonia last?
In the vast majority of cases, dysphonia can be cured by following the appropriate treatment, since it is often caused by an infectious-inflammatory cause. If the problem lasts longer than 10 days, it is necessary that the patient is referred to an ENT specialist for a thorough examination and an exhaustive exploration of the vocal cords and larynx.
How can the patient’s voice be rehabilitated?
Symptoms may occur in isolation or in combination. Among the most frequent symptoms are:
- Hoarseness (dysphonia)
- Monotone voice
- Tremor in the voice
- Aphonia (absence of voice)
- Variations in voice intensity and loss of high-pitched voices.
In addition, other non-phonatory symptoms may occur, such as coughing, itching, throat clearing, and mild to moderate throat pain.
The otolaryngologist will examine the vocal cord changes and nervous system problems. A lighted probe with a camera (fiberscope) may be used to examine the larynx. If there are doubts, a video stroboscopy can be performed to differentiate between intrachordal lesions and lesions of the vocal fold mucosa. The explorations for the study of the voice are not painful (atraumatic) and are carried out in consultation to achieve an exhaustive acoustic study of the voice. In addition, the diagnostic and therapeutic support of a speech therapist/logopedist is very important in order to rehabilitate the patient’s voice.
Can it be prevented?
Dysphonia can be prevented by following some rules of vocal hygiene, among which are included:
- Not clearing your throat
- Proper hydration
- Avoid dry environments and sudden changes in temperature.
- Avoid smoke and tobacco
- Resting properly
- Reduce caffeine consumption