Dysphonia is a change in the voice in which its strength, sonority, melody, hoarseness or hoarseness, nasal sound appears. The pathology is associated with dysfunction of the vocal apparatus and can be both functional and organic in nature.
Causes of dysphonia
Why the voice disappeared and how to treat it are questions that are often asked to an otolaryngologist. What happens in the vocal apparatus? Before naming the reasons, you must first determine the type of pathology.
Dysphonia can be:
- Functional – hypertonic, when there is prolonged strain on the voice, up to screaming, or hypotonicity, in which some of the nerve impulses do not reach the larynx, hoarseness appears.
- Organic – associated with chronic inflammatory diseases of the larynx, laryngitis, as well as the appearance of nodules and papillomas in it.
- Spastic – occurs as a result of severe nervous stress, when all the muscles of the body are under prolonged strain, including those responsible for breathing and voice.
Dysphonia and aphonia (complete loss of voice) can develop for such common reasons as:
- Consequences of influenza, acute respiratory viral infections, acute respiratory infections, sore throat, inflammation of the bronchi and lungs.
- Prolonged professional voice strain, screaming and screeching (in children).
- New growths in the vocal apparatus.
- Injuries and congenital defects of the larynx.
- Mental disorders.
When it is clear why the voice disappears, it becomes easier to diagnose the pathology and choose a treatment method.
Diagnosis and treatment of dysphonia
A phoniatrist knows best about why an adult’s voice has disappeared and how to treat it. otolaryngologist, specializing in pathologies of the vocal apparatus. Main symptoms of dysphonia:
- Increased voice fatigue during normal conversation.
- The appearance of hoarseness or hoarseness with increased vocal load.
- Periodic interception of voice, spasms in the larynx.
- Persistent discomfort in the throat.
- Formation of a large amount of mucus in the throat and a constant desire to cough it up.
If such problems with your voice appear, you should rush to see a doctor, who will conduct a full examination and diagnosis of the speech apparatus.
- At the first stage, a patient survey, visual examination, analysis of complaints about the general state of health, the presence of chronic diseases, infections that can provoke dysphonia, hormonal levels are being studied.
- Next, an instrumental examination is prescribed, which may include laryngoscopy, computed tomography, radiography, acoustic procedures. Sometimes the patient is sent for stroboscopy, electromyography, etc. Nasopharyngeal culture and blood tests may be required.
- After an accurate diagnosis is made, an individual treatment regimen is drawn up.
Diagnosing dysphonia in children is much more difficult than in adult patients. Here you should pay attention to additional factors - age, the presence of a birth injury, congenital pathology of the larynx, etc. In any case, if the baby’s cry or the child’s voice differs from the typical one, there is a reason to contact a pediatric otolaryngologist.
