Why Are We Hoarse? Causes And Remedies
Have you ever wondered why we get hoarse? To understand a little better what is happening in your throat during an episode of dysphonia, and therefore, to better cope with it, we present the main causes and remedies.
What happens to us when we get hoarse?
In order to carry out the articulation of words, our lungs eject light amounts of air that are transformed as they pass through our vocal cords into sound through their vibration, and that are later amplified in the resonant cavities, generating speech.
During a winter illness or a brief exposure to the cold, our vocal cords can become slightly inflamed, which makes it difficult for them to do a correct “modeling” to articulate the air expelled from the lungs and form our tone of voice, thus resulting in a hoarse sound that does not correspond to our natural voice.
In cases linked to serious affections to the vocal cords, these can become incapacitated to articulate words, although we can continue producing sound.
This allows us to understand the complexity and importance of our vocal cords to produce intelligible language.
Why do we get hoarse more often in winter?
The most common disease that causes us to become hoarse is the cold, a condition that usually occurs in winter. However, its contagious nature is viral, which, although empirically it is more frequent in winter, it is rather the increase of closed spaces in public places (to avoid the entry of cold air) at this time what favors their reproduction and contagion.
Laryngitis is another condition that causes dysphonia. The effect on the voice is more noticeable, presenting a cough that can cause chest pain, as well as fever. In addition, it can manifest itself together with a cold.
On the other hand, some people have tonsils that are more sensitive to cold than others, which can cause them to swell and cause a hoarse voice for a few hours. This can also happen in the home, due to the effect of air conditioning.
Although we are all more vulnerable to acquiring a cold in the winter time, the symptom of hoarseness or hoarse voice is not exclusive to winter conditions, in addition to that, of course, diseases such as the cold have more symptoms that are easily identifiable .
Other conditions, habits and circumstances that can cause hoarseness
- Allergies – Some people are allergic to certain foods or products. For example, allergies to nuts or peanuts, pollen, latex, or even a side effect of some medications can trigger hoarseness.
- Smoking : cigarette smoke can irritate our vocal cords, which can lead to a hoarse sound from them. It is important to note that the habit of smoking for long periods of time can cause the voice to become chronically hoarse, this being of course the least of the problems resulting from this habit that is harmful to our health.
- Irritants in the environment: pollution in big cities is a classic trigger for the hoarse voice, as well as detos. Gases from small establishments where strong substances for industrial use are handled (mechanical workshops, carpentry shops, etc.) and a strong wind climate that transports dirt can affect people to a greater or lesser degree by inflaming or irritating their throat.
- Yelling : when we sing loudly, argue or use our voice in a high tone for a relatively long time we are left with the feeling of a hoarse voice. Typically, this effect only lasts for a few hours after the voice level has normalized.
- Symptoms of other conditions: conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis or hypothyroidism can also generate a sensation of hoarseness.
Tips to recover your voice
Some measures that you can use alone or in combination to relieve a hoarse voice are:
- Stop talking.
- Find a warm environment.
- Hydrate with water at room temperature.
- Eat hot foods: a broth or soup are ideal remedies.
- Cough syrup. If you have to speak in front of an audience and you can’t afford a hoarse voice, a little cough syrup can help ease a sore throat and partially regain your voice.
When we become hoarse it is normal for us to experience irritation and a sore throat. Put into practice the tips and remedies mentioned above and they will help you fight them.
