What are the reasons for losing your voice? Vocal function disorders are a good reason for seeking help from a phoniatrist.
Many people face a partial lack of phonation during the development of acute infectious diseases.
Swelling of the mucous membrane of the larynx and vocal cords interferes with normal voice formation, as a result of which a person can speak, but only in a whisper.
Etiology of aphonia
Hoarseness of the voice is the first symptom indicating the appearance of disturbances in the work of the voice-forming apparatus. Conventionally, all the reasons for the development of aphonia can be divided into two categories:
- organic - persistent pathological changes in the structure of organs involved in the formation of the voice;
- functional - temporary changes in the larynx, which in 90% of cases are due to psychogenic reasons.
Aphonia or loss of voice is a medical and social problem that many people face. Persons of voice-speech professions are more susceptible to impaired voice function: lecturers, actors, TV presenters, guides, teachers, singers, etc. Excessive speech loads negatively affect the state of the vocal cords, as a result of which their inflammation occurs. According to statistics, 56% of teachers, 23% of children in puberty and more than 47% of singers suffer from dysphonia (voice disorder).
What are the main reasons for losing your voice?
Not only overstrain of the ligaments or septic inflammation of the larynx, but also mental disorders can provoke voice disorders.
It has been proven that pathology is much more common in women because of the increased lability of the psyche. Emotionality and impressionability create an excessive load on the nervous system. This can lead to a violation of the innervation of the muscles of the larynx and, as a result, the development of dysphonia.
Infectious diseases
Loss of voice is one of the signs of the development of acute inflammation in the airways, in particular the laryngopharynx. Untimely treatment of infection contributes to the involvement of organs that make up the sound-generating apparatus in pathological processes. Swelling of the mucous membranes of the larynx, vocal folds, trachea and soft palate is one of the key causes of hoarseness and loss of sonority.
Infectious pathologies that provoke aphonia include:
- epiglottitis;
- laryngitis;
- tracheitis;
- pharyngitis;
- acute bronchitis;
- laryngotracheitis;
- flu;
- a cold;
- tonsillitis.
Loss of voice with a cold is caused by inflammation of several parts of the sound-generating apparatus at once - the nasal cavity, pharynx, trachea and soft palate. With inadequate therapy for a cold, the infection descends into the lower airways and affects the larynx with the vocal cords.
Fever, malaise, sore throat, hoarseness and decreased voice timbre are typical manifestations of ARVI.
Laryngeal neoplasms
Benign and malignant tumors are one of the likely causes of voice disorders. If the neoplasms are localized directly in the larynx or on the vocal cords, the patient complains of hoarseness and loss of sonority, which is not accompanied by sore throat or hyperthermia. What types of benign and malignant tumors can lead to the development of dysphonia?
- polyps;
- fibroids;
- angiomas;
- cysts;
- lipomas;
- papillomas;
- chondromas.
Laryngeal neoplasms are 3 times more common in people working in hazardous industries with nickel, sulfuric acid, asbestos, etc.
It should be noted that even benign tumors are prone to malignancy, i.e. malignancy. If the symptoms of dysphonia persist within 3 days, you should seek help from a phoniatrist.
Poisoning
Very often, voice disorders occur as a result of poisoning the body with poisonous substances. Vapors of toxic substances irritate the mucous membrane, which can lead to the development of allergic edema and, as a result, voice disorders. Poisoning can provoke the development of dysphonia:
- fluoride - causes dry cough, redness of the conjunctiva of the eyes, lacrimation, convulsions and inflammation of the laryngopharyngeal mucosa;
- ammonia - provokes swelling of the trachea, bronchi, nasal mucosa, which leads to pain behind the sternum, hoarseness and sore throat;
- chlorine - causes a spasm of the glottis, resulting in a barking cough, hoarseness, bronchial edema.
Poisoning with household chemicals can lead to allergic reactions and Quincke's edema, which precedes laryngeal stenosis and asphyxiation. Toxic substances are found in many abrasive products designed for cleaning sinks, tiles, bathtubs, etc. Before using them, it is recommended to wear respirators that prevent the penetration of volatile chemicals into the respiratory system.
Laryngeal injury
Laryngeal injuries are a common cause of voice disorders and are most common in children. By origin, all types of airway injuries are divided into two broad categories:
- internal - isolated damage to the tissues of the larynx;
- external - injuries, which are very often accompanied by damage to anatomical structures close to the larynx.
Swallowing fish bones, shards of glass and toys is one of the most common causes of voice disorders in children. Laryngeal injuries in adults often occur during medical procedures:
- bougienage of the esophagus;
- bronchoscopy;
- tracheal intubation;
- tracheostomy;
- endoscopic biopsy.
Much less often, aphonia occurs due to a sharp increase in pressure in the larynx against the background of a suffocating cough. As a rule, injuries appear when exposed to provoking factors: gastroesophageal reflux, overstrain of the vocal cords, impaired microcirculation of blood in the ENT organs.
Laryngeal paralysis
Laryngeal paralysis is a pathological condition in which there is no possibility of voluntary movement of the muscles located in the larynx. The disorder occurs as a result of a violation of the innervation of the respiratory system and smooth muscles. Most often, the development of aphonia is caused by:
- myopathic paralysis - a degenerative change in the structure of the muscles of the larynx associated with inflammation of the airways (laryngitis, typhoid, diphtheria);
- neuropathic paralysis - a violation of the activity of peripheral nerves, which is associated with damage to the vagus nerves or the central nervous system (poliomyelitis, tick-borne encephalitis);
- functional paralysis - disorganization of the nerves of the larynx associated with hysteria and exposure to psychogenic factors.
Typical clinical manifestations of laryngeal paralysis are hoarseness or complete loss of voice.
Pathologies do not cause pain in the throat area, so patients are in no hurry to consult a specialist. However, myopathic and neuropathic paresis require adequate and timely treatment. Ignoring the problem entails a disorder not only of the voice function, but also of the work of the entire nervous system.
