Aphonia

Who under Aphonia, Loss of voice or Voicelessness suffers, can usually only speak in a whisper. Loss of voice can accompany a cold, but it can also have other causes. Most of the time the voice comes back quickly, but sometimes the loss of voice can be permanent.

What is aphonia?

Loss of voice (aphonia) is when one can only whisper and the voice is toneless to the point of complete voicelessness. Usually there are either psychogenic causes or functional disorders.

Aphonia should be distinguished from hoarseness, although the symptoms and symptoms are similar. The term voicelessness is rarely used in medicine. Rather, it is a linguistic-phonetic term.

For example, voiceless tones of fricatives, that are [f], [s], [ʃ], [ç], [x], [χ] and [h] and the voiceless series of plosives, that are [p], [ t] and [k] are examined and described in more detail here.

causes

Aphonia can u. a. be caused by a cold. A virus then irritates the vocal cords and / or the larynx. It comes to hoarseness and accompanying loss of voice. If the larynx is irritated or even inflamed, the loss of voice may take longer than if the voice is hoarseness. Those affected can only whisper over a longer period of time. Bronchitis can also cause loss of voice.

Loss of voice can also have causes other than a cold. People in professions that require a lot of their voice, such as teachers or singers, can lose their voice due to the permanent overload because the vocal cords are irritated. Due to the permanent stimulus, the mucous membrane on the vocal folds swells and forms small nodules, which are also called singing and screaming nodules. If you are unlucky, it can lead to Reinke's edema, in which the entire vocal folds are swollen. Benign growths, polyps, can also develop from the nodules.

A tumor can also make itself felt through loss of voice and hoarseness. In addition to benign nodules, there is also malignant larynx cancer or lip ligament cancer.

Loss of voice or hoarseness can occur temporarily even after surgery. Therefore, attention should be paid to the larynx when intubating during surgery.

In addition, chemical irritants such as cigarette smoke or air that is too cold or too dry can also irritate the vocal cords and promote voice loss.

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Diseases with this symptom

• cold
• Throat cancer
• Vocal cord inflammation

• bronchitis
• Laryngitis
• Throat cancer

• Vocal cord paralysis
• Vocal fold polyp
• Vocal cord nodules

Diagnosis & course

As a rule, the loss of voice goes back after a short time if you protect your voice. If this is not the case, you should see an ear, nose and throat doctor and have the cause clarified. Mostly the causes are harmless, but some, such as nodules on the vocal cords, need treatment.

A number of examination procedures are available to the ear, nose and throat specialist. First, the doctor examines the mouth and throat and palpates the lymph nodes. If he detects an infection, he takes a smear and creates a culture. A blood test can also provide information.

In order to be able to assess the condition of the larynx, a laryngoscopy, a laryngoscopy, is carried out, which is not so pleasant, but during which it can be determined through voice exercises how the mobility of the vocal folds is. To rule out a tumor, further examinations such as ultrasound, computed tomography or magnetic resonance tomography can be performed.

If long-term loss of voice is left untreated, permanent damage can result. Polyps or nodules must be removed, there is also a risk of a malignant tumor.

Complications

Aphonia can also lead to complications. The complications that may occur are stored according to the symptoms of aphonia. A severe disturbance of the tone production or voicelessness makes it impossible to communicate with other people via speech. In everyday life, of course, this brings with it some difficulties.

Communication with other people is restricted in all areas of everyday life. This limitation and the patient's inability to change this situation on their own can lead to some problems or complications of a psychological nature in the patient. However, this is very likely only the case if the aphonia persists for a long time. Mental illnesses and problems are conceivable both as a cause and as a consequence or as an accompanying symptom of aphonia.

In addition, a cold or other respiratory diseases can lead to a temporary impairment of the voice or a short-term complete loss of the voice. In this case, a possible complication is the chronification of this loss of voice, i.e. the development of permanent or at least longer-lasting aphonia.

In a broader sense, difficulties in everyday life can be seen as complications of aphonia. This can lead to misunderstandings and the patient's needs or wishes may not be perceived because the patient cannot express himself through his voice.

When should you go to the doctor?

Aphonia (loss of voice) can have many causes and should see a doctor soon. The sick can only whisper, sometimes there is even complete voicelessness. Aphonia is different from hoarseness, which is usually caused by infections of the upper airways. Nevertheless, a cold can also lead to aphonia.

Then vocal cords and larynx are so irritated by viruses that no voice formation is possible. Persistent hoarseness can also lead to voice loss if left untreated. A medical examination is necessary to rule out serious organic diseases such as tumors of the vocal cords or the larynx. Teachers and lecturers who have to speak a lot due to their job can develop aphonia due to excessive stress. The less you use your voice, the faster the vocal cord irritation can heal.

Benign polyps or tumors on the vocal cords can affect the voice in such a way that it no longer makes an audible sound. Even after incubation during an operation, the larynx and vocal cords are strongly irritated. You need a few days to regenerate. It also happens that the vocal cords are affected after thyroid surgery.

Only a specialist can determine whether there is permanent damage. Loss of voice is not uncommon for emotional reasons. In the case of a mentally conditioned loss of voice, the cause cannot be determined easily. A good medical history and long-term psychotherapy can help.

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Treatment & Therapy

In the case of voice loss caused by a cold, inhalations or gargling with salt water often help. You should be careful when gargling so as not to irritate your voice further.

It is very important to spare your voice. If sputum sputum is bloody or discolored, there may be a bacterial infection that must be treated with an antibiotic.

Vocal cord nodules or polyps are more likely to be removed through surgery. If larynx cancer is diagnosed, surgery must be carried out and then further treatment.

Outlook & forecast

Breathing, posture and articulation have a direct influence on the voice, as do psychological impairments. If voicelessness occurs as a result of a cold, it should also be gone after the cold has subsided.

If it lasts longer than four weeks, a doctor must be consulted. In the case of psychosomatic causes of aphonia, holistic therapy, in which the patient also participates, promises the greatest success. Nevertheless, psychosomatic illnesses belong in the hands of trained psychologists. The patient himself cannot influence his aphonia directly, but he can increase the success of the therapy through stress reduction, relaxation and balancing activities. Underlying neurological diseases such as Parkinson's must always be treated by a specialist.

It is not uncommon for aphonia to result from environmental pollution. If it is certain that there is pollution at the workplace that attacks the vocal cords, the employer must take remedial action. A change of job may be necessary.

Pathological changes in the hormonal balance can cause functional disorders of the vocal cords. A medical examination is also important here. In mild cases, neck wraps and douching bring relief. Here, too, the self-treatment should not last longer than 3-4 weeks. Then a medical examination is necessary.

Tension in the respiratory muscles can also lead to functional voice disorders. Even with exertion, the person concerned cannot make a sound. It often helps to train your voice and practice better breathing techniques.

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prevention

A common cold, which is often the cause of voice loss, can be prevented by strengthening your immune system. Nevertheless, infections cannot be completely avoided because you come into contact with many people. During an operation, doctors should take care of the larynx during intubation so as not to irritate it. An important prevention is regular recovery for the voice, because stress or permanent overload of the voice can lead to voice loss.

You can do that yourself

Various home remedies can help with aphonia. First of all, it is advisable to protect your voice and speak little. In principle, all activities that could put additional strain on the vocal cords should be avoided. Various home remedies such as hot milk with honey, soothing oils, lozenges or herbal candies help to stimulate saliva production and relax the throat. Ginger and Iceland moss, which can be used in the form of tea or bath salts, are also particularly effective.

If you lose your voice as a result of a cold, it is advisable to protect the immune system in order to cure the cold quickly. With a scarf or a potato wrap and breathing through your nose, the throat can be additionally protected when the outside temperature is low. You should also drink plenty, ideally warm tea made from mallow leaves, fern frond, ribwort or thyme. In addition, it should not be eaten too hot or too spicy. Cold food and drinks as well as various stimulants are best avoided.

In the case of aphonia with hoarseness, sufficient humidity should also be ensured. Regular inhalation of hot water or chamomile tea is also good for the vocal cords and can quickly relieve the aphonia. If the aphonia persists longer, speaking training can help restore the voice. If the symptoms persist, a doctor must clarify the causes.