Your Voice Problem


NIDCD		Your Voice Problem Is your voice too quiet? Does your voice come and go? Do you have problems projecting your voice? Is your voice jerky (does it catch when you talk)? Has your voice been hoarse, raspy, or whispery for more than three weeks? Is your voice problem interfering with your work? We use our voices to communicate our most important needs. Our voices have an effect on people around us. We show emotions and express ourselves through talking, singing or yelling. Our voices are critical to most of us when we work. This is especially true with actors and singers, but everyone relies on their voice for day-to-day living. When the voice is decreased, the quality of life itself often deteriorates. Patients may have a voice problem that results in hoarseness from using the voice improperly, from an infection or even emotional stress. Some patients have specialized voice difficulties such as a very whispery voice from a paralyzed vocal fold or the jerky -- tense voice known as spasmodic disphonia. Throat cancer also causes problems that could result in the removal of the entire larynx.

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