Throat Condition

Voice Change — a hoarseness that lingers.

Most hoarseness is from a viral cold and settles in a week. A voice change lasting more than three weeks, especially in a smoker or anyone over 40, always needs to be looked at — usually with a quick flexible laryngoscopy in the clinic. Most causes are benign; finding the few that aren't, early, matters.

Medical name Hoarseness / Dysphonia

Category Throat Condition

Common treatment Voice rest · Surgery

Overview

The voice is produced by the vocal cords, two small folds of tissue that vibrate as air passes between them. Anything that changes their shape — inflammation, a nodule, a polyp, a paralysis — changes the voice.

Common benign causes are vocal cord nodules (teachers, singers), polyps, reflux laryngitis, and acute viral inflammation. The serious causes — vocal cord paralysis or laryngeal cancer — are far less common but worth excluding promptly in any persistent change.

Symptoms

A raspy, breathy, or strained voice
Voice that fatigues after short use
Lower or unstable pitch
A persistent need to clear the throat
Voice change with a feeling of something in the throat

Common Causes

Viral laryngitis (short-lived, post-cold)
Vocal-cord nodules from voice overuse
Reflux laryngitis from silent acid reflux
Vocal-cord polyps or cysts
Vocal-cord paralysis or, rarely, a laryngeal tumour

Treatment Options

Vocal hygiene — hydration, voice rest, avoiding smoke
Reflux management with lifestyle changes and medication
Speech and voice therapy with a speech-language pathologist
Microlaryngoscopy and excision for polyps or cysts
Thyroplasty or injection medialisation for cord paralysis

When to See an ENT

Any hoarseness lasting more than three weeks should be assessed. Bring it forward if you have lost weight, are coughing up blood, have difficulty breathing or swallowing, or have noticed a lump in the neck.

At Dr. Naseer's ENT, flexible laryngoscopy is done in-clinic in under 10 minutes — most patients leave knowing exactly what their vocal cords look like.