Dysphonia, or impaired voice production, is sometimes called “hoarseness.” Dysphonia describes your impaired voice production. Hoarseness is a symptom of a change in your voice quality. Health care providers will use the clinical term dysphonia, but patients and the public use the more common term hoarseness.
Dysphonia is very common. It affects nearly one-third of the population at some point in their lives. Dysphonia is characterized by a change in voice quality, pitch (how high or low the voice is), volume (loudness), or vocal effort that makes it difficult to communicate as judged by a health care provider, and it may affect your quality of life.
The symptom of hoarseness is related to problems in the sound-producing parts (vocal cords or folds) of the voice box or larynx. Your voice may have a raspy, weak, or airy quality that makes it hard for you to make smooth vocal sounds.
Dysphonia is a symptom common to many diseases. Most dysphonia (hoarseness) is related to upper respiratory tract infection and goes away on its own in 7 to 10 days. You may have a serious medical condition that requires further evaluation by a Laryngologist (voice specialist). The most common causes of hoarseness are:
Louisville Voice and Dr. Elizabeth Self Burckardt are proud members of Kentuckiana Ear, Nose & Throat, PSC, providing comprehensive and compassionate care for over 40 years.
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The information contained in these pages is for educational purposes only. It should not be construed as individualized diagnostic and treatment advice.
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