How to quickly cure a hoarse voice: hoarseness and sore throat in adults and children

With a situation where the voice suddenly disappeared or hoarse, many probably had to deal with. In addition to the fact that this in itself is not very pleasant and causes a lot of difficulties associated with work and even basic communication, hoarseness can be a symptom of quite serious health problems. The voice becomes hoarse either when the cords that give rise to it thicken and become uneven, or when some obstacles arise in the path of the sound wave, creating interference. This may be due to a number of different reasons.

Causes of voice disorders

It is not uncommon for a hoarse voice, red throat, and dry cough to accompany upper respiratory infections, but there are a range of other problems that can cause a person to become hoarse. Therefore, you should never rush to diagnose yourself, much less prescribe treatment. What pathologies can provoke hoarseness of voice?

Infectious and inflammatory diseases

With inflammation, swelling of the ligaments occurs, which prevents them from closing sufficiently, thereby changing the sonority and timbre of the voice. This occurs in all types of sore throats, pharyngitis, laryngitis and laryngotracheitis, whooping cough, scarlet fever, measles, as well as influenza and adenovirus infections. In some cases, during the period of illness, the voice may disappear completely, this phenomenon is called aphonia. Usually, with the above diseases, there is also pain and sore throat, dry cough, fever. In such cases, in order to cure a hoarse voice, it is paramount to deal directly with the infection itself.

Excessive ligament tension

In people whose work involves a constant load on the vocal apparatus, the ligaments sometimes do not withstand chronic stress. Singers, actors, announcers, teachers fall into the risk group. An unprepared person can break his voice by simply shouting loudly or singing a song.

Bad habits

In alcoholics and heavy smokers, the voice changes over time. This is due to the fact that ethyl alcohol, as well as nicotine and tars, although they do not act instantly, however, the chronic burn of the mucous membrane caused by them leads to swelling of the ligaments, and the so-called “drunk” or “smoky” voice appears.

When a hoarse voice is a symptom of a more dangerous disease

Why should you not neglect the examination by a doctor? In some cases, the resulting hoarseness can be a sign of a life-threatening condition, when you need to react instantly.

allergic reactions

With allergies, Quincke's edema often develops, which includes the occurrence of stenosis of the larynx (partial or complete narrowing of its lumen). A hoarse voice at the same time is a very dangerous symptom, which can be a precursor to suffocation. There is a cough, hard breathing with a whistle, pallor occurs, and then - cyanosis of the face and
fingers. At the first signs indicating an allergic edema of the larynx, it is necessary to call an ambulance, since the count goes on for minutes.

Chemical damage and burns

Vapors of substances such as ammonia, fluorine and chlorine, along with other severe manifestations of poisoning, can cause hoarseness and complete loss of voice. Chlorine is contained in many household chemicals commonly used in everyday life, and when their vapors are inhaled, hoarseness, coughing, laryngeal spasm occur, and it becomes difficult for the victim to breathe. In severe cases, pulmonary edema develops.

Acetic acid, inadvertently taken orally, leads to an acute burn of the larynx and ligaments. Voice changes after this may be irreversible due to the remaining scar formations. These conditions require immediate medical attention.

Tumors of the larynx

Growing, tumors put pressure on blood vessels and nerves, thereby violating the structure and mobility of the ligaments. There are hoarseness, barking cough, with malignant tumors - pain in the throat. Tumors that are too large can cause suffocation.

In addition to the above reasons, hoarseness can also be caused by factors such as dehydration, mechanical injuries of the ligaments, thyroid diseases, paralysis and paresis of the nerves responsible for the functioning of the larynx, vascular pathology and damage to the brain stem. Therefore, if you have, it is best to provide a qualified specialist. Only he is able to accurately determine the cause of the problem and prescribe adequate treatment.

The occurrence of hoarseness in children

In children, there are also specific causes of voice pathologies, in particular:

1. A small foreign object stuck in the larynx.
2. Cysts of the larynx, manifested already in early childhood.
3. Constant scream. With regular overload of the ligaments, so-called nodules can form, which in the future will lead to voice disorders.
4. Hormonal changes in adolescence. In boys, in connection with puberty, the voice begins to “break”. The cords lengthen, the hoarse low voice suddenly gives way to high shrill notes. Normally, the mutation is completed in a few months.

Otherwise, the causes of hoarseness and hoarseness in children are the same as in adults.

However, it should be remembered that the child's airways are narrower, in the same situations, edema develops more rapidly, and severe respiratory disorders can appear in a matter of minutes.

Treatment of voice disorders

With a hoarse voice and sore throat, treatment should be prescribed by an otolaryngologist, in some cases it is necessary to consult a phoniatrist - a doctor who specializes directly in voice problems. To restore the voice, first of all, you need to reduce the load on the ligaments to the maximum. Voice peace is the first rule. How to treat each individual disease, only the doctor decides, however, there are general recommendations in order to alleviate the condition. If the voice is hoarse and a cough appears, it is allowed to use the following remedies:

1. Lozenges and lozenges for resorption - "Falimint", "Septolete", etc. But it should be remembered that such pills are suitable if the voice of an adult is impaired, but they are not recommended for children under five years of age.
2. Various local antiseptics. Based on iodine - "Joks", "Lugol", chlorine-containing - "Miramistin", "Korsodil", vegetable - "Chlorophyllipt", calendula infusion.
3. Sprays for inhalation "Kameton", "Ingalipt" and others that the attending physician may recommend.
4. Irrigation of the throat with a 5% solution of ascorbic acid.
5. Anti-inflammatory drugs - "Erespal", "Eladon", which relieve inflammation and swelling of the larynx, expand the bronchial gaps.
6. Inhalations with a nebulizer using special solutions proposed by the doctor.

Remedies for the treatment of a sore and hoarse throat

In any case, if you are thinking about how to quickly cure a hoarse voice and not harm yourself, you should contact competent specialists who, if necessary, will prescribe antibiotics, antihistamines and other drugs that help eliminate the root causes of the disease.

Folk remedies for the treatment of hoarseness

Various folk remedies can help relieve symptoms such as a sore throat and hoarseness, but it should be borne in mind that they do not fight a viral or bacterial infection. If there is no fever and other signs indicating a more serious illness, it is permissible to use traditional medicine recipes.

Steam inhalation

For inhalation, it is enough to bring water to a boil with various ingredients added to it, and then inhale the steam. You can use eucalyptus leaves, calendula, sage, chamomile, a solution consisting of soda and salt (preferably sea).

Eggnog

Mogul-mogul was invented to be used many years ago. Opera singers before and now drink it to enhance their voices and ligaments. For it, raw egg yolks are used, beaten with sugar and butter or milk. You can add honey. It is recommended to drink between meals, not exceeding the amount of 2-3 eggs per day.

Milk with honey

Mix half a glass of Borjomi, half a glass of warmed milk, add 2 teaspoons of honey. It is best to drink gradually, in small sips.

Milk and honey are friends of a healthy throat

anise seeds

A glass of anise seeds is added to boiling water, kept on low heat for about 20 minutes, then cooled, honey is added. The medicine is taken 3-4 times a day, three tablespoons.

A decoction of carrots in milk

To prepare a decoction, take 100 g of grated carrots for half a liter of milk, boil over low heat, and then cool, carefully filter and drink 3 times a day, two teaspoons.

Also, traditional medicine advises to use syrup from black radish juice with honey, herbal decoctions to strengthen ligaments, use juice squeezed from raw beets for rinsing. However, when choosing how to treat a sore throat, it should be remembered that some methods are contraindicated for people who are allergic to the components of such drugs.

Prevention of hoarseness

Any problems with the voice, and indeed with health in general, are always easier to prevent than to treat later. There are several rules that you can follow to reduce the risk of losing your voice, especially if you are at risk for any reason:

• If your work requires constant voice tension, try to spare it - do not talk in raised tones, take breaks for a little rest.
• Use indoor humidifiers whenever possible.
• Quit smoking.
• Brew tea from hibiscus, coltsfoot, black elderberry. Drink it in small sips, holding it in the throat before swallowing.
• Try to avoid hypothermia.
• Reduce the amount of spicy and salty foods in your diet.
• If you suffer from allergies, minimize exposure to possible allergens, always carry antihistamines with you.

The hoarseness of the voice that has appeared is a symptom that should not be neglected, letting everything take its course. Only a timely visit to the doctor and the right treatment will help to avoid possible complications and the development of chronic diseases.