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HomeHealthWhy Do Allergies Make You Lose Your Voice

Why Do Allergies Make You Lose Your Voice

The Effects Of Allergies Colds And Flu

10 Steps for Losing Your Voice

So many of my patients come to me saying they were sick, but they pushed through whatever they had to do vocally. Thats when they run into trouble and end up hoarse or losing their voices entirely.

When you push your voice through a cold, your vocal cords can swell, which can lead to a condition called laryngitis. When you develop laryngitis, pushing your voice is a very bad idea. Even if youve committed to singing in a recital or giving a three-hour lecture, its best to postpone or find a substitute, or you may end up in trouble. Treatment for laryngitis includes resting your voice using it too much can lead to long-term damage that may require surgery.

If your allergy, cold, or flu symptoms are causing you to cough and clear your throat a lot, or if youre concerned that youve developed laryngitis, check with a laryngologist . Throat clearing and coughing are traumatic events for your vocal cords that can cause damage if the symptoms are not resolved quickly. Your laryngologist can help to optimize your treatment and help protect your voice to avoid long-term damage.

When Does A Hoarse Voice Happen In Covid

A hoarse voice can be an early symptom of COVID-19, but its pattern of presentation can vary. Usually, it appears in the first week of illness and builds gradually. For other people, a hoarse voice comes and goes.

On average, a hoarse voice will last two to three days but can last longer in adults .

Things That Cause You To Lose Your Voice And Ways To Get It Back

Have you ever lost your voice? Do you know what happens to your vocal cords?

Our vocal cords are located within the Adam’s apple in the middle of our neck.

Production of sound happens when air from the lungs passes through the vocal cords, causing them to vibrate. These vibrations are invisible to the naked eye . The sound produced from these vibrations is amplified through our resonance chambers .

When we use our voice excessively or in an abusive manner, our vocal cords can become swollen and inflamed, occasionally causing bleeding. The result is hoarseness, pain in the throat, a change in the pitch at which we talk, inability to sing high notes, or even loss of voice.

Sinus infections and nasal allergies may also block our resonance chambers and affect our ability to project our voice. Vocal cords can become injured by excessive use and abuse. Common afflictions include vocal nodules, polyps, cysts, laryngitis and vocal haemorrhage .

Senior Consultant ENT Surgeon, Dr Paul Mok, from My ENT Specialist Clinic at Mount Elizabeth Novena Specialist Centre and a member of the Alliance Healthcare network, shares five things that can cause you to lose your voice and how you can get it back.

1. Voice Misuse and Abuse

Sometimes, blood vessels in the vocal cord can burst suddenly and cause bleeding . This usually causes a sudden loss of voice and is a vocal emergency that should be treated immediately.

– What should you do?

2. Upper Respiratory Tract Infection

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Can A Sinus Infection Cause Loss Of Voice

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15 home remedies to recover your voice

  • Rest your voice. The best thing you can do for your irritated vocal cords is to give them a break.
  • Don’t whisper.
  • Talk to a doctor about medication.
  • Drink plenty of liquids.
  • Drink warm liquids.
  • Gargle with salt water.
  • Similarly, can seasonal allergies cause you to lose your voice? Allergies can affect your voice in several ways, and yes, they can even cause you to lose your voice. First, allergens themselves can irritate and enflame the vocal cords, which can cause hoarseness. Second, the congestion from a stuffed nose or postnasal drip can make it difficult to breathe easily.

    Beside above, how do you heal laryngitis?

    Some self-care methods and home treatments may relieve the symptoms of laryngitis and reduce strain on your voice:

  • Breathe moist air.
  • Rest your voice as much as possible.
  • Drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration .
  • Moisten your throat.
  • Avoid whispering.
  • Can chronic sinusitis cause hoarseness?

    Most patients with chronic sinus infections feel sinus pressure or pain, but occasionally the only presenting symptom of sinusitis is chronic cough or hoarseness with a sensation of postnasal drainage.

    If My Voice Is Hoarse When Should I See My Doctor

    Why Youre Losing Your Voice

    You should see your doctor if your voice has been hoarse for more than three weeks, especially if you haven’t had a cold or the flu. You should also see a doctor if you are coughing up blood or if you have difficulty swallowing, feel a lump in your neck, experience pain when speaking or swallowing, have difficulty breathing, or lose your voice completely for more than a few days.

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    How Allergies Can Wreak Havoc On Your Voice

    Seasonal allergies have been wreaking havoc this spring, thanks to the high pollen counts across much of the U.S. While many allergy sufferers nationwide are experiencing typical allergy symptoms like congestion, sneezing and itchy, watery eyes, some are also dealing with a lesser-known symptom — an impaired voice.

    Allergies can affect the voice in various ways. When you inhale pollen, exposure to allergens can cause direct inflammation of the vocal folds. In addition, coughing and postnasal drip can irritate the vocal folds, and restricted lungs and an inflamed nose can also alter the voice.

    However, it’s not just the allergies themselves that affect the voice — commonly used allergy medications can also have a negative effect. Over-the-counter antihistamines such as fexofenadine and cetirizine are easy to obtain and have been used to treat allergies for years. Absorbed through your entire system, these drugs can dry up the body’s mucus — and when it comes to the voice, that’s a problem.

    The human body makes a liter or two of mucus a day, which helps maintain a thin protective layer over the vocal folds and keep them supple. If antihistamines dry up the mucus in your system, your vocal folds become dry and stiff like sandpaper, which means there’s extra abrasion when they vibrate. This can lead to inflammation and a raspy, strained voice that takes extra effort to use.

    You Use Your Voice Too Much

    Each time you talk or sing, you use different muscles, including some in your mouth and throat. Just like other muscles in your body, overuse of the ones that help you speak can lead to fatigue, strain, and injury. The wrong technique can also bring on hoarseness.

    Here are some common things that you may be doing wrong:

    • Speak, sing, yell, or cough too much
    • Use a pitch that’s higher or lower than normal when you talk
    • Cradle your phone between your head and shoulder

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    The Best Antihistamine For Singers

    It isnt just allergies themselves that will affect your vocal cords; allergen medicines can also have a negative impact. Many over-the-counter antihistamines have a drying effect and deplete the protective layer of mucus around your vocal cords, causing them to stiffen and inflame.;;;

    Antihistamines should be avoided at all costs if youre a singer. They can actually prolong and worsen the dehydrating effects on your vocal folds. But there are plenty of alternative allergy medicines musicians can use to alleviate allergy symptoms:;;

    • Nasal steroids and nasal antihistamines these are a great allergy relief for singers and can help with nasal symptoms and with postnasal drip. They provide targeted relief that wont affect the voice and throat.;;
    • Medicative pills some pills such as Singulair and other leukotrienes are safe for singers to take at night as they dont have a drying effect on the vocal cords.;;
    • Natural antihistamines some natural plant extracts and foods can work as antihistamines and dont have a drying effect on your voice.;

    What Causes Voice Loss Acute And Chronic Laryngitis

    Hoarseness or Laryngitis

    There are a few different things that can cause voice loss or hoarseness. The first common cause is acute laryngitis. Acute laryngitis is typically a viral infection that involves the larynx or voice box. The most common viruses are rhinovirus, influenza A, B, or C, and parainfluenza. These same viruses are responsible for the common cold and flu. When a person develops laryngitis, the vocal cords get very swollen which leads to voice changes and occasionally swallowing problems. Treatment for this problem is supportive with good oral hydration, rest, and, when the voice is affected, avoiding its overuse. Antibiotics are not required. These symptoms typically will resolve within 7 days but can persist. When symptoms last longer than 2 weeks we start wondering about other causes.

    Chronic laryngitis may start as an acute infection or may gradually worsen. This problem can be caused by bacteria that have infected the voice box or even fungi. This problem requires more aggressive treatment and monitoring by an otolaryngologist. Antibiotics or antifungals are typically required. One population at special risk for this problem are people using steroid inhalers for asthma or COPD.

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    Allergy Sore Throat Treatment

    So, you have a sore throat, cough, runny nose and congestion. Have you caught a common cold or do you have allergy symptoms? Sometimes, it is even difficult for doctors to distinguish between the two, because their symptoms can be so similar. If you have persistent throat discomfort accompanied by other allergy symptoms, consider that you may have a sore throat due to allergies.

    Laryngitis And Hay Fever

    Laryngitis is the medical term for an inflamed voice box. If you suffer from hay fever, your vocal cords will swell when pollen enters your airways. This swelling could turn into laryngitis in severe cases. Laryngitis often stems from other illnesses like colds and flu too. Hay fever presents a lot of the same symptoms as common colds postnasal drip, congestion, and sore throat.;

    The symptoms of laryngitis are hoarseness, significant voice loss, and a dry, scratchy throat. These can all be caused by allergies. Taking a complete voice rest is the best option when you have laryngitis. If you try to sing at this stage, you risk setting back your recovery and prolonging the voice loss. You may have to refrain for just a few days, but its more likely youll be out of action for a week or two, vocally speaking.;;

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    What Is Loss Of Voice

    Loss of voice or is the inability to use the vocal cords effectively for speech. Medical terms for this symptom are and aphonia . When speaking, air moves through folds in the larynx responsible for producing sound vibrations. If swelling or obstruction occurs within the vocal cords, the vibration is altered, thereby causing changes in or loss of voice. Its remarkable how tiny changes in the vocal cord anatomy can result in profound changes in voice good or bad. The most common cause of loss of voice is inflammation of the larynx.

    Inflammation of the larynx results from infection or voice . Misuse of the voice can cause the vocal folds to swell and become unable to vibrate as needed for speech; it is one of the most common causes of voice problems. When infection occurs within the larynx due to bacterial or viral organisms, inflammation leads to swelling of the vocal folds. Loss of voice may also occur with any infection of the upper respiratory tract or with serious allergic reactions, such as .

    In addition to inflammation, many different types of nervous system conditions and diseases can cause loss of voice. Aphonia may occur from conditions that impair the vocal cords, such as cerebrovascular accident , myasthenia gravis , and cerebral palsy. Loss of voice related to nervous system conditions is caused by an interruption in signals between the larynx and the brain. Without these impulses the vocal folds do not open and close, thereby preventing speech from occurring.

    When To Seek Medical Help

    Functional Dysphonia (Nonorganic): A Cause for Unexplained ...

    As laryngitis often gets better quickly without treatment, you normally only need to see your GP if the symptoms are particularly severe or they last longer than two weeks.

    You should;seek immediate medical;help if you or your child experience breathing difficulties.

    If you see your GP, they’ll discuss the possible causes with you and may refer you for tests or to a specialist in hospital.

    Read more about diagnosing laryngitis

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    Laryngitis: 5 Things To Know About Losing Your Voice

    Cold viruses always seem to be;aplenty at the same time;you head out to;watch and cheer on your favorite sports team. So,;you;know its coming the moment you speak and nothing comes out.

    So, why do;you lose your voice?

    Vocal cords in your voice box, or larynx, open and close smoothly to make sounds through movement and vibration. But in laryngitis, they become inflamed or irritated. This causes sound distortion, hoarseness or leaves you voiceless.

    Care My Way® gives quick treatment for common conditions like upper respiratory infections. to get started.

    Betty Xiong, a Marshfield Clinic Health System internal medicine physician assistant, provides insight on five things you should know about laryngitis:

    In laryngitis, your voice box becomes inflamed or irritated, causing sound distortion, hoarseness or temporary voice loss.

    How Will My Doctor Diagnose What Is Wrong

    Your doctor will ask you about your health history and how long you’ve been hoarse. Depending on your symptoms and general health, your doctor may send you to an otolaryngologist . An otolaryngologist will usually use an endoscope to get a better view of the vocal folds. In some cases, your doctor might recommend special tests to evaluate voice irregularities or vocal airflow.

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    Allergies And Hearing Loss

    Your immune system responds to allergens by producing antibodies that release histamine. The release of histamine produces an allergic response. The resulting sneezing, itching and congestion also increases mucus production, which can cause conductive hearing loss.

    Conductive hearing loss occurs when something, such as fluid or earwax, prevents sound waves from flowing through the ear and into the tiny bones of the middle ear. Conductive hearing loss is curable, but it makes it temporarily difficult to hear.

    Remember, its never advisable to attempt to scratch an itch by putting anything inside your ear canal such as a hair pin or cotton swab. Instead, wash your ear gently with a warm, wrung-out washcloth and dry it thoroughly. If that doesnt help, see your doctor. He or she will be able clean your ear and examine it to determine what is causing the itching.

    Where Can I Find Additional Information

    Why Youre Losing Your Voice

    The NIDCD maintains a directory of organizations that provide information on the normal and disordered processes of hearing, balance, taste, smell, voice, speech, and language.;Use the following keywords to help you search for organizations that can answer questions and provide information on hoarseness:

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    Medications That Could Harm Your Voice

    Some drugs and medications can significantly harm your singing voice. Some medicines are considered to be the primary factors that could damage your voice. Hence, if you dont necessarily need medications like anesthetics and antihistamines, you should refrain from taking them. Moreover, you should consult your physicians before taking these types of medications.

    What Are The Symptoms Of Laryngitis

    Hoarseness is the main symptom associated with laryngitis. Your voice can take on a raspy or breathy quality, may be deeper than usual and can break or crack. Some people lose their voice altogether. In addition to hoarseness, you may experience a dry or sore throat, coughing and difficulty swallowing.

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    Can Winter Allergies Affect Singing

    Some people suffer from allergies all year round, not just in the summer. Winter allergies are caused by indoor allergens, such as mould, dust mites and animals.;

    Winters allergens trigger many of the same side effects as pollen allergies, including coughing, a stuffy nose, and postnasal drip.;;

    These symptoms can impair your singing voice in the same way as pollen allergies. The vocal cords become irritated and inflamed by the excess phlegm and the pitch and tone of your voice can change.;

    Fighting winter allergies starts at home, as this is where;most of;the allergens;are found. Hoovering regularly,;setting up a dehumidifier,;and;washing sheets once a week in hot water;will help reduce;the growth of;mould;spores.;;

    How Allergy Medications Affect The Singing Voice

    How to Tell If You Have Strep Throat or a Cough (Video)

    singers with allergieshow medications affect your voicenatural remedies for allergiesdry out your cordswaya singers daily amount of water

    • That said, you may need to experiment a little with these. Some nasal sprays contain scents that are intended to be pleasing but could really agitate your nose more and make your reaction worse. Other sprays may allow too much medication through the pump, causing a worse stuffy-nose feeling or causing the medication to drip past your nasal cavity and irritate the throat.
    • ***BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL about what kind of nasal spray youre buying. Daily over-the-counter allergy nasal sprays are not addictive. However, stronger decongestant nasal sprays can be addictive or even make your symptoms worse, causing you to rely more and more on that medication. As Ive said before, do your research!

    leastdifferent throat medications and remedies for singers.

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    Do You Need To See A Doctor

    Consider seeing a doctor if your voice has not improved within two to three weeks, Xiong suggests.

    It depends on whats causing you to lose your voice, she said. If its due to a common cold or overuse, it will resolve on its own in that time. If laryngitis doesnt get better after that, see your provider to learn if anything else is going on, especially if you have no other symptoms.

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