Thinning, thickening, forking, fatigue and tremor of the sound, sometimes even not coming out at all… Here are 8 faulty habits that cause hoarseness…
From severe laryngitis to reflux, nodules, cysts and polyps on the vocal cords, to Humman Papilloma Virus (HPV), allergy to thyroid problems, many factors can cause hoarseness.
In addition, throat cancer can manifest itself with hoarseness. However, hoarseness is most often caused by our faulty habits. For example, if you want to use It’s like not drinking enough water!
Experts explained 8 faulty habits that we must give up to protect our voices, giving important warnings.
Talking loud, shouting can cause hoarseness
In concerts, singing loudly, shouting constantly in settings such as matches, raising the tone to make your voice heard in public, in other words, “misreading the sound” can bleed by fraying the vocal cords.
As a result, temporary or permanent damage to the vocal cords may occur. Therefore, do not speak loudly, do not shout. Also be careful not to talk for long periods of time without interruption.
Not drinking enough water may cause hoarseness problems
One of the most important enemies of the voice is thirst. When we drink enough water, our vocal cords vibrate better in a wet environment, on slippery ground, with air coming from the chest cavity.
On the contrary, if we don’t drink enough water, the dry environment in our vocal cords causes our voice to be muted. Specialists note that we should take care to drink at least 8-10 glasses of water per day to keep the vocal cords moist.
Consuming heavy-fat and spicy dishes
The upper and lower lids of the esophagus are constantly groined, preventing the stomach contents from escaping backwards. The escape of stomach contents to the throat, nasal and vocal cords for any reason is called laryngofarengeal reflux.
The acid secretion in the stomach has a toxic effect on the vocal cords, which can lead to hoarseness. Specialists say that this is why it is very important to avoid heavy-fat, spicy dishes that can make reflux and acidic foods such as strawberries and tomatoes.
Exaggerating the consumption of tea and coffee
Contrary to popular belief, beverages such as tea and coffee do not meet our water needs, but increase the excretion of fluids from the body, further increasing our liquid needs.
Take care to limit the consumption of beverages such as tea and coffee to 1-2 cups per day. In addition to these drinks, do not forget to drink a glass of water in addition to your daily water consumption.
Not being able to say “stop” to stress
Stress, which is an important problem of our time, is another important factor that causes hoarseness. Stress can lead to mutation as a result of tension in the muscles that control the movements of our neck and vocal cords.
When we get excited or very angry, the tremors in our hands are similar to those of our vocal cords. We use our voices differently from usual situations in environments where we are angry, excited and fearful.
The hoarseness that occurs during this out-of-control use is temporary, but when the time is extended and this type of sound usage becomes a habit, hoarseness becomes permanent.
Frequent throat cleansing
Frequent cleaning of the throat is also a risk due to the annoying sensation in the throat due to factors such as nasal discharge and reflux. Especially as a result of upper respiratory tract infections and nasal discharge caused by allergies and irritations due to reflux, frequent throat cleaning is needed.
As a result, both vocal wires are traumatized. Edema due to traumas to the vocal cords also creates hoarseness. Therefore, when the feeling of irritation develops in the throat, always consult a physician to determine the underlying factor and eliminate it with treatment.
Eating before bed
Eating before bed is another important factor that leads to laryngofarengeal reflux and, accordingly, hoarseness. Because stomach acid, which has increased throughout the night, can damage the vocal cords. So stop eating 3 hours before bedtime, do not consume anything other than water.
Smoking is one of the important reasons of hoarseness
As a result of the cigarette drying all the sound paths starting from the lip, the sound thickens, forks or dims. Smoking is also the number one cause of throat cancer, which causes hoarseness.
Experts point out that a physician should be consulted immediately in hoarseness, “Treatment success is close to 100 percent when throat cancer is caught very early. However, if neglected, treatment success remains very low.”
Attention to these in hoarseness:
Scientists note that if hoarseness has even one of the following symptoms, it is necessary to consult a physician:
- If hoarseness has been going on for more than 2 weeks,
- If blood comes out of the mouth when coughing,
- If there is difficulty swallowing and swallowing,
- If swelling has developed in the neck,
- Never neglect if the sound is completely lost for several days or if there is a significant change in quality.