Aphonia – Causes, Symptoms and Treatments
If you have aphonia , your voice will sound breathy, hoarse or strained, or be softer in volume or lower in pitch. The throat may also feel rough. Aphonia is often a symptom of laryngeal vocal cord problems that can be produced by an alteration or overuse of the vocal cords or can also influence psychological factors.
Main Causes of Aphonia:
- speak too loudly;
- Inhale smoke and cigarette smoke or other irritating gases;
- Ingesting toxic or irritating products;
- coughing or throat clearing;
- Singing with inappropriate techniques;
- Vocal cord injury (nodules or polyps);
- Diseases of the respiratory system ;
- Extreme temperatures (drinking very cold or very hot drinks, low outside temperatures, etc.)
- Misuse of breathing (for example, mouth breathing at night)
- Emotional and nervous issues ( Stress ).
Symptoms of Aphonia:
- speech loss;
- Aphasia;
- Confusion;
- Throat tickling ;
- Roughness in the voice;
Treatment for Aphonia: When discussing the causes, we have already indicated some treatments that can be taking medication or changing the diet (in the case of aphonia due to acidity), but we can also point out some remedies that allow us to fully recover the voice.
- Gargle with a tablespoon of salt in a glass of water.
- Grind an onion in a blender, add honey (which has antibacterial effects) to the mixture and take two tablespoons a day.
- Bring to a boil in a mint pot, when it boils and releases steam, turn off the heat, put your face on the steam emanating and cover with a towel to
- that you can make “vapors” with the steam. Open your mouth so it doesn’t just enter your nostrils.
- Make zucchini juice and add two drops of lemon. Take throughout the day. They are rich in mucilage that helps to soften the mucosa.
- Boil 3 carrots, let cool, crush and mix with a little water and honey . Take it throughout the day. Provides antioxidants, beta-carotene, and helps soothe the throat.
Food/Diet for Aphonia: Along with the remedies for the treatment of aphonia , we can say that there are a number of foods that we can take that help us in case of suffering aphonia .
It is good, then, to eat and consume foods and plants that are rich in vitamin A , omega-3 fatty acids , anthocyanins or mucilage, as these are the ones that will allow us to regenerate irritated mucous membranes and also relieve the pain and discomfort that occurs in the throat, eliminating the germs that cause infection and irritation and will ultimately help you regain your voice.
On the other hand, if, as we said, aphonia is caused by gastroesophageal reflux, it is better to eat foods that do not cause acidity and, therefore, the intake of spicy foods or foods that are fatty or that provide a lot of fat (such as fried foods, for example) should be avoided. ), as well as coffee and also smoking.