Hoarseness

A rough, husky, or croaking voice. Short-lived hoarseness is often due to overuse of the voice, which strains the muscles in the larynx. It is also commonly caused by inflammation of the vocal cords in acute laryngitis. Persistent hoarseness may be due to chronic irritation of the larynx, which can be caused by smoking, excessive consumption of alcohol, chronic bronchitis, or constant dripping of mucus from the nasal passages. Polyps on the vocal cords may also cause hoarseness. In people with hypothyroidism, hoarseness can result from formation of tissue on the vocal cords. In young children, hoarseness may be a symptom of croup. Occasionally persistent hoarseness in adults has a more serious cause, such as cancer of the larynx (see larynx, cancer of), thyroid cancer, or lung cancer. Resting the voice helps in strain- or laryngitis- related cases. If hoarseness persists for more than 2 weeks, a doctor should be consulted. A laryngoscopy may be performed to exclude a serious underlying cause.