People have long been accustomed to the fact that they have the ability to talk, so they take this phenomenon for granted. A person can, without hesitation, own a speech and make various sounds. But for some people, voice is an important tool that they use in their professional activities. This category includes teachers, artists, singers, politicians and many others. Loss of voice is a signal that some disturbances have occurred in the body. Therefore, do not let everything go by its own accord, waiting for the problem to go away by itself. It is necessary to seek help from a specialist who will establish the causes of the disease and offer rational treatment.
What is aphonia?
In scientific terms, aphonia is a condition where a voice loses its sonority. Often, a person can speak in a whisper, but sometimes this function is also absent. During a cough, sounds may occur, however, with certain diseases, it is also soundless. Sometimes during a conversation, a sick person skips thin notes, but in most cases there is no sound.
Dysphonia has a slightly different meaning, the so-called timbre changes in the voice. A person is able to make sounds, but his voice sounds hoarse, nasal or hoarse. This condition is characterized as partial loss of voice, while aphonia is a complete lack of sound.
Voice disturbance
There are a number of voice disorders that are characterized by partial or complete loss of sound (phonation). Such pathologies are most often found in people whose professional activity is associated with the speech apparatus (artists, vocalists, teachers, television presenters, etc.). Phonation disorders are associated with a high load on the vocal cords. In adolescents, this condition is observed during puberty. Approximately 6 to 24% of children at this age experience phonation disturbances during voice mutations.
Speech pathologies come in various forms:
- Dysarthria
- Alalia.
- Stuttering.
- Rinolalia.
- Aphasia, etc.
About 41% of children face speech problems in their lives. Such pathologies adversely affect the psycho-neurological state of a person, do not fully develop communicative abilities, and limit the choice of professional activity.
Dysphonies and aphonia are related to medical and social problems, therefore, not only medical workers, but also teachers study them.
Why does aphonia arise?
Improper functioning of the vocal cords leads to impaired sound formation. There is a complete or partial non-closure of the ligaments, because of which a person can not fully talk, or even not at all able to make any sounds. The causes of aphonia are quite diverse:
- Inflammatory processes in the larynx with diseases such as laryngitis, diphtheria, acute respiratory viral infections.
- Irritation of the mucous membranes of the larynx by inhalation of smoke, various substances that cause an allergic reaction. Cold and dry air is also an irritant.
- The presence of a tumor.
- Neurological diseases.
- Psychological conditions: stress, excitement, nervous strain, in more rare cases - mental disorders.
- Congenital malformations associated with the development of ligament apparatus.
- The lower laryngeal nerve is affected.
- The ingestion of small foreign bodies in the larynx.
- Getting injured. This category includes operations on the neck, as well as the placement of a probe for the introduction of anesthesia.
Voice disorders are of two types of classification: organic and functional. Let us consider in more detail the features of each of them.
Organic irregularities
The reasons for voice disorders of the organic type are divided into two types:
- Central. This is when aphonia and dysphonia arise due to anarthria and dysarthria. In humans, the functioning of the vocal apparatus is impaired due to paralysis or paresis of the ligaments, which, in turn, are caused by damage to the nervous system, as well as pathologies of the trunk and cerebral cortex. A striking example of this condition is cerebral palsy.
- Peripheral. Voice disturbance occurs after inflammatory diseases of the larynx (laryngitis, burns, etc.). This also includes the anatomical changes in the apparatus of the ligaments (tumors, injuries, operations on the larynx).
Functional impairment
Violations of the voice of a functional type, as well as organic, are peripheral and central. Aphonia of the voice can occur in a traumatic situation. Such a speech disorder is referred to as central functional impairment. Most often it occurs in women who are prone to neurotic disorders.
Peripheral disorders are often associated with large loads on the vocal apparatus. In adolescence, pathological vocal mutations are caused by abnormalities in the endocrine system, overstrain of ligaments, and smoking at an early age.
Hypertonic dysphonia and aphonia are a condition that leads to the development of excessive voice forcing. Pathology can be caused by bilateral myopathic paresis of the larynx, which most often arises from a strong overstrain of the voice during a disease with diphtheria, acute respiratory viral infections, etc.
Diagnostics
To establish the cause of the pathology, the help of such specialists may be required:
- otolaryngologist;
- Phoniatrist
- neurologist.
To make a diagnosis, a diagnosis is made of:
- Laryngoscopy helps to identify inflammatory and anatomical changes in the ligaments.
- CT and radiography reveal tumors in the larynx.
- Stroboscopy gives an assessment of the functional state of the folds of the vocal apparatus.
- Electroglottography determines the dynamics of changes in the voice.
Speech therapist studies voice characteristics.
What should be done with aphonia?
Athony is a rather serious pathology, which leads to almost complete loss of voice. There are many reasons for its occurrence, so when such a problem appears, you can not self-medicate. It is necessary to seek the help of a doctor as soon as possible, since the choice of therapy will depend on identifying the root cause of the disease.
It is important to follow the recommendations of a specialist, in which case the treatment will be most effective.
With aphonia, antihistamines, sedatives, antimicrobials, and inhalations can be prescribed. But the choice of treatment is selected individually, since it directly depends on the root cause of the pathology. In some cases, surgery is required to resolve the problem.
A person who has encountered a disease such as aphonia, to stabilize his condition should:
- Completely abandon alcohol, coffee and various spices, as these products can cause irritation of the mucous membranes of the larynx.
- Observe voice mode. It is necessary to be silent as much as possible. It is forbidden to scream and sing, as this gives an extra load on the ligaments.
- Quit smoking for the duration of treatment, because smoke adversely affects the vocal apparatus. For the same reason, it is recommended to exclude harsh odors.
Traditional treatment
The treatment of aphonia can be carried out using folk remedies. But here we must remember that not all methods used in traditional medicine are good. For example, there is an old tradition of drinking raw eggs for voice problems. Vocalists often use it. Eggs do have beneficial properties and have a positive effect on ligaments. But in this case, the risk of contracting salmonella is very much increased, and this is a very serious disease.
Very often, with a loss of voice, people begin to warm their neck with vodka compresses and various ointments with a warming effect. Doing this is strictly prohibited, since the cause of aphonia may be a tumor in the larynx. This procedure will only harm the patient. If you still decide to resort to warming up, consult your doctor first so as not to damage your health.
As a folk remedy for aphonia, they use:
- Inhalation with a decoction of oak bark and chamomile with the addition of soda.
- White cabbage juice (freshly squeezed). Use 100 ml 3 times a day.
- Decoction of garlic cloves. You need to cook until the cloves become soft (this will remove the sharpness).
Preventative measures
To avoid losing voice, you must follow certain rules:
- Strengthen the vocal cords.
- It is necessary to monitor the adjustment of the volume of the voice, especially if professional activity is associated with loads on the ligaments.
- Stop smoking and alcohol completely.
- Strengthen the immune system (proper nutrition, exercise, sleep, etc.).
Afonia is the loss of voice that can occur in any person. In most cases, this pathology is quite successfully treatable. The main thing is to consult a doctor in time for timely help.