What causes hoarseness of voice?

1. Acute laryngitis

The most common symptom is hoarseness. Acute laryngitis in children is more serious than that in adults. In addition to hoarseness, they also have symptoms such as fever and cough. Laryngoscopic examination revealed acute congestion of the laryngeal mucosa, edema of the vocal cords with purulent secretions, and varying degrees of restriction in vocal cord movement.

2. Chronic laryngitis

Patients with chronic laryngitis often complain of dry and uncomfortable throat, frequent coughing in the morning, and sticky secretions. The tone of voice is low and the voice quality varies from rough to sandy and hoarse, which is inconsistent with the severity of the inflammation. There are 3 different types of laryngoscopy.

1. Simple type: The laryngeal mucosa is diffusely congested, smooth and moist, with dilated small veins, and the glottis closes poorly during phonation.

2. Hypertrophic type: The laryngeal mucosa is congested and symmetrically thickened, with limited polyp-like or papillary protrusions.

3. Atrophic type: mucosa is dry, atrophic and scabbed.

3. Vocal cord nodules

It is a type of chronic laryngitis, also known as nodular laryngitis. This disease is more common in soprano actresses, primary school teachers, and staff working in noisy environments. The main site of occurrence is in the transitional area of ​​the front and middle three segments of the vocal cord edge. The nodules are soft in the early stage and become hard in the later stage. The nodules are mostly symmetrical and equal in size, but sometimes one side is larger and the other side is smaller, or even only on one side. The nodules only show small localized protrusions, but will not increase excessively. The pathological manifestations are localized thickening and keratinization of the vocal cord epithelium.

4. Vocal Cord Polyps

It often occurs when the voice is overused or the voice is improper, or it starts after an intense voice. Local injury is the main factor. Early vocal cord polyps are limited to the Reinke layer above or below the three front and middle parts of the vocal cord on one side, showing edema and degeneration. In the later stage, small mucoceles, hyaline degeneration or fibrous hyperplasia may appear. The base of the polyp is often pedunculated, but there are also those with a broad base. Vocal cord polyps generally only cause hoarseness, and the degree is related to the location and size of the polyp.

5. Laryngeal cancer

Squamous cell carcinoma is the most common malignant tumor of the larynx. According to the different sites of occurrence, it is clinically divided into three types: supraglottic, glottic, and subglottic. The glottic type is often located in the middle or front section of the vocal cord, so hoarseness symptoms appear very early. Laryngoscopy can show that one side of the vocal cord is congested, the surface is rough and uneven, and there are granular protrusions or papillary hyperplasia, which can be confirmed by biopsy, so the diagnosis is relatively easy. The supraglottic and subglottic types often do not have hoarseness as early symptoms, so diagnosis is more difficult.