Hoarseness, also known as dysphonia, is a voice disorder in which the voice sounds raspy, strained, or breathy.
Voice disorders can develop due to complications if the vocal cords become inflamed, develop growths, or become paralyzed, preventing them from functioning properly.
Our team of North American and European Board Certified otolaryngologists offer a multidisciplinary approach to treat common and complex cases of voice disorders.
Diagnosis
Our expert physicians ask patients detailed questions regarding their symptoms and conduct thorough physical exams to identify the concern. A topical anesthetic might be applied to numb the vocal cord tissues before the doctor examines them using various diagnostic tools. These may include:
- Videostroboscopy
- Rigid laryngoscopy
- Flexible laryngoscopy
- Sound (acoustic) analysis
- Speech therapy assessment
- Laryngeal electromyography
- CT scan or MRI, when indicated
Treatments
Treatments for voice disorders vary from patient to patient and largely depend on the severity of the condition. Common treatments for dysphonia include rest, liquids, and voice therapy along with allergy treatments, smoking cessation, and medications. However, some cases may require surgical intervention and other treatments. These may include:
- Thyroplasty
- Microsurgery
- Botox injections
- Other LASER treatments
- Carbon dioxide LASER surgery
- Voice therapy by a professional
- Vocal cord medialization by injection
- Replacing the damaged nerve (reinnervation)
