Also called: Also called: Vocal disorders
Voice is the sound made by air passing from your lungs through your larynx, or voice box. In your larynx are your vocal cords, two bands of muscle that vibrate to make sound. For most of us, our voices play a big part in who we are, what we do and how we communicate. Like fingerprints, each person's voice is unique.
Many things we do can injure our vocal cords. Talking too much, screaming, constantly clearing your throat or smoking can make you hoarse. These can also lead to problems such as nodules, polyps and sores on the vocal cords.
Other causes of voice disorders include infections, upward movement of stomach acids into the throat, growths due to a virus, cancer and diseases that paralyze the vocal cords. Treatment for voice disorders varies depending on the cause. Most voice problems can be successfully treated when diagnosed early.
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
- Common Problems That Can Affect Your Voice(American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery) - http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/commonvoiceproblems.cfm
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Taking Care of Your Voice
(National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders) - http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/voice/takingcare.asp
Also available in Spanish http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/spanish/takingcare_span.asp
- About Your Voice(American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery) - http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/aboutVoice.cfm
- What Is Vocal Cord Dysfunction?(American Thoracic Society) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.thoracic.org/sections/education/patient-education/patient-education-materials/patient-information-series/resources/vocal-cord-dysfunction.swf
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What Is Voice? What Is Speech? What Is Language?(National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders) - http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/voice/whatis_vsl.htm
- Voice, Swallowing Difficulties Common among Seniors(09/23/2008, Reuters Health) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_69584.html
- Tips for Healthy Voices(American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery) - http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/Tips-for-Healthy-Voices.cfm
- Speech for People with Tracheostomies or Ventilators(American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) - http://www.asha.org/public/speech/disorders/tracheostomies.htm
- About Vocal Cord Dysfunction (VCD)(National Jewish Health) - http://www.nationaljewish.org/disease-info/diseases/vcd/about.aspx
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Disorders of Vocal Abuse and Misuse(National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders) - http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/voice/vocalabuse.asp
- Hoarseness(American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery) - http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/hoarseness.cfm
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Laryngeal Papillomatosis(National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders) - http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/voice/laryngeal.asp
- Laryngitis(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/laryngitis/DS00366/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
- Laryngospasm: What Causes It?(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/laryngospasm/AN01215/METHOD=print
- Paradoxical Vocal Fold Movement (PVFM)(American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) - http://www.asha.org/public/speech/disorders/PVFM.htm
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Spasmodic Dysphonia(National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders) - http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/voice/spasdysp.asp
- Vocal Cord Nodules, Polyps, and Cysts(American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery) - http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/nodPolypCysts.cfm
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Vocal Cord Paralysis(National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders) - http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/voice/vocalparal.asp
- Effects of Medications on Voice(American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery) - http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/medsVoice.cfm
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Laryngitis(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Laryngitis%22
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Voice Disorders(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Voice+Disorders%22
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Comparison of Pediatric Voice Outcome Survey, Reflux Symptom Index, Reflux... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18711057&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Treatment responsiveness of the Singing Voice Handicap Index. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18677273&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Laryngeal electromyography findings in a patient with HIV, John Cunningham... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18672564&tool=MedlinePlus
- Voice Disorders -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=voice+disorders[majr]+NOT+(vocal+cord+paralysis[mh]+OR+polyps[mh])+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Vocal cord disorders -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=(vocal+cords[majr]+AND+polyps[majr])+OR+vocal+cord+paralysis[majr]+OR+vocal+cords/in[majr]+AND+english[la]+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
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Directory of Organizations (Deafness and Communication Disorders)(National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders) - http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/directory/
- Find a Professional: Online Directory of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Programs(American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) - http://www.asha.org/proserv/
- Find an Otolaryngologist (ENT)(American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery) - http://www.entnet.org//findanentmore.cfm
- American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery - http://www.entnet.org/
- American Speech-Language-Hearing Association - http://www.asha.org/
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National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders - http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/
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Statistics on Voice, Speech, and Language(National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders) - http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/statistics/vsl.asp
- Laryngitis(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/kid/ill_injure/sick/laryngitis.html
- Speech-Language Therapy(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/system/ill/speech_therapy.html
- What's an Adam's Apple?(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/kid/talk/qa/adams_apple.html
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Why Is My Voice Changing?(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/question/just_guys/voice_changing.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/teen/en_espanol/sexual/voice_changing_esp.html
- Voice and Aging(American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery) - Links to PDF - http://www.entnet.org/AboutUs/upload/Voice-Aging.pdf
- Head and Neck Cancer - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/headandneckcancer.html
- Mouth Disorders - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/mouthdisorders.html
- Speech and Communication Disorders - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/speechandcommunicationdisorders.html
- Throat Disorders - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/throatdisorders.html
- Mouth and Teeth - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/mouthandteeth.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Voice Disorders is the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders - http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/