Psychosomatic causes of voice loss

Causes of voice loss

The voice is the most important component in speech. Speech itself is the result of complex brain activity that involves more than 200 muscles. The coordination of muscle movements is regulated by the central nervous system. Let us consider below what the speech apparatus consists of:

1. The larynx contains the vocal cords, which are the main source of sound vibrations.
2. Resonators: bronchi, lungs, trachea, mouth, nasal, frontal and maxillary sinuses.

Resonators give color to the sound. If teeth are lost or the tongue is damaged, the voice will change as a result of a malfunction of one of the resonators. Without resonators, the human voice would be represented by a uniform squeak. Disturbances in the functioning of the central nervous system can have a significant impact on the functioning of the speech apparatus.

Loss of voice can be partial (hoarseness) or complete. Diseases that harm the central nervous system can cause such a specific symptom:

• brain injuries;
• brain tumor;
• Parkinson's disease;
• sclerosis;
• alcoholism;
• addiction;
• severe stress;
• depression;
• diseases accompanied by paresis of the facial muscles.

Long-term use of antidepressants can negatively affect the functioning of the central nervous system.

Signs of pathology

Loss of voice due to stress in severe cases can cause complete muteness. It is important to learn to promptly recognize the characteristic symptoms of pathological abnormalities. One of the first symptoms is a complete discrepancy between the pronunciation and the patient’s age. Spastic dystrophy in the initial stages of development is manifested by hoarseness and a muffled voice. Such symptoms appear as a result of involuntary contraction of the vocal muscles.

This pathology is characterized by a lack of competent expression of one’s thoughts, as well as problems with the perception of speech addressed to the patient.

An accelerated rate of speech with error-free pronunciation of words may be a consequence of deviations in the functioning of the speech apparatus. Typically, such pathologies are observed in patients with severe mental illnesses, abnormalities in brain development, and infectious diseases. A common symptom of the disease is a change in the timbre of the voice, as well as the use of parasitic words in conversation. In addition, the following deviations may be observed:

• stuttering;
• repeating certain sounds or words;
• accelerated speech;
• incorrect construction of syntactic forms.

With such dysfunctions, it is usually not only the speech apparatus that suffers. Personality degradation occurs. Stress has a destructive effect on the psyche and the functioning of brain centers.

Diagnostics

If, after severe stress, a person’s voice has disappeared, it is necessary to determine the type of speech disorder.

1. Anarthria is loss of speech due to impaired coordination of the muscles of the respiratory and vocal apparatus.
2. Aphasia is a disorder of the speech apparatus.

Psychogenic mutism often appears after stress. The pathology is characterized by the absence of response speech while maintaining the ability to speak and understand the speech of the interlocutor.

Children may exhibit neurotic selective mutism, which occurs when communicating with one specific person.

Treatment methods

If a person has stopped speaking after stress, the main goal of treatment will be to eliminate the provoking factor. In childhood, a speech therapist-psychologist will help eliminate pathologies with speech. The older the patient is, the more difficult it is to correct the pathology.

In conservative therapy, special exercises are used for the speech apparatus, which help restore its functionality. Physiotherapeutic procedures are used: heating, UHF, etc. Drug therapy is aimed at improving blood flow in the brain. Medicines are often used to improve memory and restore central nervous system function.

Speech impairment in adults as a result of stress needs to be treated using a comprehensive method. One of the activities aimed at improving the patient’s condition is working with a psychologist. In severe cases, suggestion through hypnosis may be used.

The doctor draws up an appropriate treatment plan. Psychotherapy is aimed at relaxation and learning relaxation methods in order to be able to independently coordinate the work of your muscles and control your emotions when stress begins to put pressure on your nerves.

It is important for patients to learn to relax muscles that spontaneously contract during stress. Good remedies are:

• relaxing baths;
• massage;
• inhalation;
• breathing techniques.

The patient needs to realize the problem and begin to eliminate the psychological factor that provokes speech disorders. You need to change your perception of a stressful situation.

Some patients require sedatives to recover. These are natural herbal preparations: Persen, Sedavit, Valerian, etc. In severe cases, antidepressants are prescribed.

Inhalations will help restore your voice

A person must learn to recognize his condition on his own. Under stress, the voice may disappear, but it is important to understand that the prerequisite for this was the destruction of nerve cells that occurred over a long period of time. As soon as the patient feels anxious, he needs to try to relax.

First you need to practice complete relaxation at home. The development of conditioned reflexes is one of the leading methods of relaxation. Sit in a comfortable position and close your eyes, begin to massage a tense area of ​​the body, for example, the collar area or palm.

Breathe evenly, concentrate on the point being massaged, feel relaxation, mentally try to give the body the task of relaxing. Imagine a place where no one can disturb you. The exercise should be performed for 3-5 minutes. Over time, when you feel anxious, touching the right point can quickly calm your nerves.

Sudden loss of speech after stress: how to recognize and how to treat

In severe stressful situations, a person may lose his voice, i.e.
go numb. Physically, he remains completely healthy, but cannot utter a word. This condition is called psychogenic mutism. Most often, mutism occurs in children, but adults with unstable mental health are also susceptible to it. Fortunately, this speech loss is temporary and treatable. Severe stress may cause temporary loss of speech.

Causes of mutism

The causes of psychogenic muteness are:

• death of loved ones;
• physical or mental violence;
• severe fear;
• sudden change in living conditions.

In susceptible and easily excitable people, speech disorders will be more severe and the recovery period will be longer. The cause of fear is individual for each person. Unlike mutism, which develops on the basis of physical disorders, with psychogenic mutism the patient retains the ability to gesture.

Sometimes he refuses to talk only to strangers, but continues to communicate with loved ones. Sometimes the patient does not talk to anyone except his attending physician. If a person has stopped speaking, you cannot put pressure on him, force him to communicate with those whom he himself avoids.

It takes him time to fully recover.

Symptoms

Speech disorders appear immediately after stress. The patient may be in shock and not understand what is happening to him. When he tries to speak, he discovers that his voice has disappeared. Sometimes the patient refuses communication itself and withdraws into himself.

It is possible to lose not only the verbal ability to communicate, but also the person is unable to express his thoughts in writing. Due to nervous shock, the patient may experience clouding of consciousness, tremors of the limbs and other disorders.

If the voice does not recover within several hours after the incident, this is not yet a pathology. The next 2-3 days will be decisive. If a person does not speak during this time, his muteness is already defined as mutism. Silence lasting 2 weeks or more can be considered chronic mutism.

Silence for 2-3 days after a traumatic event is considered normal

Treatment

After severe stress, it will take a long time to recover. Speech loss will have to be treated comprehensively, using medications and psychotherapy. Only a doctor can select medications that will reduce the load on the nervous system and help a person cope with the situation.

The effect of tablets alone is not enough. Due to prolonged silence, the speech apparatus, like the engine of a car that has been parked for a long time in the garage, needs to be “warmed up.” To restore your voice, it is useful to do special gymnastics. You can choose a set of exercises together with a speech therapist.

Art therapy helps to recover from speech loss. You need to draw your fears, emotions, impressions in order to give them an outlet. Hidden experiences often cause complications with mutism.

After stressful situations, it is important to ensure a stable environment in the family. A person needs additional attention from loved ones. You need to constantly communicate with him, despite the fact that he cannot answer. If his communication style before his illness did not involve close contacts, then you cannot insist on them. Peace and tranquility contributes to the rapid return of the voice.

Hysterical neurosis

Sometimes the cause of loss of the ability to speak is not the stress factors themselves, but the hysterical neurosis that develops against their background. Its appearance is provoked by regular mental stress. A patient with neurosis remains conscious during an attack of muteness.

It is important that he can be in a calm environment until his mental state returns to normal. Do not pour water on the patient or slap him in the face. Such methods do not reassure: they can provoke a new attack and complications.

After the voice has been restored, in order to avoid a recurrence of the attack, it is advisable to avoid situations that lead to nervous tension.

A patient with hysterical neurosis can be helped to reduce the manifestations of speech disorders. If an attack can be recognized in advance, it can almost always be stopped.

Main symptoms:

• cardiopalmus;
• pale skin;
• feeling of coldness in the hands and feet;
• labored breathing;
• dizziness.

It is important to understand that people with hysteria do not control their illness, and it is the task of those around them to help them.

If the patient feels a spasm, the speech apparatus does not obey him, you need to do breathing exercises: alternate deep breaths and slow exhalations with short and fast ones.

It is useful to do a light massage: stroke your arms, starting from the shoulders, and the back of the neck. If the patient is able to drink, you need to give him some warm water. Losing your voice, even temporarily, will be a serious test for any person.

If the ability not only to speak, but also to communicate through writing and gestures has disappeared, the patient finds himself in isolation. He needs to be supported so that he can feel safe.

It is useful to walk with him, watch movies together, read aloud to him, surround him with attention and care.

Source: //urazuma.ru/stress/poterya-rechi.html

Preventive measures

The most important thing in treating nervous loss of voice is to avoid stressful situations. Prevention is also necessary. Systematic trips to the gym and hardening help strengthen the nervous system. It is important to ensure the production of endorphin hormones, which help the body cope with stress. You need to eat healthy foods to provide your body with the vitamins and minerals necessary to build nerve cells. An effective method is falconation.

To strengthen the nerves, it is recommended to consume freshly squeezed juices from beets, potatoes, kiwi, citrus fruits, strawberries, carrots, cabbage, and pumpkin.

Folk remedies for voice restoration

Traditional medicine reveals the mystery of how to quickly restore your voice. He also suggests using the following remedies to treat voice loss:

1. Drink a glass of warm milk, adding a little honey and butter.
2. Drink eggnog. To prepare it, grind the egg yolk with sugar (1.5 teaspoons) and mix with 100 ml of warm milk. But this remedy is not recommended by evidence-based medicine due to the likelihood of contracting salmonellosis by eating a raw egg.
3. Drink 50 ml of warmed cognac mixed with honey and a few drops of lemon juice. After this treatment method, you are not allowed to drive.
4. Mix freshly squeezed carrot juice with warm milk in a ratio of 1 to 3. Drink the resulting drink 3 times a day, half a glass.
5. Mix the fig pulp with hot milk and cool slightly. Drink in small sips.
6. Herbal teas can help reduce inflammation and ease pain. Mint and chamomile help best.
7. Pour hot boiling water over a tablespoon of viburnum and close it in a thermos for 2 hours. Then add 2 tablespoons of honey to the resulting tincture. Use a couple of spoons every 2-3 hours.
8. Grind the turnips until smooth, add water, and cook for 15 minutes. For 2 tablespoons of turnip use 250 ml of water. Use - 4 times a day, 100 ml at a time.
9. Breathe over the pan in which unpeeled potatoes are cooked.

Although drinking alcohol is not recommended if you lose your voice, it can help quickly restore it for a few hours. Mulled wine or hot beer will be a good helper. This method will not help cope with the cause of the disease, but will eliminate the consequences. It is recommended to be used when necessary to quickly and briefly restore your voice, for example, before a public speaking.

The same drugs are recommended for use to relieve symptoms during exacerbations of chronic inflammation.

The structure of the speech apparatus, its ability to function

How does sound formation occur in humans, and why can we pronounce individual words, sentences, texts? Speech sounds and their combinations are produced as a result of contraction of the muscles of the peripheral speech apparatus. When a person inhales, the created air flow enters the larynx, creating nerve impulses that in turn affect the vocal cords. Sound production occurs due to the vibration of the vocal cords, that is, they are the main speech instrument in humans, but far from the only one.

• The structure of the speech apparatus, its ability to function
• Causes of voice loss: why pathology is formed
• Types of aphonia known to medicine
• Diagnosis, recommendations and treatment of aphonia problems

The entire vocal apparatus consists of a central and executive department. The first is the brain: the cerebral cortex, subcortical structures, brainstem nuclei, nerves, pathways. The peripheral or executive department is a system of speech organs consisting of bones, cartilage, muscles, ligaments and peripheral nerves that contribute to the work of these organs in the process of creating and extracting sounds.

The peripheral speech apparatus is divided into the respiratory section (lungs, trachea, bronchi, diaphragm and intercostal muscles), the vocal section (ligaments), and the articulatory section (it is also called sound-producing: soft palate, lips, tongue, lower jaw, teeth, nasal cavity, pharynx , larynx, hard palate).

Each of the listed organs participates in a well-coordinated mechanism for extracting sounds and giving them a certain sound. For example, the strength, timbre and pitch of the voice depend on the movement of the air flow on the ligaments, on its strength and direction. The articulatory organs are responsible for the nature of pronounced sounds, the fullness of vowels, the hardness and clarity of consonant sounds.

Causes of voice loss: why pathology is formed

The most common causes of voice loss are colds, acute tracheitis, acute respiratory infections, sore throats and any processes associated with inflammation and swelling of the pharynx, larynx or vocal cords. In addition, the voice may be “lost” in the following cases:

• congenital malformations of the larynx;
• ligament damage (musicians, teachers, lecturers);
• exposure of ligaments to very high or low temperatures;
• foreign bodies entering the respiratory tract or vocal apparatus;
• toxic effects, for example, laryngeal spasm may occur due to polluted air;
• psychological trauma: nervous, frightened;
• paralysis or paresis of the larynx and vocal folds;
• formation of a tumor in the organs of the speech apparatus;
• pneumonia, with severe bronzitis, chronic laryngitis;
• prolonged and frequent screaming and screeching (that is, improper “use” of the speech apparatus).

In addition, there is a high probability of voice loss after operations involving effects on the organs of the vocal apparatus, during tracheal intubation, as well as in the presence of certain lung lesions.

How to restore a missing voice?

The main factors that provoke weakening and hoarseness of the vocal cords, doctors include:

• damage to the ligaments by the virus and, as a result, their inflammation;
• excessive load on the vocal cords - this may be their constant tension due to professional activity or spontaneous load, for example, a strong cry;
• ligament irritation from exposure to hot, cold, or spicy drinks and snacks;
• damage to ligaments by toxic gas or smoke, for example, in production;
• severe stress, neurosis and loss of voice due to nervousness.

If you associate the disappearance of your voice with ARVI or laryngitis, which is usually accompanied by hoarseness and other symptoms of these diseases, consult a doctor who will help you not only regain your voice in a short time, but also cure the disease as a whole.

In most cases, the lost voice returns on its own, you just have to give the cords a rest and recovery. This can be done through:

• eliminating the irritant (spicy food or inhaled smoke);
• treatment of disease (ARVI, laryngitis);
• simple silence - when the ligaments are overstrained (strong screaming) or sick, their inaction, that is, silence (whispering should also be avoided), peace and warmth produce the necessary healing effect.

However, there are situations when, due to certain circumstances, it is not possible to remain silent for hours or days, it is necessary to communicate information to others not only in personal contact using facial expressions and gestures, but also orally, for example, by telephone. In this case, it is necessary to revive the voice, and here folk remedies proven by generations can come to the rescue.

Alcoholic therapeutic and warming cocktails

Warm alcohol has a beneficial effect on the vocal cords. The effectiveness of the product will be greater if you use it before bed, wrapped in a blanket. The following recipes are popular:

• Mix 50 grams of very warm (but not hot and especially not boiled) cognac with 3 tsp. honey and 3 drops of lemon juice, drink in small sips;
• Combine 50 grams of cognac with 2 egg whites and 2 tsp. sugar, drink slowly, in small sips, each with warm water;
• Combine 150 grams of warm wine with 3-4 tsp. honey and a few drops of lemon juice, drink in small sips; wine can be replaced with beer, also warm enough.

Milkshakes

Milk is widely used in home recipes for coughs and sore throats. It softens and soothes an irritated throat. Other components of cocktails can enhance the healing effect of milk:

• 1 tbsp. Heat the milk strongly, but do not boil, add 1 tbsp. honey and a pinch of soda, drink slowly, better before bed;
• Lightly heat 100 grams of milk and add beaten chicken yolk to it, stir well, drink in small sips;
• boil 50 grams of carrots in a glass of milk, strain the resulting mixture; drink before bed, or can be used to gargle.

Vegetable juices

Freshly squeezed juices can be used both for oral administration (a few sips) and for rinsing:

• potato;
• beet;
• cabbage.

Herbal rinses and inhalations

Decoctions and infusions of chamomile, calendula, coltsfoot are known for their healing effects on the larynx as well. 1 tbsp. Infused herbs according to the recipe (on the package) can be diluted in a glass of warm boiled water and used for rinsing, or can be diluted in a liter of boiling water and used as inhalation.

Mustard plasters and mustard socks

Distractive procedures, such as warming the chest or heels, enhance the effect of the above actions. Mustard plasters can be purchased at any pharmacy, and mustard socks are a combination of “cotton sock - dry mustard - wool sock.” The main contraindications for this type of procedure (mustard, hot baths, cupping, rubbing) are mechanical damage to the skin, fever and inability to carry out the procedure.

The use of folk remedies to restore voice is a very individual decision. If you are sick, then you need to combine them with medical procedures. If you are pregnant or for other reasons alcohol is contraindicated for you, then pay attention to non-alcoholic recipes. The same can be said for dairy drinks and those who are allergic to milk. If traditional methods do not help you after a certain time, contact professionals; perhaps medications will be more effective.

Types of aphonia known to medicine

The main classification of the disease involves dividing it into four types:

• true, laryngeal aphonia;
• paralytic;
• hysterical or functional;
• spastic.

True loss of voice is formed against the background of diseases and functional pathologies of the larynx, which make it impossible for the normal functioning of the vocal cords, their full correct closure and vibration - tumors, scars. Improvement in a person in this case can only occur if the root cause is eliminated.

Functional aphonia is the result of the formation of an acute state of neurosis in a person, while there are no objective pathological changes in the larynx. When trying to cough up or when there is an irritating mechanical effect on the larynx, the patient develops a sonorous cough.

Spastic loss of voice is associated with spasm of the internal muscles of the larynx. As a result, the glottis narrows and the person cannot control the vocal cords. There may be several reasons, for example, mental trauma or irritation of the mucous membranes with caustic chemicals and vapors.

In addition, aphonia can be complete or partial. Complete loss of voice is observed with pharyngitis with complications, with laryngitis, in people who sing unsystematically for a long time “on chords”, without support. In this case, a person cannot extract any sound from his cords at all; he only has the ability to whisper.

With a cold, tracheitis, or sore throat, partial loss of voice is possible, when instead of a normal, deep and full sound, a person speaks with hoarseness and hoarseness, lower and duller than usual, but at the same time the ability to extract sound from the cords, albeit distorted, is present.

If voice loss occurs, for example, due to mechanical damage to the ligaments that cannot be corrected, it is considered irreversible. Basically, aphonia is temporary if, under certain conditions, the voice can return to the person.

Laryngitis is a disease that is more common in children and means an inflammatory process of the mucous membrane of the larynx. Laryngitis can occur for the following reasons:

• infectious lesion;
• overheating or hypothermia;
• overstrain of the laryngeal muscles.

Adults can also develop such a lesion, however, due to the fact that the lumen of the larynx in an adult is somewhat larger than in a child, it occurs in milder forms.

• catarrhal (the simplest form with typically infectious symptoms - high fever, dry cough, hoarseness in the voice);
• stenotic (a form that is accompanied by a significant narrowing of the lumen of the larynx);
• hypertrophic (in this case, a person has a strong hoarseness in his voice, and there is a high probability of complete aphonia);
• atrophic (occurs in adults due to thinning of the laryngeal mucosa);
• hemorrhagic (develops in parallel with toxic flu or blood diseases, accompanied by a dry or wet cough with blood);
• diphtheria (the disease in this case passes from the tonsils to the larynx, a white bacterial coating forms on the mucous membranes);
• purulent (rare, develops from catarrhal laryngitis, characterized by a sharp increase in all symptoms).

Laryngitis is always accompanied by hoarseness or complete loss of voice. In addition, the patient feels a sore throat, difficulty swallowing and breathing, hyperemia and redness of the pharyngeal mucosa, a “barking” cough, dryness and soreness in the mouth and throat, and spastic contraction of the muscles of the larynx. The condition resolves against the background of an increase in body temperature to 38-38.5 degrees.

It is more difficult to determine laryngitis in newborn babies than in older children, since infants cannot complain about how they feel. If the baby has become atypically capricious, restless and lethargic, has wheezing when crying, breathing is difficult and is accompanied by noise and whistling, if the child is coughing and has a runny nose with copious discharge from the nose, these signs may indicate laryngitis. The disease can occur without fever, so it is not worth relying reliably on this sign.

The disease and its inherent loss of voice should not cause panic - if you consult a doctor in time, follow all his recommendations and treatment instructions, the inflammation will soon stop and the voice will be restored.

Can a person be left without a voice due to nervous experiences, stress or neurosis? Aphonia, as well as some other phonetic pathologies, may be of a psychosomatic nature.

Hysterical states can lead a person to functional aphonia, when a normal, loud, sonorous voice is absent, but whispered speech is preserved. In this case, voice impairment or loss occurs suddenly, against the background of good physical well-being. A person complains of a feeling of a lump in the throat, a buildup of phlegm, which seems to interfere with speaking. The pathology may suddenly go away on its own, but if the voice disappears for no apparent physiological reason, it is better to visit a doctor.

Bronchitis is an inflammatory disease that affects the bronchi, causing mucus and even pus to form and secrete on their mucous membranes. Bronchitis mainly develops as a complication of untreated infectious diseases (influenza, ARVI), after a cold suffered “on the feet,” as well as as a result of allergic reactions. In the absence of proper treatment, it can be complicated by pneumonia or develop into bronchial asthma.

The clinical picture of the course is very characteristic - first of all, the patient begins to suffer from a cough. It may be dry or moist and may contain sputum and pus. In addition, a person’s body temperature rises, he feels general malaise, increased fatigue and weakness, and has a sore throat. Chronic forms proceed similarly, but more often without an increase in body temperature.

Often the cough has a “barking” character and intensifies during sleep. If the cough is very severe and the vocal cords are overstrained, the patient may experience aphonia. Loss of voice is also possible if bronchitis develops as a complication of pharyngitis or laryngitis.

There is no direct connection between the processes in the bronchi and aphonia, but impaired respiratory processes and cough due to inflammation of the bronchi can temporarily deprive a person of his voice.

Lung cancer ranks one of the first among all types of cancer in terms of incidence. Primary lung cancer is more common in men and tends to develop against the background of chronic lung diseases - bronchiectasis, chronic bronchitis, as well as due to occupational lung diseases associated with constant inhalation of irritating and dangerous particles (dust, various chemicals). Smoking is one of the determining factors for the development of the disease.

Can the voice disappear? Aphonia does accompany the development of lung cancer in some cases, but it cannot be considered a constant and reliable sign of pathology. Loss of voice is present in the patient if the tumor grows into the mediastinum area and provokes compression of the nerve trunks, large vessels and esophagus. Along with aphonia, there is a swallowing disorder and obvious swelling of the lower half of the face.

Symptoms of voice loss

Along with hoarseness or complete inability to say anything, the following symptoms may appear:

• difficulty breathing;
• a sore throat;
• dry cough;
• sensation of a foreign object in the larynx;
• temperature increase;
• difficulty swallowing;
• spasms of the larynx.

You should immediately seek medical help in case of breathing problems, as this can lead to dire consequences. Also, immediately take children whose voice has suddenly disappeared to the hospital, as the cause may be croup, which often occurs in children. In addition, it is necessary to exclude the possibility of a small child inhaling a foreign body.

If the voice disappears gradually without signs of a cold and does not return to normal for a long time, then it is worth visiting a specialist and ruling out the possibility of tumors and other malignant diseases.

Diagnosis, recommendations and treatment of aphonia problems

Identifying aphonia itself does not cause any difficulties for both the patient and his attending physician. Diagnostic measures are usually aimed at determining the cause of voice loss. The doctor interviews the patient, clarifies all associated symptoms, and conducts an examination. If the problem is due solely to physical causes, they can be easily identified and treated. If necessary, after establishing a diagnosis of aphonia, the therapist can refer the patient to an appointment with a neurologist, otolaryngologist, psychiatrist, speech therapist, or oncologist.

Recommendations for loss of voice include a ban on smoking, including not being near smokers or breathing smoke, since second-hand smoke also contributes to irritation of the larynx. It is forbidden to take alcohol, vasoconstrictor drugs, aspirin. Until your voice is restored, you should avoid places and rooms with low air temperatures, dry or excessively humid air, and high levels of dust. Products containing acids, for example, tomatoes, citrus fruits, chocolate, must be temporarily removed from the diet. The exception is lemon juice with honey as a medicine. You should also avoid very cold and very hot drinks.

In what cases should you consult a doctor? You should not put off visiting a doctor if your child suddenly loses his voice, since children can often develop acute laryngeal stenosis due to infectious processes. Young children, unfortunately, are at risk of inhaling small foreign bodies, therefore, if the presence of foreign objects in the respiratory tract is suspected, the child is taken to a medical facility as quickly as possible.

The treatment regimen depends on the cause of the problem. In rare cases, if the patient’s condition is threatening, he is hospitalized and appropriate therapy is prescribed aimed at treating the pathology that caused the loss of voice. True aphonia requires excision of scars, removal of a tumor, that is, surgical intervention.

The paralytic type is not always treatable, but if the root cause of the appearance is eliminated (remove the aortic aneurysm, tumor, or successfully carry out anti-influenza, anti-inflammatory therapy), the patient improves.

Spastic and functional loss of voice implies the prescription of restorative drug therapy for the nervous system, psychotherapeutic classes, breathing exercises, and phonopedic exercises.

In case of functional hoarseness, the patient is prescribed rest of the vocal cords (you cannot talk, whisper, or make any sounds with the cords), in addition, you need to give up alcohol and smoking.

If the cause is acute laryngitis, treatment will be complex. To combat the infectious factor of laryngitis, therapy with antibiotics and other antimicrobial drugs is prescribed. Anti-inflammatory drugs, as well as some folk remedies, help reduce swelling and inflammation. Local methods of treatment must be used - sprays and rinses with antiseptic medications, for example, Miramistin or decoctions of medicinal herbs. The patient is prescribed sedative inhalations. At home, they can be done using a nebulizer, or in a simple, well-known way, over a pan with hot (not boiling) contents - water and active ingredients, for example, anise oil or chlorophyllipt tincture.

Antiseptic lozenges, for example, Lizobakt, Strepsils, help reduce pain and sore throat.

Some people prefer treatment with homeopathic remedies, taking drugs like Homeovox, others turn to traditional medicine recipes.

Ginger root is considered a powerful antimicrobial and immune-stimulating agent. Its root is grated, pour in a third of a glass of water, and add one spoon of honey. All ingredients are mixed in an enamel pan and put on fire. When the mixture boils, cool it, filter it and take 1 tablespoon before bed. You can also add it to milk or weak tea.

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Potato juice is used to gargle - for this, raw peeled potatoes are grated, and the resulting liquid is drained and filtered. Rinsing is carried out 3-4 times a day, after meals.

The mixture of raisins and onion juice is prepared in this way: pour 2 tablespoons of raisins into a glass of water and bring to a boil. After the broth has cooled, add 1 glass of freshly squeezed onion juice and take 2 tablespoons twice a day.

Gargling with sea salt and soda, with calendula tincture, and fir oil is useful for the patient. The procedure can be carried out every 2-3 hours throughout the day. After rinsing, do not eat or drink for half an hour.

There is an opinion that loss of voice can be cured by drinking alcoholic beverages - cognac, beer. In fact, ethyl alcohol has a destructive effect on ligaments, even if we are talking about a healthy person. And for a sick person, treating loss of voice with cognac or other intoxicating products is prohibited.

Loss of voice can accompany both colds and other pathologies with a less obvious connection, for example, nervous disorders, lung cancer. In this case, a person’s speech apparatus may be in completely normal, working condition, but the person will still not be able to speak. If there is a functional disorder, diseases of the ligaments or larynx, or nerve paralysis, it is quite natural that these factors affect a person’s ability to speak normally and extract full-fledged sounds from his vocal apparatus. Fortunately, in most cases, aphonia is not irreversible and final. Adequate therapeutic measures to eliminate the cause of the disease make it possible to restore a person’s voice over time.

Specialty: therapist, radiologist.

Total experience: 20 years.

Place of work: SL Medical Group LLC, Maykop.

Education: 1990-1996, North Ossetian State Medical Academy.

Training:

Work experience: therapist – 18 years, radiologist – 2 years.

Aphonia is the loss of the voice as a person’s unique ability to make sounds. Vocal production enables communication between people.

Partial or complete loss of voice can occur for the following reasons:

• acute laryngitis, bronchitis, sore throat,
• smoke (gas) intoxication,
• neck injuries,
• foreign objects in the larynx,
• endocrine disorders (dysfunction of the thyroid gland),
• overstrain of the vocal cords,
• malignant neoplasms in the larynx,
• breathing cold air,
• smoking,
• voice mutation in boys during adolescence,
• emotional shock, etc.

The organ through which a person makes sounds is the larynx, so his illnesses directly affect the loss of voice.

The most common disease of the larynx is laryngitis. This is an inflammation of the mucous membranes of the larynx, which is accompanied by swelling and thickening of the vocal cords, reducing their ability to vibrate when air passes (hence the hoarse voice).

The signs of laryngitis include:

• pain and dryness,
• sore throat,
• labored breathing,
• dry barking cough,
• weakness and headache,
• elevated temperature.

The causes of laryngitis include breathing through the mouth in cold weather, hypothermia, colds, allergies, smoking, drinking alcohol, stress when screaming or singing, anatomical structure, gastroesophagitis.

Loss of smell and reason: what is known about the effects of COVID-19 on the nervous system?

Several studies, including recent preliminary results from mouse and human brain tissue, have shown that SARS-CoV-2 is able to enter nerve cells and the brain. But there is no answer yet to the question of whether this always happens or only in the most severe cases. A violent reaction by the immune system can lead to far-reaching consequences. To the point that immune cells can invade the brain and destroy it.

Some neurological symptoms are less serious, but no less mysterious. One of these symptoms, or rather a set of symptoms, that is attracting more and more attention is called, rather vaguely, “confusion.” Even after other symptoms of the disease have subsided, patients with COVID-19 often suffer from forgetfulness, absent-mindedness and other mental difficulties. It is still unclear what causes these effects, although they may also be related to the inflammation throughout the body that accompanies COVID-19. But for many people who have had coronavirus, even in a mild form, weakness and confusion last for months. Although a seemingly mild course of the disease should not undermine the immune system.

Another common symptom called anosmia, or loss of smell, may also be due to changes not caused by damage to the nerve cells themselves. Olfactory neurons, the cells that transmit odors to the brain, do not have the same receptor through which SARS-CoV-2 enters cells, so they do not appear to become infected. Researchers are still investigating whether the loss of smell may be due to an interaction between the virus and another receptor on olfactory neurons, or to non-nervous tissue that lines the inside of the nose.

Experts say the virus doesn't have to enter nerve cells to cause some of the mysterious neurological symptoms that the disease causes. Many of the effects associated with pain can be caused by the response of sensory neurons, nerve fibers that run from the spinal cord throughout the body to collect information about the external environment or the body's internal processes. Scientists have already made progress in understanding how SARS-CoV-2 hijacks pain-sensing receptor neurons (also called nociceptors), leading to some of the key symptoms of COVID-19.

Taste the pain

Neuroscientist Theodore Price of the University of Texas at Dallas noted symptoms reported in early studies that were reported by patients of his wife, a physician assistant who works remotely with COVID-19 patients. These symptoms included a sore throat, headache and muscle pain throughout the body, as well as a painful cough. (Cough is caused in part by sensory nerve cells in the lungs.)

Notably, some patients have reported a loss of feeling called chemesthesis. Due to its loss, people could no longer taste hot chili peppers or cool peppermint. We are talking about a feeling that is transmitted by pain receptors, not taste. Although many of these symptoms are characteristic of viral infections, the prevalence and persistence of symptoms associated with pain, and their occurrence even in mild cases of the disease, suggest that COVID-19 may cause not only the typical inflammatory response to infection, but also affect receptor neurons.

Price thinks this is surprising. All affected patients "complain of headaches, and some have developed problems with pain that looks like neuropathy," which is chronic pain that occurs when nerves are damaged. This observation prompted him to study whether the new coronavirus is able to attack nociceptors (pain receptors).

The main criterion scientists use to determine whether SARS-CoV-2 can enter cells in the body is the presence of angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), a cell membrane protein. ACE2 acts as a receptor, sending signals to the cell that regulate blood pressure, and is also the entry point for SARS-CoV-2. So Price began looking for it in nerve cells and has already published his research on this topic in the journal PAIN.

How coronavirus can penetrate nerve cells

Nociceptors—like other receptor neurons—gather into inconspicuous-looking clusters along the spinal cord called dorsal root ganglia (DGR). Price and his team studied nerve cells obtained from donors after death or during cancer surgery. They used RNA sequencing to determine what proteins the cell should make and used antibodies to isolate ACE2 itself. Scientists have discovered that a number of dorsal ganglia actually contain ACE2, thereby allowing the virus access to cells.

Receptor neurons shoot out a kind of long tentacles called axons. Their endings perceive certain stimuli and then transmit them to the brain in the form of electrochemical signals. It turns out that nerve cells that contain ACE2 also have the genetic instructions and RNA for a protein called MRGPRD. This protein marks cells as a type of neuron, the endings of which are concentrated on the skin and surfaces of internal organs, including the lungs - where they can pick up the virus.

Price believes that infection of the nervous system can worsen COVID-19 symptoms and also affect how long they last. “The most likely scenario is that both autonomic and receptor neurons are susceptible to infection,” he says. “We understand that if the virus infects neurons, there can be long-term consequences,” even if the virus does not remain in the cells.

However, according to Price, “infection of nerve cells does not necessarily occur.” In another recent study, he compared genetic sequencing data from cells from patients with mild COVID-19 with a healthy control group to see how interactions occur with healthy human DGRs. Price says his team found a variety of molecules called cytokines in infected patients. They provide signals to the immune system and can interact with nerve cell receptors. “There's a lot of stuff out there that has to do with neuropathic pain,” Price notes. His observation suggests that even if the virus does not attack nerve cells directly, they may be subject to long-term harmful effects from immune molecules.

Anna Louise Oaklander, a neurologist at Massachusetts General Hospital who wrote a commentary on Price's PAIN article, said the study was "exceptionally high quality," particularly because it used human cells. But, she adds, “we have no evidence that direct entry of the virus into [nerve] cells is the primary mechanism of cell damage.” At the same time, recent discoveries do not exclude this possibility. Aucklander believes it is “quite possible” that inflammatory processes occurring outside nerve cells can also influence the activity of cells and even cause irreparable harm to them. Another option is that virus particles, interacting with neurons, lead to an autoimmune attack on neurons.

Experiments with mice and rats

The point of entry of the new coronavirus is believed to be ACE2. But Rajesh Khanna, a neuroscientist and researcher at the University of Arizona, Fr. The "alternative channel" may be another protein called neuropilin-1 (NRP1). NRP1 plays an important role in angiogenesis (the formation of new blood vessels) and in nerve cells growing their long axons.

This idea arose from studies of cellular material and experiments on mice. It turns out that NRP1 interacts with the virus's infamous spike protein, which SARS-CoV-2 uses to enter cells. “We have shown that it binds neuropilin, so this receptor could potentially allow infection,” explains virologist Giuseppe Balistreri from the University of Helsinki, co-author of the mouse study, which was published in Science along with the cell findings. Apparently, NRP1 is an auxiliary factor in infection through ACE2, but does not allow the virus to enter the cell on its own. “We know that if both receptors are present, we get more infection. Together they produce a more powerful result,” adds Balistreri.

These findings attracted the attention of Hanna, who studied vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a molecule that has long been recognized for its role in pain signaling and is also associated with NRP1. Rajesh wondered whether the virus could influence pain signaling through NRP1 and tested this in rats in a study that was also published in PAIN. “We injected VEGF into the animals [the paws] and to our surprise we saw clear signs of pain within 24 hours,” says Hannah. “And then we got an even cooler result: we introduced VEGF and spike proteins at the same time. And guess what? The pain has disappeared."

The study showed "what happens to neuronal signaling when the virus touches the NRP1 receptor," Balistreri explains. “The results convincingly demonstrated” that “tapping the viral spike protein to NRP1” influences neuronal activity.

In an experiment on rats with damaged nerves to simulate chronic pain, the administration of spike protein led to a weakening of the manifestations of pain in animals. This discovery gives hope that a drug of a similar form that binds NRP1 could be a potential painkiller. Such molecules are already being developed for use in cancer.

Hannah proposes a provocative and untested hypothesis that the spike protein may act on NRP1 to suppress nociceptors, thereby masking pain-related symptoms in the early stages of infection. When SARS-CoV-2 first begins to infect a person, the protein creates an anesthetic effect and makes it easier for the virus to spread. “I will not rule out this option,” Balistreri comments: “There is nothing incredible in this. Viruses have an arsenal of tools that allow them to remain invisible. Getting past our defenses is what they do best.”

We still have to know whether SARS-CoV-2 infection can lead to analgesia in humans. Balistreri explains that the scientists “used a large dose of the virus in a laboratory setting and on a rat, not a human. The strength of the effect they observed [may be due to] the high dose of virus protein they used. “We don’t yet know whether the virus itself can [dull pain] in people.”

The experience of one patient, Rave Pretorius, a 49-year-old South African man, suggests there may be potential in this line of research. In 2011, Pretorius survived an accident that resulted in spinal fractures in the cervical region and severe nerve damage. He suffers from constant sharp pain in his legs, which wakes him up every night around 3-4 am. In Pretorius's words: "It's like someone is always pouring boiling water on my feet." But when he contracted the coronavirus at the company where he works in July, everything changed. “It was very strange. When I had COVID, the pain was bearable. At times it even seemed as if it had passed. It was hard for me to believe it." For the first time, Pretorius was able to sleep at night as well as before the accident. He notes that despite the weakness and debilitating headaches, he “felt better during his illness because the pain went away.” Now that Pretorius has recovered from COVID, the neuropathic pain has returned.

For better or worse, COVID-19 appears to be affecting the nervous system. Whether SARS-CoV-2 infects nerve cells themselves is still unknown, as is much else about the virus. But we can conclude that even if the virus is able to penetrate some neurons, it does not have to do so. He is capable of causing a lot of trouble even if he remains outside these cells.

Psychosomatic causes of voice loss

Author Debbie Shapiro sees the reasons for voice loss in intense fear or anger, which arises when a person does not want to be heard. Especially these emotions can cause pathology in children due to problems in relationships with parents.

Also, according to Sinelnikov, the throat is the part of the body where a person’s creative energy is concentrated: a channel of expressiveness and creativity passes through it. It is this area that is associated with human self-expression.

In this regard, people with sore throats are characterized by Sinelnikov as people who cannot express themselves, their attitude, and also cannot stand up for themselves.

Restoring vocal function after a cold

A common cause of voice loss is ARVI and laryngitis with possible spasms of the laryngeal muscles and narrowing of the lumen in the pharynx. Sometimes the symptoms of these diseases go away, but the voice is impaired. You should contact an ENT doctor to identify the cause of dysphonia, treatment prescription and recommendations on how to restore your voice after a cold in a particular case.

General conditions for a speedy recovery may be:

– maintaining optimal indoor humidity (not lower than 50%) and temperature (not more than 22℃), regular ventilation and wet cleaning;

– plenty of warm fluids and small meals;

– reduction of speech load for 2-3 days, even whispering.

Does the voice recover after smoking during treatment or what should smokers do in this situation? Of course, there is no need to further irritate the mucous membrane of the throat. When undergoing a course of therapy, you should give up this habit, and if there is a tendency to regular voice disorders, then you do not need to smoke at all, so as not to provoke more serious consequences. It is difficult to say how long it will take for the voice to recover from laryngitis; on average, it will take up to seven days.

About medications and treatment procedures

Based on data from laboratory tests and a medical examination, complex treatment is prescribed, including drug therapy, physiotherapy, phonopedic exercises and breathing exercises.

The list of frequently prescribed medications includes means for voice restoration:

– immunomodulators and antiviral drugs;

– antibiotics, if a smear on the flora of the larynx confirms the bacterial nature of the disease;

– anti-inflammatory drugs;

– antitussives;

– local treatment of the throat (rinsing, irrigation, inhalation);

– physiotherapy (warming, ultraviolet irradiation).

Nebulizer inhalations for a child with a hoarse voice are prescribed using Derinat or Cycloferon if the cause is viruses, and gentamicin for bacterial infections.

To disinfect the throat for children and adults, tinctures of chamomile, eucalyptus, and calendula are used. Pain relief is achieved by sucking lozenges such as Lizobakt and Falimint, which also have an antimicrobial effect. Inhalations for a hoarse voice in an adult can be carried out with the drug Dioxidine, Miramistin.

Complexes of special exercises

Conservative methods of restoring the functionality of the vocal apparatus include voice and breathing exercises. In case of voice disorders in children, you should contact speech therapists and ENT doctors who teach patients how to lengthen phonation exhalation and find breathing support.

Here are a few options:

– prolonged pronunciation of the sound “m” with a gradual sound intensification, while the lips remain closed;

– alternate stretched pronunciation of vowels “ee-a-o-u”;

- touching the palate with the tip of the tongue and growling, intensifying as you exhale, and pronouncing a series of words with the letter “r”.

In any case, a doctor should prescribe phonopedic gymnastics, taking into account the cause of the illness. Sets of exercises are used in rehabilitation methods after removal of the larynx and work on the pseudovoice.

With the help of breathing exercises (blowing on water, inflating balloons), as well as pronouncing syllables on a certain consonant with one exhalation, increasing the sound strength from silent to moderately loud, the voice is restored after laryngitis.

About auxiliary folk methods

Folk recipes for warm drinks and gargles will be appropriate for treating the throat and restoring the functioning of the vocal apparatus. Herbal infusions of sage, chamomile, marshmallow, lungwort, tartar, as well as honey, lemon, ginger (if there is no allergy to them) are widely used.

Quite often, steam inhalations are prescribed for loss of voice. Essential oils of pine, peach, sea buckthorn, mint, and lavender are added to hot water. Breathing procedures with therapeutic steam are carried out for 10 minutes.

In the acute phase of laryngitis, phytoinhalations are contraindicated because they can cause bronchospasms and sometimes an allergic reaction. It is especially important to take this into account when treating children.

If your voice disappears after inhalation, this may portend a similar serious condition and medical attention is required. A developing attack in a child is stopped by a gag reflex, which is caused by pressing on the root of the tongue with a spoon.

Before the doctor arrives, for laryngeal stenosis with loss of voice due to laryngitis, perform respiratory inhalation with soda or ordinary water vapor for 8 minutes, give the patient an antihistamine and place mustard plasters on the calves.

Psychological causes of laryngitis

What emotions cause a psychosomatic illness of the larynx, which is responsible for the formation of a person’s voice?

Thus, Louise Hay writes that psychosomatic laryngitis is based on severe irritation, fear of speaking out, or contempt for authority.

Dr. V. Sinelnikov calls another cause of psychosomatic laryngitis a feeling of inferiority. He claims that all inferiority complexes pass through the throat, since a person constantly scolds and criticizes himself, is not satisfied with himself (with his appearance or actions).

B. Baginski and Sh. Shalila see the cause of psychosomatic laryngitis in the refusal to communicate and sort things out for fear of encountering resistance in response to openly expressing one’s opinion. The anger and frustration that arises in this case, the authors believe, should be expressed by a person in another way. Since external annoyance, as a rule, indicates an internal conflict that needs to be resolved.