There are several home treatments that can help to cure hoarseness, because this situation is not always serious and tends to disappear in a few days, with the rest of the voice and the proper hydration of the throat.
The 7 tips for treating hoarseness at home are:
- Drink plenty of water, because the vocal cords must always be very clean and hydrated; Avoid foods and drinks that are too cold or too hot, as this irritates the region, making hoarseness worse; Eat an apple with the skin because it has an astringent action, cleaning the mouth, teeth and throat, in addition to improving the functioning of the temporomandibular joint; Avoid speaking too loudly or too softly so as not to tire the throat muscles; Gargle with warm water and salt at least once a day, to remove all impurities from the throat; Rest the voice, avoiding talking too much; Relax the neck area by slowly rotating your head, turning your head in all directions, and tilting it to the left, right and back.
Watch the following video and learn how to do the exercises to treat hoarseness:
By following all of these recommendations, hoarseness is expected to improve or disappear.
Usually the doctor only recommends the use of corticosteroid drugs or antibiotics, when they are essential to solve the cause. When the cause is the misuse of the voice, speech therapy can help.
Constant hoarseness
In case of constant hoarseness it is recommended to go to the doctor as it may be something more serious that needs specific treatment, such as nodules in the vocal cords or cancer of the larynx. Learn more about Cancer of the larynx.
Constant hoarseness can be related to habits such as smoking, drinking or being in very polluted environments.
Emotional hoarseness can occur during periods of increased stress and anxiety, and in this case, taking a calming tea like valerian and trying to solve problems can solve hoarseness. See some natural remedies to soothe.
What causes hoarseness
The most common causes of hoarseness are misuse of the voice, flu, colds or phlegm, hormonal changes, such as those that occur in adolescence, gastroesophageal reflux, which damages the larynx, respiratory allergies, persistent dry cough, hypothyroidism, stress, anxiety, Parkinson's disease or myasthenia and surgery on the heart or throat region.
Other causes are also the fact of being a smoker or consuming alcoholic beverages in excess, and for the treatment to be really effective it is important to discover and eliminate the cause.
When to go to the doctor
It is recommended to go to the doctor if the hoarseness remains for more than 2 weeks or if it is accompanied by symptoms such as coughing up blood or difficulty breathing. Babies should also be taken to the pediatrician as soon as they experience hoarseness.
The doctor appointed to solve this problem is the general practitioner, who will be able to assess the individual's general health and the common causes of hoarseness. If he thinks that hoarseness is specific, he can indicate the specialist who is the otorhinolaryngologist.
At the consultation, the doctor should be told how long he has been hoarse, when he noticed the hoarseness and if there are other associated symptoms. The more information the doctor is given, the better it will be for him to make the diagnosis and indicate the appropriate treatment.
What exams to do
Hoarseness tests are necessary to clarify the cause, especially if hoarseness is not easily cured.
At the consultation, the doctor may see the throat through laryngoscopy, but depending on the suspicion, he may also order tests such as endoscopy, and laryngeal electromyography, for example. Learn how to perform an endoscopy and how to prepare.
