Why Do You Lose Your Voice? And How to Fix It

Do you ever open your mouth to speak, only to find that all you can do is croak or whisper?

You may be experiencing laryngitis, which is when the tissue covering your vocal cords becomes inflamed or swollen. This can make your voice sound raspy or hoarse — and in some cases, not have a voice at all.

“If you have lost your voice, you might find that your voice sounds rough, raspy, tired or feel like it takes a lot of effort to speak,” says voice care specialist Claudio Milstein, PhD.

So, why do you lose your voice? While there are a few reasons, you may tend to notice changes in your voice when you have a cold or other viral infections.

Dr. Milstein explains what happens when you lose your voice and what you can do to get it back.

Why do you lose your voice?

Losing your voice is a symptom and not a condition itself, explains Dr. Milstein. Most often, one of these causes is to blame:

• Upper respiratory infections such as a cold, cough, bronchitis, laryngitis or sinusitis
• Seasonal allergies that cause sinus drainage, throat clearing and laryngitis
• Vocally demanding jobs that require you to use your voice frequently over several hours, like teaching or working in a call center
• Talking loudly, yelling or cheering, like at a sporting event
• Singing loudly without proper singing training

If you can trace your voice problems back to one of these sources, then losing your voice once in a while likely isn’t serious. But if this happens often, then you should see a voice specialist, Dr. Milstein says.

Yes, it’s possible to feel like you’re losing your voice but not feel sick. For instance, if you rely on your voice in your job, you may find that it happens more often for you and may be more of a problem if you work in noisy environments or have to talk a lot for work.

Long-term heavy voice use and frequent episodes of raspy voice may result in callus-like growths, known as nodules, which can form on your vocal cords and cause hoarseness. When this happens, your vocal cords don’t vibrate as easily. This can show up as vocal fatigue, vocal breaks or cause your voice to sound abnormal.

And while not common, losing your voice might signal that precancerous or cancerous cells are forming. So, you shouldn’t ignore a problem that persists beyond two to four weeks, says Dr. Milstein.

How long does it take to get your voice back?

Hoarseness from an upper respiratory illness can linger from a few days to a few weeks, or even longer in some cases, Dr. Milstein says.

How long should you wait to see if it will go away on its own? It depends.

“If your voice isn’t better in two weeks, make plans to see an ear, nose and throat (ENT) doctor,” advises Dr. Milstein.

Risk factors such as a history of smoking, a history of cancer or other health concerns should prompt an evaluation for hoarseness that lingers beyond two to four weeks.

Home remedies for laryngitis

While there aren’t any quick fixes to get your voice back, Dr. Milstein offers these tips to soothe inflamed vocal cords:

• Rest. Aim to rest your voice as much as possible. Talk quietly and only talk half as much as you ordinarily would, or less if possible.
• Seek out quiet. Avoid loud environments. They can often force you to talk louder (or with greater effort) than usual.
• Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water. Avoid dehydrating beverages, like alcohol and those that contain caffeine.
• Use a humidifier. This will help keep the air you breathe moist, which can help soothe inflamed vocal cords.
• Medicate. Try an over-the-counter medication, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen. This can help ease discomfort and vocal cord inflammation.
• Treat any acid reflux. Acid reflux can make your voice worse. If you have reflux symptoms, talk to your doctor about how to treat it.

When to seek medical care

If your hoarseness persists for longer than two weeks to a month, talk with a healthcare provider. They may suggest a laryngoscopy, a procedure that will offer a better view of your larynx.

“Our ability to better visualize your larynx can help us more quickly diagnose something that might need treatment like medications, voice therapy or possible surgery,” Dr. Milstein reinforces.

Some experts recommend visualization of the vocal cords before beginning prescription medications, such as anti-reflux medications, steroids or antibiotics.

The bottom line?

Most of the time, your laryngitis will resolve itself in a week or two, with no lasting effects. But if the problem lingers longer, it’s a good idea to get checked by an otolaryngologist (ear, nose and throat) doctor to make sure there isn’t something more serious at work.