Scratchy Voice Causes

Scratchy voice causes' list includes 'shouting' in it. Does that ring a bell? Doesn't it remind you of the time, and your parents kept telling you not to shout at the top of your voice. The coarse, hoarse or scratchy voice causes psychological problems, such as depression, in a person suffering from it. It is not easy to keep on talking in your scratchy voice, when the person you are talking to is embarrassed and the rest are staring at you. Before going over the scratchy voice causes, let's take a look at the symptoms of scratchy voice.

Scratchy Voice Symptoms
The symptoms of scratchy voice includes pain whilst talking, inability of people above 65 years and individuals below 65 years to sing low and high notes respectively. It is also accompanied with change in the pitch and range of voice, which is weak, tired sounding and alternates between low to high. It is important to know the scratchy voice causes, as it is important to recognize its symptoms in you.

In its acute form, the scratchy voice causes difficulty for you whilst talking. You notice that your voice has changed along with its pitch. After a few days, the problem has cleared itself and you feel relieved. However, in its chronic form, this voice disorder may last for several months. The following is the list of scratchy voice causes.

Causes of Scratchy Voice
The causes of scratchy voice includes cough. The coughing that helps you bring the sputum or the phlegm up is considered normal and productive. However, excessive coughing is harmful and may strain your vocal cords. It can be one of the scratchy voice causes. You need to take care of the underlying cause of the cough, which can be bronchitis, etc.

Scratchy Voice Cause #1 - Laryngitis
Laryngitis is defined as a condition, in which the mucus membranes which lines the larynx (voice box) are inflamed. You may feel that you have scratchy sore throat because of the inflamed throat. The inflammation of larynx, which is situated in the upper part of the respiratory tract, is one of the scratchy voice causes.

Scratchy Voice Cause #2 - Allergies
Allergies to dust, pet dander, pollens, various types of mold are common. These allergies can cause oversensitive response from your immune system, which releases histamine, a chemical that fights the allergens. This response may cause itching, swelling of the vocal cords and may also cause muscle spasms in the vocal cords. Scratchy throat allergies is also one of the scratchy voice causes.

Scratchy Voice Cause #3 - GERD
One of the scratchy voice causes is gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). It is a condition in which the contents of the stomach flows backwards, from the stomach into the esophagus. This content is acidic in nature and can irritate the vocal cords along with the esophagus, etc. Scratchy voice may, therefore, be one of the symptoms of the GERD.

Scratchy Voice Cause #4 - Cancer
One of the scratchy voice causes is laryngeal cancer, which to the layman, is the cancer of the throat. It is the cancer of the vocal cords, voice box or larynx, and may involve other areas of the throat. Lung cancer is one of the scratchy voice causes. Lung cancer can cause chronic coughing, which can lead to scratchy voice.

Scratchy Voice Cause #5 - Tobacco
The use of tobacco in one or the other form can cause cancer. Chewing tobacco can lead to the cancer of vocal cords or pharynx and smoking can cause lung cancer, both of which are scratchy voice causes.

Scratchy Voice Cause #5 - Other
Included among the other scratchy voice causes, are postnasal drip or sinus drainage, substernal goitre, unilateral vocal cord paralysis, vocal cord nodules or polyps, angioedema and hypothyroidism. It is commonly found that scratchy voice in children is caused due to infections. Tonsillitis, which is the inflammation of the tonsils, can cause scratchy voice in children.

Sometimes, a simple precaution taken when you are drinking or eating can help you avoid having scratchy voice. You might inadvertently consume caustic chemicals or inhale harmful gases, which can very easily affect your vocal cords resulting in scratchy voice. Alcohol is not caustic, but it is known to cause scratchy voice. Read on:

• Scratchy Throat and Cough
• Scratchy Throat Allergies

The cause of the scratchy voice in singers and children can be overuse of the vocal cords. Excessive crying can also be one of the scratchy voice causes. If you are suffering from this condition, it is best not to use a decongestant, as they are known to dry vocal cords. Infections, such as strep throat, may also lead to scratchy voice. You can try one of the scratchy voice remedies. If the problem persists for too long, taking medical advice may help you.