ENT Logo

Hoarseness

Hoarseness is an abnormal vocal characteristic which is often described by the patient as a "coarse" or "gravely" or "rough" quality of the voice. It can be caused by straining the voice, smoking, some medications such as steroid inhalers, reflux disease, aging, benign growths on the vocal cords, vocal cord paralysis and, rarely, throat cancer. If an individual notices a change in the quality of his/her voice, then the symptom of hoarseness should prompt an individual to see an otolaryngologist for a complete examination.