How your otolaryngologist from Port St. Lucie, Fort Pierce, and Okeechobee, FL, can help with a voice disorder.

Your voice is precious, and it can feel make you feel vulnerable when you lose your voice. Chances are the condition is only temporary, and you will regain your voice. However, there are also serious conditions that can cause permanent voice loss. So, how do you know when voice loss is serious? You need the skills and expertise of your otolaryngologist to help.

Dr. Leslie Berghash, Dr. John Lanza. and Dr. Camysha Wright of South Coast Ear, Nose & Throat offer a wide range of ENT services, including treatment of voice disorders. We have three convenient office locations in Port St. Lucie, Fort Pierce, and Okeechobee, FL, to help you.

Temporary voice loss can be caused by a number of common issues, including:

• Smoking
• Upper respiratory infections
• Colds, bronchitis, or the flu
• Excessive coughing or wheezing
• Excessive singing, yelling, or screaming
• Acute or chronic inflammation of the larynx, known as laryngitis
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease, known as GERD

More serious conditions that can lead to permanent voice loss include:

• Lesions on your vocal cords
• Damage to your vocal cords
• Paralysis of your vocal cords
• Throat or laryngeal cancer

You can help prevent voice loss if you:

• Don’t smoke
• Avoid alcohol
• Don’t whisper, because it can strain vocal cords

If you do experience voice loss, it’s time to see your otolaryngologist. They will perform testing, including using a laryngoscope to take a close look at your vocal cords. You may need a throat culture to determine if your voice loss is caused by an underlying infection. Your otolaryngologist is an expert at treating voice loss and will determine an effective course of treatment to help you regain your voice.

To learn more about the causes and treatment of voice disorders, call Dr. Berghash, Dr. Lanza. and Dr. Wright of South Coast Ear, Nose & Throat. You can reach us at (772) 398-9911, (772) 464-6055, and (863) 357-7791.