Voice Disorders

Diagnosis

Many factors can cause voice disorders:

• Vocal abuse (voice strain or overuse)
• Illness such as colds or upper respiratory infections
• Throat dehydration
• Improper throat clearing over a long time
• Allergies
• Esophageal reflux
• Aging
• Scarring from neck surgery or from trauma to the front of the neck
• Drinking
• Smoking
• Cancer
• Thyroid problems
• Neurological disorders
• Psychological stress
• Normal menstrual cycle

Diagnosing voice disorders starts with a detailed history and a thorough physical examination. Mayo Clinic doctors have many diagnostic tools available to help determine the cause of a voice disorder, including:

• Mirror exam -- By placing a mirror at the back of the throat, doctors can inspect the vocal folds for abnormalities.
• Flexible laryngoscopy -- A flexible viewing tube is inserted into the nose to allow doctors to view the vocal folds. The tube has a light at one end and a viewing piece or camera at the other.
• Video stroboscope -- A video camera combined with a flashing light source offers a slow-motion view of vocal fold movement.
• Acoustic (sound) analysis -- This test measures irregularities in the sound produced by vocal fold movements.
• Direct laryngoscope -- Doctors use a rigid viewing scope to examine vocal folds.