Sometimes, you find yourself battling the raspy, gruff, irritation that can strike the vocal chords. It’s no fun dealing with a case of hoarseness. When your ability to communicate becomes compromised, it’s a good idea to become familiar with home remedies for a hoarse voice.
What is a Hoarse Voice
A hoarse voice is characterized by an abnormal change in your voice that affects the vocal cords of the voice box, or larynx. Your vocal cords are open on a normal basis. However, if you sing, hum or speak, the cords make sounds when they come together. A hoarse voice develops when mucus, swellings, obstructions or other changes in the surface of the larynx take place.
Causes and Symptoms
Oftentimes, a hoarse voice is associated with people who yell or scream for a prolonged period of time, such as the sports fan attending a ball game. Other common causes of the condition include a cold, viral or bacterial infection, allergy, acid reflux, smoking, and overuse of the vocal cords. You can sustain injuries to the throat that will affect your voice, such as smoking marijuana or cigarettes, vocal hemorrhages, vocal cord paralysis, and using an unnatural pitch when speaking.
Respiratory disorders also cause hoarseness in a voice, including allergies, laryngitis, the flu, vocal cord lesions, and a tumor of the larynx [1]. When the regurgitation of stomach acids and digestive enzymes reaches the throat (reflux conditions), the voice is affected. This includes gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) and laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPRD).
Symptoms of a hoarse voice include one or more of the following
- Changes in voice quality (making strained, raspy, or gravelly sounds)
- Changes in volume (weak or soft, out-of-breath, croaking, faded or loud)
- Higher or lower pitch of the voice
Whether you’ve cheered on your favorite team a bit too loudly or coughed too much during flu season, your voice can take a beating throughout the year. When changes in voice quality, volume and pitch occur, it’s time to get assistance from home remedies for a hoarse voice.
Heat
Moisten irritated tissues of the throat by draping a towel over your shoulders while you stand over a bowl filled with boiling water. Lean forward and take in the steam – breathing deeply and absorbing the vapor.
Drink Liquids
Keep your larynx moist by sipping on fluids. Choose liquids that are warm. Keeping damaged tissues warm and moist also lessens inflammation and relieves the physical discomfort of a hoarse voice. A couple of soothing choices include a cup of ginger tea with honey or warm water with lemon.
Hot Soup
Sip on a bowl of hot soup for soothing relief. Choose chicken noodle soup to not only calm an irritated throat area, but to also boost the immune system.
Rest
It’s a good idea to rest your voice when suffering hoarseness. This means limit your conversations, don’t pick up the phone, and avoid even whispering. It’s important to give yourself time to heal.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Ease throat pain associated with a hoarse voice by drinking a half-glass of water with one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar added to it. Repeat this home remedy for every hour seven consecutive times in a row.
Cayenne Pepper
When you add ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper and a couple of drops of lemon juice to a cup of hot water, you can fight hoarseness. Combine the ingredients and slowly sip.
Honey and Lemon Mix
The soothing properties of honey and lemon can help a hoarse voice. It is suggested to mix the two ingredients together and gargle or slowly swallow.
Ice
If you suck on ice, you can provide a hoarse voice with much-needed moisture.
Horseradish
Combine one tablespoon of vinegar, two tablespoons of grated horseradish, and 1/3 cup of water together. Let the ingredients sit for one hour. Strain the liquid to leave the settled horseradish behind. Mix in 2/3 cup of honey to the liquid, and consume one tablespoonful of the remedy every hour until you no longer suffer a hoarse voice.
Low Acid Diet
When your hoarse voice is caused by acid reflux, it is recommended to follow a low-acid diet.
Elevated Neck
If you suffer a hoarse voice because of acid reflux, sleep with an elevated neck during the night.
A Good Dusting
Have someone dust for you so that you don’t come in contact with the particles that can irritate your vocal chords and increase the severity of your hoarse voice.
Stay Away from Smokers
The secondhand smoke that comes from tobacco products can worsen a hoarse voice.
Avoid Caffeine and Alcohol
If you find yourself with a husky voice, it is suggested to avoid drinking caffeine and alcohol, which can dry up the throat and increase hoarseness.
Baking Soda
Add one tablespoon of baking soda to a large glass of water. Sip the remedy throughout the day to fight an irritated throat.
Tea with Honey
Allow the soothing and healing powers of a cup of tea with honey fight a hoarse voice.
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