World Voice Day 2022: experts in the prevention of sound-related medical problems

"The causes of voice problems range from simple to complex conditions that can be treated with simple medications, speech and swallowing therapy, or surgery," said Dr. Smith Nagaonkar, Advisor and Coordinator of the ENT, Hospital and Research Section of the Sir H N Reliance Foundation Center

Every year April 16 is observed as World Voice Day to raise awareness of the importance of voice in people's lives. Voice, in simple terms, is a way of communication that allows us as humans to express our emotions, thoughts, and intelligence in spoken words. Dr. Smith Nagaonkar, Advisor and Department Coordinator, ENT Hospital and Research Center of the Sir H N Reliance Foundation, shares some of the issues that people need to keep in mind when it comes to the health of their voice.

How is that sound made?

Your voice is produced by the vibration of your vocal cords, which are two bands of smooth muscle tissue that face each other in the voice box. When you're not talking, your vocal cords open to allow you to breathe. However, when it comes time to speak, the brain orchestrates many events. The vocal cords come together as air from the lungs passes through them, causing them to vibrate. The vibrations construct sound waves that travel through the throat, nose, and mouth, acting as resonant chambers to modulate sound. The quality of your voice—tone, volume, and timbre—is determined by the size and shape of your vocal cords and resonant cavities. That's why people's voices sound so different.

For example, "Is your voice getting hoarse or hoarse?"

- Have you lost your ability to hit high notes while singing?

"Did your voice suddenly sound deeper?"

- Does your throat often feel sore, sore, or tight?

- Was that an attempt to talk?

- Do you clear your throat often?

Causes of voice problems range from simple to complex conditions that can be treated with simple medications, speech and swallowing therapy, or surgery, says dr. Nagaonkar.