When someone gets laryngitis (defined as swelling and inflammation of the cords), a hoarse voice ensues. Most laryngitis comes from respiratory infections.

Clinically, hoarseness is difficulty in making sounds when trying to speak or while speaking. The voice may be scratchy, breathy, husky or pitchy, and voice quality can change.

Most hoarseness is caused by a problem related to the vocal cords. The cords are part of the voice box (formally, the larynx) located in the throat. If the cords are infected or inflamed, they swell, producing hoarseness.

Many Causes of Hoarseness

The most common issue that causes hoarseness is a sinus infection or cold. These usually go away with over-the-counter medications within two weeks. But other issues that can cause hoarseness include allergies, acid reflux, breathing in substances that irritate the vocal cords, upper respiratory infections, chronic coughs, heavy smoking, excessive drinking (which can cause a double knockout if combined with smoking), excessive shouting or singing, and cancer of the throat or larynx. There also may be benign vocal cord nodules, cysts or polyps present or neurological issues such as a stroke or Parkinson’s disease that can cause hoarseness.

In addition to the above, rarer instances that may cause hoarseness include damage to the muscles and nerves that surround the voice box, typically from surgery or some trauma; a foreign object lodged in the trachea or esophagus; swallowing a harsh chemical or liquid; irritation or injury caused by a breathing tube or bronchoscopy; thyroid or lung cancer; an underactive thyroid gland; and changes wrought by puberty in the larynx.