Why do we lose our voice?
What causes your speech to become croaky?
There are a number of reasons why you may lose your voice, but the most common cause is an illness known as laryngitis. This occurs when the vocal cords in your voice box become irritated or swollen, affecting the way they produce sound. Laryngitis itself has many possible causes, including infection from a virus, such as a cold or the flu; allergies to things like dust or fumes; or straining your voice from singing or shouting for long periods. The inflammation of your vocal cords will usually get better by itself within one or two weeks with plenty of vocal rest and fluids.
The effects of laryngitis
Discover how this common illness affects your speech
This article was originally published in How It Works issue 113, written by Jo Stass
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