How to Get Rid of Hoarseness in the Throat: Home Remedies

There are several home treatments that can help cure hoarseness, this situation is usually not serious and tends to disappear in a few days by keeping the voice at rest and hydrating the throat. 

The 7 tips to treat hoarseness at home are:

  • Drink plenty of water, because the vocal cords need to be always well cleaned and hydrated;
  • Avoid very cold or hot foods and drinks because this irritates the region, worsening hoarseness;
  • Eat an apple with peel because it has astringent action, cleaning the mouth, teeth and throat, and improving the functioning of the temporomandibular joint;
  • Avoid speaking too loudly or too softly so as not to strain the throat musculature;
  • Gargle with warm water and salt at least 1 time a day, to remove all impurities from the throat and help it to deflate;
  • Rest the voice, avoiding talking too much;
  • Relax the neck region by turning the head slowly from side to side, and tilting it to the left and right side and back and forth.
  • How to get rid of hoarseness in the throat: home remedies

    By following all of these recommendations, hoarseness is expected to improve or disappear. Normally, the doctor only prescribes the use of corticosteroid medications or antibiotics when they are essential to solve the cause of the problem. If the hoarseness is due to voice misuse, the physician may recommend speech therapy. 

    What to do in case of constant hoarseness

    In case of constant hoarseness it is recommended to see a doctor, as it may be something more serious that needs specific treatment such as vocal cord nodules or laryngeal cancer. 

    Constant hoarseness may be related to habits such as smoking, drinking or being in very polluted environments.

    In addition to this, there is also emotional hoarseness, which can occur in periods of increased stress and anxiety, to solve it is recommended to ingest a soothing tea of valerian or chamomile and try to solve emotional problems. Know some natural remedies to calm anxiety.

    What can cause hoarseness

    The most common causes of hoarseness are the misuse of the voice and diseases such as flus or colds, however, it can also be caused by:

  • Hormonal alterations such as those that occur in adolescence;
  • Gastroesophageal reflux injuring the larynx;
  • Respiratory allergies;
  • Persistent dry cough;
  • Hypothyroidism;
  • Stress and anxiety;
  • Parkinson’s disease or myasthenia;
  • Surgery to the heart or throat region. 
  • Other causes also include smoking or heavy drinking, and for treatment to be really effective it is important to discover and treat the cause.

    How it is diagnosed

    Tests for hoarseness are necessary to clarify what the cause is, especially if hoarseness is not easily cured. In the consultation the doctor will be able to see the throat through a laryngoscopy, however, if he suspects the presence of a more serious disease, he may request other complementary tests such as an endoscopy, a biopsy of the larynx or a laryngeal electromyography. Learn how an endoscopy is performed.

    When to see a doctor

    It is recommended to see a doctor if hoarseness persists for more than 2 weeks, or if it is accompanied by symptoms such as coughing up blood or difficulty breathing. In the case of infants they should be taken to the pediatrician when they present hoarseness. 

    The indicated physician is an otolaryngologist or an internist, both of whom are trained to evaluate the individual’s health status and common causes of hoarseness. 

    At the consultation you should tell the physician some useful diagnostic information such as: how long you have been hoarse, when you first became aware of hoarseness, and whether there are other associated symptoms. 

    Comments

    Popular posts from this blog

    Working out with a cut finger on the gym: What should you do?

    Home Remedies For Canker Sores

    Diet For Diverticulitis: What To Eat And What To Avoid