Voice Disorders & Hoarseness Treatment
The voice is central to how we communicate, work and express ourselves, and a voice problem can have a real impact on daily and professional life.
Voice disorders can cause hoarseness, a weak or breathy voice, vocal fatigue, a change in pitch, or discomfort when speaking or singing. As a consultant laryngologist with a specialist interest in voice, I assess and treat the full range of voice conditions.
Alongside my throat work, I run a dedicated voice practice. You can find detailed information about voice assessment and every voice condition I treat on my specialist voice website, voicespecialist.co.uk.
Voice conditions I treat
My voice practice covers conditions including:
- Vocal cord lesions – nodules, polyps and cysts that cause hoarseness and vocal fatigue
- Vocal cord paralysis – where one or both vocal cords do not move properly, affecting the voice, and sometimes breathing or swallowing
- Laryngitis and vocal strain – inflammation of the voice box and the effects of overuse
- Age-related voice change – changes in the strength and quality of the voice over time
- Laryngeal dystonia (spasmodic dysphonia) – a neurological condition causing a strained or broken voice
- Voice feminisation, voice deepening and voice analysis – assessment and treatment to help your voice match how you want to sound
- Care of the performing artist – specialist care for singers, actors and professional voice users
How voice problems are assessed and treated
Assessment usually involves a detailed discussion of your voice and how it affects you, an examination of the voice box, often with specialised imaging of the vocal cords in motion, and acoustic analysis of the voice.
Treatment is tailored to the cause and may include voice therapy, medication, vocal cord injections or surgery. Many voice problems improve considerably with the right, targeted approach.
The main purpose of your consultation is therefore to establish one thing: whether a real lump is present or not. Once I am satisfied that there is no lump, the sensation is described as globus. This often settles on its own, or with the supportive treatments described below.
Find out more
For comprehensive information on voice assessment, the conditions I treat and the treatments available, please visit my dedicated voice website: www.voicespecialist.co.uk. If you are unsure whether your symptoms relate to your voice or another throat problem, I am happy to see you and guide you to the right assessment.
Reviews & Testimonials
FAQs
When should I see a specialist about my voice?
Any hoarseness or voice change lasting more than three weeks should be assessed by a specialist, particularly in people who smoke or use their voice professionally. You should seek prompt advice if a voice change is accompanied by pain, difficulty swallowing, coughing up blood or a neck lump. Early assessment allows accurate diagnosis and effective treatment.
What causes a hoarse or weak voice?
Common causes include vocal cord lesions such as nodules and polyps, vocal cord paralysis, laryngitis and vocal strain, reflux, and age-related changes. A specialist examination of the voice box identifies the cause so that treatment can be targeted. You can read more at voicespecialist.co.uk.
How are voice disorders treated?
Treatment depends on the diagnosis and may include voice therapy, medication, vocal cord injections or surgery. Many people improve significantly with the right approach. I will explain the options most suitable for your particular voice problem.
Where can I find more detail about voice treatments?
My dedicated voice website, voicespecialist.co.uk, has detailed pages on voice assessment and each condition I treat, from vocal cord lesions and paralysis to voice feminisation and care of the performing artist.