STI: Sounds like you have the sniffles

April 2, 2009

Sounds like you have the sniffles

That husky, low voice may sound sexy but it is a sign you have a cold and that several parts of the upper respiratory tract are swollen

 

Ever wondered why your voice gets deeper when you have a cold? It is because several parts of the upper respiratory tract, including the vocal cords, have become swollen, said otorhinolaryngologist-in-chief Michael G. Stewart of New York Presbyterian Hospital at the Weill Cornell Medical Center.

 

'The vocal cords are thin membranes that vibrate on top of a tiny area between two tissue layers,' he explained in The New York Times.

 

'Any tiny swelling of the cord or the underlying tissue space causes the voice to sound deeper or huskier because the frequency of vibration is slowed.'

 

This is usually termed laryngitis, or laryngeal inflammation with swelling of the vocal cords, even if the voice is not actually lost, he said.

 

'In more severe cases, if the swelling is bad enough, the vocal cords will no longer be able to vibrate. This causes the person to be unable to speak except in a whisper,' he added.

 

Whispering causes more swelling and should be avoided when you have laryngitis, he said. Excessive coughing makes the vocal cords bang together forcefully, which also causes swelling, and is the reason your voice gets husky after a lot of coughing.

 

Laryngitis can also be caused by an infection of the larynx, or voice box, without other upper respiratory infections, Dr Stewart said. Such an infection is usually viral but can be bacterial.