Can you imagine doing your job, reading your child a bedtime story, or telling someone you love them without a voice? Our voices are our most accessible, if not our most effective means of communication. Often, one does not realize how important his or her voice is until it is lost for a significant period of time. And, prolonged hoarseness can be a sign of a major medical problem!
TEST
World Voice Day was started in Brazil to raise awareness of laryngeal cancer. Laryngeal cancer often will present with a hoarse voice due to change in the structure and vibration of the vocal folds. If one does not presume they have laryngitis for many months, changes can be identified before they turn to cancer or cancer can be caught early enough to be treated endoscopically, avoiding chemotherapy and radiation, while preserving one’s voice. If polyps, nodules, or other masses resulting from trauma to the vocal folds due to misuse of the voice are identified early, they often can be treated without surgery. Or, if surgery is necessary, early identification of the issue will result in the best chance of recovering the normal voice. Any hoarseness lasting more than a couple of weeks should be evaluated by an otolaryngologist.
Dr. Adam Rubin and Dr. Juliana Codino, who make up the voice team at the Lakeshore Professional Voice Center, host a concert every year in honor of World Voice Day. Click the link to watch their 2022 virtual concert.https://youtu.be/k0ZaD4uQzPo And, if you want to see more of their concerts and videos, visit their Youtube channel: Lakeshore Professional Voice Center
