Loss of voice in medical terminology is called aphonia. The condition represents the inability of a person to reproduce sounds, to speak, in a word, he loses the normal sonority, volume, depth of his voice, but retains the ability to whisper. That is, we are not talking about the impossibility of reproducing words and sentences due, for example, to the underdevelopment of the speech apparatus or brain damage, when a person is generally unable to learn to speak throughout his life. Aphonia is a problem that occurs when a person previously spoke normally, but due to certain reasons has lost this ability.
Causes of voice loss
The voice is the most important component in speech. Speech itself is the result of complex brain activity that involves more than 200 muscles. The coordination of muscle movements is regulated by the central nervous system. Let us consider below what the speech apparatus consists of:
- The larynx contains the vocal cords, which are the main source of sound vibrations.
- Resonators: bronchi, lungs, trachea, mouth, nasal, frontal and maxillary sinuses.
Resonators give color to the sound. If teeth are lost or the tongue is damaged, the voice will change as a result of a malfunction of one of the resonators. Without resonators, the human voice would be represented by a uniform squeak. Disturbances in the functioning of the central nervous system can have a significant impact on the functioning of the speech apparatus.
Loss of voice can be partial (hoarseness) or complete. Diseases that harm the central nervous system can cause such a specific symptom:
- brain injuries;
- brain tumor;
- Parkinson's disease;
- sclerosis;
- alcoholism;
- addiction;
- severe stress;
- depression;
- diseases accompanied by paresis of the facial muscles.
Long-term use of antidepressants can negatively affect the functioning of the central nervous system.
Exercises to help restore your voice
Special exercises help restore the vocal cords. If you systematically repeat the restorative complex; Doing exercises that strengthen the ligaments and throat can prevent voice problems in the future. Strelnikova’s breathing exercises are excellent as a therapeutic and prophylactic remedy, as they have a beneficial effect on all parts of the body, including ligaments.
7 You can use a harmonica: blow into it while exhaling and inhaling, gradually increasing the execution time from twenty seconds to one minute. The sound produced should be smooth.
8 The following exercises perfectly restore the functioning of ligaments:
- inhale and exhale through the nose, while exhaling and stretching I-I-I;
- inhale through your nose. Exhale through your mouth while saying A-A-A;
- inhale and exhale, as in the previous exercise, while exhaling, stretch C-C-C;
- Same. Exhaling, say Sh-Sh-Sh;
- Same. Exhale while stretching F-F-F;
- Same. Stretch simultaneously with exhalation X-X-X.
Perform each exercise six times.
9 “The Yawning Lion” will help relieve tension from the articulatory apparatus: open your mouth as wide as possible, throw your head back, yawn, making a characteristic sound.
10 A partially broken voice can be restored by doing the following exercises:
- Inhale while lying down. Breathe with your belly. Hold your breath and exhale slowly, while saying “S”. Do this for five minutes. Then repeat, but now pronouncing “Z”, “SH”.
- Inhale while lying down, hold, while exhaling, pull “M” in a low chest voice.
- Hum a lullaby with the sound “M”.
- Pull “H” with your mouth open. The sound produced should not rattle.
11 These exercises will help stretch the ligaments and improve articulation:
- in three approaches, inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth;
- inhale through your nose, exhale through your mouth, while rubbing your palms;
- inhale through your nose, exhale - as if you need to cool a hot drink;
- inhale through your nose. The exhalation is hissing, through the mouth;
- inhale through the nose, exhale whistling.
Signs of pathology
Loss of voice due to stress in severe cases can cause complete muteness. It is important to learn to promptly recognize the characteristic symptoms of pathological abnormalities. One of the first symptoms is a complete discrepancy between the pronunciation and the patient’s age. Spastic dystrophy in the initial stages of development is manifested by hoarseness and a muffled voice. Such symptoms appear as a result of involuntary contraction of the vocal muscles.
This pathology is characterized by a lack of competent expression of one’s thoughts, as well as problems with the perception of speech addressed to the patient.
An accelerated rate of speech with error-free pronunciation of words may be a consequence of deviations in the functioning of the speech apparatus. Typically, such pathologies are observed in patients with severe mental illnesses, abnormalities in brain development, and infectious diseases. A common symptom of the disease is a change in the timbre of the voice, as well as the use of parasitic words in conversation. In addition, the following deviations may be observed:
- stuttering;
- repeating certain sounds or words;
- accelerated speech;
- incorrect construction of syntactic forms.
With such dysfunctions, it is usually not only the speech apparatus that suffers. Personality degradation occurs. Stress has a destructive effect on the psyche and the functioning of brain centers.
How to restore your voice after surgery
Sometimes they resort to surgical manipulations in the larynx and nearby organs, for example, on the thyroid gland. In such cases, problems often arise with the vocal apparatus and voice restoration is required after removal of the thyroid gland.
A course of phonopedic rehabilitation is carried out by a phoniatrist after identifying the nature of the dysfunction: mechanical, neurological. Complex treatment includes physical therapy, drug therapy, and phonopedic exercises. The duration of the rehabilitation period depends on the degree of functioning of the motor nerves and the health of the patient.
Restoration of the voice in case of paralysis and paresis of the larynx is associated with a violation of natural sound production in patients after laryngectomy (its removal). In order for a person to return to the verbal form of communication, they resort to:
- the use of an electric larynx - an electrical device that converts muscular vibrations of the floor of the mouth into voice;
– formation of the feeding voice through the neoglotis (pseudovocal fissure) in the neck area.
Restoration of the vocal cords is also performed surgically with the installation of a voice prosthesis between the trachestomy and the esophagus.
Diagnostics
If, after severe stress, a person’s voice has disappeared, it is necessary to determine the type of speech disorder.
- Anarthria is loss of speech due to impaired coordination of the muscles of the respiratory and vocal apparatus.
- Aphasia is a disorder of the speech apparatus.
This is quite difficult to do, even if the patient is conscious. When the patient responds with monosyllabic yes or no answers, these may be random responses. Even with afsia, the patient can use the “key word” strategy, using it to understand the meaning of the entire phrase. Associated disorders (oral apraxia) can cause serious difficulties in making a diagnosis. With such disorders, a person cannot open his mouth and show his tongue.
Psychogenic mutism often appears after stress. The pathology is characterized by the absence of response speech while maintaining the ability to speak and understand the speech of the interlocutor.
Children may exhibit neurotic selective mutism, which occurs when communicating with one specific person.
Mutism
Psychological causes of laryngitis
What emotions cause a psychosomatic illness of the larynx, which is responsible for the formation of a person’s voice?
Thus, Louise Hay writes that psychosomatic laryngitis is based on severe irritation, fear of speaking out, or contempt for authority.
Dr. V. Sinelnikov calls another cause of psychosomatic laryngitis a feeling of inferiority. He claims that all inferiority complexes pass through the throat, since a person constantly scolds and criticizes himself, is not satisfied with himself (with his appearance or actions).
B. Baginski and Sh. Shalila see the cause of psychosomatic laryngitis in the refusal to communicate and sort things out for fear of encountering resistance in response to openly expressing one’s opinion. The anger and frustration that arises in this case, the authors believe, should be expressed by a person in another way. Since external annoyance, as a rule, indicates an internal conflict that needs to be resolved.
Treatment methods
If a person has stopped speaking after stress, the main goal of treatment will be to eliminate the provoking factor. In childhood, a speech therapist-psychologist will help eliminate pathologies with speech. The older the patient is, the more difficult it is to correct the pathology.
In conservative therapy, special exercises are used for the speech apparatus, which help restore its functionality. Physiotherapeutic procedures are used: heating, UHF, etc. Drug therapy is aimed at improving blood flow in the brain. Medicines are often used to improve memory and restore central nervous system function.
Psychological methods
Speech impairment in adults as a result of stress needs to be treated using a comprehensive method. One of the activities aimed at improving the patient’s condition is working with a psychologist. In severe cases, suggestion through hypnosis may be used.
The doctor draws up an appropriate treatment plan. Psychotherapy is aimed at relaxation and learning relaxation methods in order to be able to independently coordinate the work of your muscles and control your emotions when stress begins to put pressure on your nerves.
It is important for patients to learn to relax muscles that spontaneously contract during stress. Good remedies are:
- relaxing baths;
- massage;
- inhalation;
- breathing techniques.
The patient needs to realize the problem and begin to eliminate the psychological factor that provokes speech disorders. You need to change your perception of a stressful situation.
Some patients require sedatives to recover. These are natural herbal preparations: Persen, Sedavit, Valerian, etc. In severe cases, antidepressants are prescribed.
Inhalations will help restore your voice
Relaxation practices
A person must learn to recognize his condition on his own. Under stress, the voice may disappear, but it is important to understand that the prerequisite for this was the destruction of nerve cells that occurred over a long period of time. As soon as the patient feels anxious, he needs to try to relax.
First you need to practice complete relaxation at home. The development of conditioned reflexes is one of the leading methods of relaxation. Sit in a comfortable position and close your eyes, begin to massage a tense area of the body, for example, the collar area or palm.
Breathe evenly, concentrate on the point being massaged, feel relaxation, mentally try to give the body the task of relaxing. Imagine a place where no one can disturb you. The exercise should be performed for 3-5 minutes. Over time, when you feel anxious, touching the right point can quickly calm your nerves.
Sudden loss of speech after stress: how to recognize and how to treat
In severe stressful situations, a person may lose his voice, i.e.
go numb. Physically, he remains completely healthy, but cannot utter a word. This condition is called psychogenic mutism. Most often, mutism occurs in children, but adults with unstable mental health are also susceptible to it. Fortunately, this speech loss is temporary and treatable. Severe stress may cause temporary loss of speech.
Causes of mutism
The causes of psychogenic muteness are:
- death of loved ones;
- physical or mental violence;
- severe fear;
- sudden change in living conditions.
In susceptible and easily excitable people, speech disorders will be more severe and the recovery period will be longer. The cause of fear is individual for each person. Unlike mutism, which develops on the basis of physical disorders, with psychogenic mutism the patient retains the ability to gesture.
Sometimes he refuses to talk only to strangers, but continues to communicate with loved ones. Sometimes the patient does not talk to anyone except his attending physician. If a person has stopped speaking, you cannot put pressure on him, force him to communicate with those whom he himself avoids.
It takes him time to fully recover.
Symptoms
Speech disorders appear immediately after stress. The patient may be in shock and not understand what is happening to him. When he tries to speak, he discovers that his voice has disappeared. Sometimes the patient refuses communication itself and withdraws into himself.
It is possible to lose not only the verbal ability to communicate, but also the person is unable to express his thoughts in writing. Due to nervous shock, the patient may experience clouding of consciousness, tremors of the limbs and other disorders.
If the voice does not recover within several hours after the incident, this is not yet a pathology. The next 2-3 days will be decisive. If a person does not speak during this time, his muteness is already defined as mutism. Silence lasting 2 weeks or more can be considered chronic mutism.
Silence for 2-3 days after a traumatic event is considered normal
Treatment
After severe stress, it will take a long time to recover. Speech loss will have to be treated comprehensively, using medications and psychotherapy. Only a doctor can select medications that will reduce the load on the nervous system and help a person cope with the situation.
The effect of tablets alone is not enough. Due to prolonged silence, the speech apparatus, like the engine of a car that has been parked for a long time in the garage, needs to be “warmed up.” To restore your voice, it is useful to do special gymnastics. You can choose a set of exercises together with a speech therapist.
Art therapy helps to recover from speech loss. You need to draw your fears, emotions, impressions in order to give them an outlet. Hidden experiences often cause complications with mutism.
After stressful situations, it is important to ensure a stable environment in the family. A person needs additional attention from loved ones. You need to constantly communicate with him, despite the fact that he cannot answer. If his communication style before his illness did not involve close contacts, then you cannot insist on them. Peace and tranquility contributes to the rapid return of the voice.
Hysterical neurosis
Sometimes the cause of loss of the ability to speak is not the stress factors themselves, but the hysterical neurosis that develops against their background. Its appearance is provoked by regular mental stress. A patient with neurosis remains conscious during an attack of muteness.
It is important that he can be in a calm environment until his mental state returns to normal. Do not pour water on the patient or slap him in the face. Such methods do not reassure: they can provoke a new attack and complications.
After the voice has been restored, in order to avoid a recurrence of the attack, it is advisable to avoid situations that lead to nervous tension.
A patient with hysterical neurosis can be helped to reduce the manifestations of speech disorders. If an attack can be recognized in advance, it can almost always be stopped.
Main symptoms:
- cardiopalmus;
- pale skin;
- feeling of coldness in the hands and feet;
- labored breathing;
- dizziness.
It is important to understand that people with hysteria do not control their illness, and it is the task of those around them to help them.
If the patient feels a spasm, the speech apparatus does not obey him, you need to do breathing exercises: alternate deep breaths and slow exhalations with short and fast ones.
It is useful to do a light massage: stroke your arms, starting from the shoulders, and the back of the neck. If the patient is able to drink, you need to give him some warm water. Losing your voice, even temporarily, will be a serious test for any person.
If the ability not only to speak, but also to communicate through writing and gestures has disappeared, the patient finds himself in isolation. He needs to be supported so that he can feel safe.
It is useful to walk with him, watch movies together, read aloud to him, surround him with attention and care.
Source: https://urazuma.ru/stress/poterya-rechi.html
Preventive measures
The most important thing in treating nervous loss of voice is to avoid stressful situations. Prevention is also necessary. Systematic trips to the gym and hardening help strengthen the nervous system. It is important to ensure the production of endorphin hormones, which help the body cope with stress. You need to eat healthy foods to provide your body with the vitamins and minerals necessary to build nerve cells. An effective method is falconation.
To strengthen the nerves, it is recommended to consume freshly squeezed juices from beets, potatoes, kiwi, citrus fruits, strawberries, carrots, cabbage, and pumpkin.
Folk remedies for hoarseness
- Peel and finely chop 5-6 cloves of garlic Pour the prepared raw materials into a glass of milk. Boil, cool and strain. Drink the prepared decoction several times a day, 1 tbsp. l.
- Add a of apple cider vinegar to half a glass of freshly squeezed beet juice . Use to gargle a sore throat. After rinsing, to enhance the effect, take a sip of this mixture.
- with freshly squeezed potato juice for a week, four times a day, has worked well
The absence of a voice, from a psychosomatic point of view, indicates a negative psycho-emotional state of the patient, his anger, fears and stress. But what's the point of reacting to them like that? Is it possible to change the situation with this, to bring positivity into your inner world? When a problem has driven you to despair and medical treatment does not bring tangible relief, do not despair. Using the methods of " Spiritual Integration ", you can restore your voice, as well as bring positivity into your life and health.
About the significance of the problem and the timeliness of its elimination
Symptoms of voice loss should not be ignored, especially when there is no result after a course of therapy.
How to treat the throat if the voice has disappeared should be determined by the doctor based on the diagnosis and establishment of the cause of dysphonia. Even a common cold without proper attention can lead to pathological changes in the ligaments, which can lead to the irreversibility of the process.
This is especially true for laryngectomized patients whose larynx has been removed and there is separation of the speech and respiratory apparatus. Timely treatment and an individual approach to restoring voice functions, for which Chronos voice-producing devices, special prosthetic implants such as Provox or other devices are used, will help a person communicate and lead a normal life.
