Presentation
"Speaking Out: An Overview of Your Voice"
Presented by Tony Kille, MD, Otorhinolaryngology
From swallowing problems and soreness to throat clearing and hoarseness, there are a number of treatable disorders that make communication difficult. If you have problems speaking comfortably, maybe it's time to find your voice.
6 p.m. Wednesday, April 9
Freeport Public Library - 314 W. Stephenson St., Freeport, Ill.
or 6 p.m. Thursday, April 10
Founders Hall, Clinic building - lower level - Monroe
No cost to attend. To register, call 1-877-865-1462 or visit www.monroeclinic.org.
Q. I have had problems with chronic coughing, voice hoarseness and throat clearing for months. A friend suggested I have acid reflux, but I don't have any heartburn symptoms. Is this possible?
A. Many people mistakenly assume acid reflux is interchangeable with heartburn. Though your problem can't be diagnosed without an actual examination, the answer to your questions is "yes." You can have reflux without heartburn.
While the best-known form of acid reflux is gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), there is also another condition called laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR). While heartburn is a common trademark of GERD, people dealing with LPR sometimes do not experience heartburn symptoms.
A closer look at LPR
The lower esophageal sphincter is a band of muscle that guards the entrance of the stomach. It opens to allow food to enter and closes to separate your stomach's contents from the esophagus. If this muscle isn't performing properly, acid can backflow into the esophagus. If the stomach acid also flows up into your throat and voice box, we call this LPR.
LPR without heartburn
The tissues of the voice box and the back of the throat are sensitive to the harshness of stomach acid. In some cases, the exposure of the esophagus to the acid is comparatively brief as it passes by, and the acid doesn't have as much opportunity to irritate the area. In these cases, heartburn symptoms may be nonexistent. However, the stomach acid can still collect around the sensitive tissues of voice box and back of the throat, causing prolonged exposure and more obvious problems.
LPR symptoms
Common symptoms of LPR include: dry cough, chronic throat clearing, sense of having a foreign body in the throat, hoarseness, loss of voice, heartburn (sometimes) and/or postnasal drip.
These symptoms can vary based on the individual and the severity of his or her condition. Often times, LPR symptoms can be confused with cold or other respiratory symptoms. In turn, this can aggravate the problem, as certain treatments for a cold or similar illness (i.e. drinking lots of orange juice) exacerbates acid reflux.
Diagnosing
and treating LPR
In order to diagnose LPR, a healthcare provider will go through the patient's medical history and symptoms. After this, an examination of the head and neck will help reveal if there is any inflammation and irritation in the esophagus, throat, voice box and nasal area. In some cases, a test called "pH monitoring" may be needed to confirm or clarify the condition and its severity.
If it turns out that LPR is the problem, there are a number of effective treatment options you and your provider can discuss. These include: diet modifications, posture changes, sleeping with your head elevated, weight reduction, medications and medical procedures to repair the lower esophageal sphincter.
Once treatment has begun, relief of symptoms should be noticeable within several weeks. However, if the damage caused by the acid is severe, the voice box and throat may need months to heal.
Other causes
of voice disorders
Acid reflux is just one possible cause of chronic or reoccurring hoarseness, throat clearing, and other symptoms related to voice disorders. Other possible culprits include:
• Laryngitis: the temporary swelling of the vocal cords.
• Voice misuse: using improper vocal technique, such as an unnatural pitch, breathing, or volume.
• Vocal cord lesions: non-cancerous growths on the vocal cords often caused by trauma.
• Vocal cord paralysis: one or both cords do not open or close properly.
• Smoking: in addition to being a top risk factor for reflux and throat cancer, smoking can irritate the vocal cords by itself.
• Throat cancer: it can grow in and around the vocal cords, requiring immediate medical attention.
- As an otorhinolaryngologist, Dr. Kille provides medical and surgical treatments for the ear, upper airway, nose, sinuses, mouth, throat and larynx, including treatments for tumors and cancer within those areas. Dr. Kille specializes in treating patients of all ages for a variety of problems, including sinus, nasal, ear and voice problems.
A. Many people mistakenly assume acid reflux is interchangeable with heartburn. Though your problem can't be diagnosed without an actual examination, the answer to your questions is "yes." You can have reflux without heartburn.
While the best-known form of acid reflux is gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), there is also another condition called laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR). While heartburn is a common trademark of GERD, people dealing with LPR sometimes do not experience heartburn symptoms.
A closer look at LPR
The lower esophageal sphincter is a band of muscle that guards the entrance of the stomach. It opens to allow food to enter and closes to separate your stomach's contents from the esophagus. If this muscle isn't performing properly, acid can backflow into the esophagus. If the stomach acid also flows up into your throat and voice box, we call this LPR.
LPR without heartburn
The tissues of the voice box and the back of the throat are sensitive to the harshness of stomach acid. In some cases, the exposure of the esophagus to the acid is comparatively brief as it passes by, and the acid doesn't have as much opportunity to irritate the area. In these cases, heartburn symptoms may be nonexistent. However, the stomach acid can still collect around the sensitive tissues of voice box and back of the throat, causing prolonged exposure and more obvious problems.
LPR symptoms
Common symptoms of LPR include: dry cough, chronic throat clearing, sense of having a foreign body in the throat, hoarseness, loss of voice, heartburn (sometimes) and/or postnasal drip.
These symptoms can vary based on the individual and the severity of his or her condition. Often times, LPR symptoms can be confused with cold or other respiratory symptoms. In turn, this can aggravate the problem, as certain treatments for a cold or similar illness (i.e. drinking lots of orange juice) exacerbates acid reflux.
Diagnosing
and treating LPR
In order to diagnose LPR, a healthcare provider will go through the patient's medical history and symptoms. After this, an examination of the head and neck will help reveal if there is any inflammation and irritation in the esophagus, throat, voice box and nasal area. In some cases, a test called "pH monitoring" may be needed to confirm or clarify the condition and its severity.
If it turns out that LPR is the problem, there are a number of effective treatment options you and your provider can discuss. These include: diet modifications, posture changes, sleeping with your head elevated, weight reduction, medications and medical procedures to repair the lower esophageal sphincter.
Once treatment has begun, relief of symptoms should be noticeable within several weeks. However, if the damage caused by the acid is severe, the voice box and throat may need months to heal.
Other causes
of voice disorders
Acid reflux is just one possible cause of chronic or reoccurring hoarseness, throat clearing, and other symptoms related to voice disorders. Other possible culprits include:
• Laryngitis: the temporary swelling of the vocal cords.
• Voice misuse: using improper vocal technique, such as an unnatural pitch, breathing, or volume.
• Vocal cord lesions: non-cancerous growths on the vocal cords often caused by trauma.
• Vocal cord paralysis: one or both cords do not open or close properly.
• Smoking: in addition to being a top risk factor for reflux and throat cancer, smoking can irritate the vocal cords by itself.
• Throat cancer: it can grow in and around the vocal cords, requiring immediate medical attention.
- As an otorhinolaryngologist, Dr. Kille provides medical and surgical treatments for the ear, upper airway, nose, sinuses, mouth, throat and larynx, including treatments for tumors and cancer within those areas. Dr. Kille specializes in treating patients of all ages for a variety of problems, including sinus, nasal, ear and voice problems.
