My MedlinePlus Weekly Newsletter: Is Your Voice Healthy?

January 27, 2020

Is Your Voice Healthy?

Voice is the sound made by air passing from your lungs through your larynx, or voice box. In your larynx are your vocal cords, two bands of muscle that vibrate to make sound. For most of us, our voices play a big part in who we are, what we do, and how we communicate. Like fingerprints, each person’s voice is unique.

Many things we do can injure our vocal cords. Talking too much, screaming, constantly clearing your throat, or smoking can make you hoarse. They can also lead to problems such as nodules, polyps, and sores on the vocal cords. Other causes of voice disorders include infections, upward movement of stomach acids into the throat, growths due to a virus, cancer, and diseases that paralyze the vocal cords.

Signs that your voice isn’t healthy include:

Your voice has become hoarse or raspy
You’ve lost the ability to hit some high notes when singing
Your voice suddenly sounds deeper
Your throat often feels raw, achy, or strained
It’s become an effort to talk

Treatment for voice disorders varies depending on the cause. Most voice problems can be successfully treated when diagnosed early.

Gas

Everyone has gas. Most people pass gas 13 to 21 times a day. Passing gas through the mouth is called belching or burping. Passing gas through the anus is called flatulence. Most of the time gas does not have an odor. The odor comes from bacteria in the large intestine that release small amounts of gases that contain sulfur.

Gas in the digestive tract comes from two sources: air that you swallow and the breakdown of undigested food by bacteria in the large intestine. Certain foods may cause gas. Foods that produce gas in one person may not cause gas in another.

You can reduce the amount of gas you have by

Drinking lots of water and non-fizzy drinks
Eating more slowly so you swallow less air when you eat
Avoiding milk products if you have lactose intolerance

Medicines can help reduce gas or the pain and bloating caused by gas. If your symptoms still bother you, see your health care provider.

Iron Supplements

Eating iron-rich foods is a key part of treating anemia caused by low iron levels but you may also need to take iron supplements to rebuild iron stores in your body. Iron supplements may be taken as capsules, tablets, chewable tablets, and liquids. Ask your health care provider what dosage you should take each day and when you should take it. Taking more iron than your body needs can cause serious medical problems. For most people, blood counts return to normal after 2 months of iron therapy. You may need to continue taking supplements for another 6 to 12 months to build up your body’s iron stores in your bones. Read these tips for taking iron and the side effects.

Sexually Transmitted Infections

In the United States, 1 in 5 people have a sexually transmitted infection (STI), or sexually transmitted disease (STD). Anyone who is sexually active can get an STI. Infections are passed from one person to another through sexual contact, usually vaginal, oral, and anal sex. But sometimes they are spread through other intimate physical contact because some STIs, like herpes and HPV, are spread by skin-to-skin contact. Many STDs are curable and all are treatable. The only way to know for sure if you have an STD is to get tested. Learn more about STIs and find free, fast, and confidential testing near you.

Understanding Thyroid Cancer

Your thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland in your neck, just above your collarbone. It makes hormones that help the body work normally. There are several types of cancer of the thyroid gland and treatment depends on the type of cancer you have and how far the cancer has spread. Learn more about risk factors, diagnosis, and treatment.