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Avatar universal

Why does it hurt to speak?

I am finding it hard to speak for the last 6 or 7 weeks.

Ok I had a chest infection (bad cough) in June 2019. Waited until August to see a doctor (I know a bit silly). The dr gave me antibiotics for 10 days. They helped a little bit but not much so I figured it was viral. Still had the cough 3 months later in December so went back to the dr but complained it was getting a bit hard to speak, hard to explain but just raspy when I spoke, a little uncomfortable. He gave me more antibiotics but with steroids to take for 7 days, he wasn’t too interested in my voice for some reason as I wasn’t “hoarse”. Again the drugs helped a little but not fully. So in January I went back to my doctor because it was getting painful when I spoke, painful to the extent I was noticing it. The dr asked if I ever have acid reflux and I said yes do she said it’s burning my throat and prescribed me some antacids PPIs. I took them for 2 weeks but the voice was getting worse. I then went to an ENT in the ear, nose and throat hospital for a second opinion. They looked with a camera scope and said my vocal cords are very red and inflamed. She also told me to take PPIs. So now 3 weeks later my inflammation is still not going down and I’m not having any episodes of acid.

Does anyone know what this could be?
Is it really from GERD as I am not having any acid reflux?
Is there a reason why the inflammation won’t subside?
Could the inflammation be linked to that horrible chest infection?
Is there any other reasons why inflammation is not going down?
Why does it feel like glass is stuck in my vocal cords?
If it’s from GERD shouldn’t I be seeing some improvement by now?

Please help I haven’t spoken in 3 days to try and ease the inflammation. I’m worried and my kids need me to speak, let alone my job!
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Avatar universal
Hi, thanks for your reply.

Update. I saw my ENT dr 5 days ago. He looked at my throat with a scope. He said I have a benign build up of tissue under my vocal cords.

He said I should see a speech therapist to learn a way of speaking without hurting.

He is also sending me to a gastroenterologist to check my stomach and oesophagus to find out if I have a bacteria called H.plori.

Afterwards I regret not asking him if the benign tissue could be causing my vocal cords to get inflamed and sore when I speak.

I’m also worried and should have asked him further if I should be worried about the ‘benign’ tissue if it could turn onto something not so benign.

He said to go back to him if there’s no progress but never said how long I should leave to see progress.

So in the last 8/9 weeks I’ve seen little or no improvement, much easier to speak in the mornings but as the day progresses it gets much more painful to speak, literally like there’s glass in my vocal cords.

This is really bothering me now. Private and business life.
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5 Comments
did you get it resolved? looks like something similar Im dealing with. Did you feel throat / vocal tension too? did you have a feeling of something stucked in your throat?
I never got it resolved but I have learned to manage it. I can’t speak for too long without my vocal cords feeling tight and sore. I never got any answers from any of the drs I saw other than acid reflux.

I do feel vocal tension when I’m having an episode yes.

Have you seen a dr yet?
I have, two doctors saw inflammation on my throat and the ENT didnt do an endoscopy as he said it could be something muscular, for the ultrasound seemed normal and gave me muscular relaxing pills which I didnt take. If a doctor saw your vocal chords and saw a bening mass that means is a vocal granuloma, check it out. According to research Ive done that mass is very hard to heal and might take many months.  I think in your case since you use your vocal chords as you have children like I do, it is almost impossible to heal. I think thats what I have too. I have episodes of vocal tension where one side becomes heavy and sometimes it hurts to speak. The symptoms began to appear after talking and yelling too much.
ok, so i had a horrific sinus surgery, my throat was raw as hamburger meat said one doctor, likely cause from the oversized tube they used, ive had trouble since, well then another ENT looked and said nodules were seen on voice box and said stop all steroid, all meds. Then said acid reflux could be irritating it too. who knows.....but ive never been the same, dont want to waste more money on these quack "ENT's"
likely from oversized tube. these growths take a long time to heal and rest is needed.  doctors will almost likely prescribe medication that treat symptoms but never heal
15695260 tn?1549593113
Hello and welcome to the forum.  Please continue to work with your doctor including your ENT for the best information specific to your situation.  GERD or acid reflux can be silent and symptoms don't always appear the same for every person.  It can be confusing.  GERD can cause the issues with your voice and the inflammation that has been shown via looking at your vocal cords.  True, allergies, smoking, infection could also cause that type of inflammation.  In fact, there are many things.  Here is a list to look through. https://www.webmd.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/why-am-i-losing-my-voice#1  However, to rule out the issue of GERD, it would usually take a little longer of treating it than two weeks.  

Is there any update now that another week has passed?
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