Hi, based on what you are describing, you might have inflammation of your superior laryngeal nerve which is the nerve that controls the muscle around your larynx (voice box) that controls pitch. An upper respiratory tract infection (cold) can cause the inflammation. You might need oral steroids or nerve medications like Lyrica to quiet down the inflammation. It can take up to 3 months for the inflammation to subside, but sometimes the problem is permanent. The best way for evaluation is to see a speech pathologist who specializes in voice and who can perform a videostroboscopy which is a special camera to look at the movement of the vocal cords. The speech pathologist can recommend vocal strengthening exercises and works with an ENT who can prescribe the medication. Regards.