Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
What Causes Sudden Loss Of Voice And Shortness Of Breath While Talking?
Question: User Problem title : Revisiting my granddaughter's voice problem
I had posed this problem of my grand daughter who is 15 and had lost her voice about 10 days back. She is normally healthy and happy but her voice issue remains. She has gained some faint voice but finds it difficult to complete a sentence and falls short of breadth. Could it be some allergy or an asthmatic issue? We are beginning to get worried and look for a possible remedy. Please let me know your opinion. Thanks.
I had posed this problem of my grand daughter who is 15 and had lost her voice about 10 days back. She is normally healthy and happy but her voice issue remains. She has gained some faint voice but finds it difficult to complete a sentence and falls short of breadth. Could it be some allergy or an asthmatic issue? We are beginning to get worried and look for a possible remedy. Please let me know your opinion. Thanks.
Brief Answer:
There are a wide variety of possibilities.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Wow, I'm not sure I've ever had a question in which observation matters more. This is easily diagnosable and fixable if the person is there and otherwise I can only give general information.
There is a simple path from the lung out to the mouth. Something is wrong somewhere along the line. In the lung, obviously, the amount of breath is the potential issue you've already mentioned. This is observable by how much breath someone has. This is the most serious potential and if someone cannot breathe they can die in minutes. It is also pretty obvious by how much breath someone has and can they blow, how many breaths per minute, how much air per breath, how well the flow goes (asthma being part of the group of diseases called obstructive air disorders because the flow of air is obstructed).
There can be a physical blockage in the airways. This is also obstructive but on the physical exam, it is very different from asthma.
There can be problems high up in the voice box. This is really common this week because there is a cold going around. People have irritation in the upper airways but the breathing is fine. This can last for months after a minor virus. The treatments are the same for asthma BUT have to hit the voicebox. Montelukast, strong coffee or tea or steroid pills hit everywhere and would work. Asthma inhalers might hit the lung more than the voicebox but if not inhaled correctly for the lung, they hit the voicebox more.
In the short run, infection, inflammation, allergy and asthma are treated the same way (sometimes in intensive care on a breathing machine!). And, depending on the particular condition, these can be fixed up if the particular cause is found.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Regards.
There are a wide variety of possibilities.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Wow, I'm not sure I've ever had a question in which observation matters more. This is easily diagnosable and fixable if the person is there and otherwise I can only give general information.
There is a simple path from the lung out to the mouth. Something is wrong somewhere along the line. In the lung, obviously, the amount of breath is the potential issue you've already mentioned. This is observable by how much breath someone has. This is the most serious potential and if someone cannot breathe they can die in minutes. It is also pretty obvious by how much breath someone has and can they blow, how many breaths per minute, how much air per breath, how well the flow goes (asthma being part of the group of diseases called obstructive air disorders because the flow of air is obstructed).
There can be a physical blockage in the airways. This is also obstructive but on the physical exam, it is very different from asthma.
There can be problems high up in the voice box. This is really common this week because there is a cold going around. People have irritation in the upper airways but the breathing is fine. This can last for months after a minor virus. The treatments are the same for asthma BUT have to hit the voicebox. Montelukast, strong coffee or tea or steroid pills hit everywhere and would work. Asthma inhalers might hit the lung more than the voicebox but if not inhaled correctly for the lung, they hit the voicebox more.
In the short run, infection, inflammation, allergy and asthma are treated the same way (sometimes in intensive care on a breathing machine!). And, depending on the particular condition, these can be fixed up if the particular cause is found.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Regards.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Hello Dr. Wachsman,
Your answer was helpful to the extent that it pointed to possible link of voice loss with the lungs. On further consultation at our end, we found that her lungs were inflamed. The doctor had prescribed steroid but even after 4 days she is only able to whisper the result is not much better. She continues to be of short of breadth. Now the doctor has prescribed antibiotics penicillin. We are still in the wait and watch situation. I wonder if you have any suggestion? Thanks.
XXXX
Your answer was helpful to the extent that it pointed to possible link of voice loss with the lungs. On further consultation at our end, we found that her lungs were inflamed. The doctor had prescribed steroid but even after 4 days she is only able to whisper the result is not much better. She continues to be of short of breadth. Now the doctor has prescribed antibiotics penicillin. We are still in the wait and watch situation. I wonder if you have any suggestion? Thanks.
XXXX
Brief Answer:
Several thoughts.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Penicillin is terribly narrow in the organisms it treats. The most common throat infections (strep and anaerobes) are Well-treated with penicillin but other common germs that do this like whooping cough are 100% not affected by it as are most common mouth germs (not treated by penicillin).
So, the infection might not be treated. Some infections go a long time if not treated. Also, there can be accessed or other pockets of infection. They are not able to be spotted without specific equipment. And if there is a pocket of infection or another deformity, the infection cannot be gotten rid of even by the right antibiotic (because it cannot get at the germs).
Then, the inflamation might not be treated even if the infection is. Singulair I've been finding to be good. But steroids should be stronger but they do not seem to work all the time.
Various inhalers would generally be prescribed. There are a lot of them.
Hope I have answered your query.
Regards,
Dr. Matt Wachsman, Addiction Medicine Specialist
Several thoughts.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Penicillin is terribly narrow in the organisms it treats. The most common throat infections (strep and anaerobes) are Well-treated with penicillin but other common germs that do this like whooping cough are 100% not affected by it as are most common mouth germs (not treated by penicillin).
So, the infection might not be treated. Some infections go a long time if not treated. Also, there can be accessed or other pockets of infection. They are not able to be spotted without specific equipment. And if there is a pocket of infection or another deformity, the infection cannot be gotten rid of even by the right antibiotic (because it cannot get at the germs).
Then, the inflamation might not be treated even if the infection is. Singulair I've been finding to be good. But steroids should be stronger but they do not seem to work all the time.
Various inhalers would generally be prescribed. There are a lot of them.
Hope I have answered your query.
Regards,
Dr. Matt Wachsman, Addiction Medicine Specialist
Note: For further guidance on mental health, Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
