Dysphonia

The term dysphonia refers to disturbances in the ability to phonate or produce voice. Nonspeech vocalizations are usually (but not always) similarly affected. The voice sounds atypical to everyday listeners and may evoke negative feelings on the part of listeners as well as discomfort of the part of speakers experiencing this condition. Such voices are often described as tense, strained, hoarse, gruff, gravelly, weak, or whiney. Dysphonia may be present whenever a voice is noticeably atypical for an individual’s gender, age, or cultural/regional background or has altered perceptibly, without conscious intent, from an individual’s usual voice pattern. Dysphonia may be transient, chronic, or fluctuating, depending upon its underlying etiology. It is frequently an indication of physical illness or of an abnormal pychoemotional state relative to ...