Hoarseness is brought on by inflammation of the larynx or voice box due to infection, irritation, and overuse. Typically, the vocal cords open and close smoothly, forming sounds via their vibration and movement. However, when dealing with hoarseness, the vocal cords can be irritated or inflamed, making the vocal cords swell. This distorts the sound produced by the air passing over the cords. Consequently, one may experience hoarseness, changing the way their voice sounds.

What to expect?
In most cases, hoarseness is associated with illnesses like bronchitis, flu, or cold. Usually, adults and children experience similar symptoms along with hoarseness, like swollen glands, constant urge to clear the throat, dry cough, trouble speaking, low-grade fever, tickle in the throat, and raw or sore throat.

What causes hoarseness?
The most common causes of hoarseness are:

Using the voice too much: Cheering loudly, talking for too long, singing too much, or speaking in a pitch lower or higher than typical.
Sinus infection or cold: Hoarseness associated with an infection usually goes away within two weeks.
Laryngitis: Temporary swelling of the vocal folds from allergies or common cold causes inflammation of the voice box.
Gastroesophageal reflux or heartburn: Sometimes, the acid in the stomach moves up into the throat, reaching the vocal folds.
Vocal fold hemorrhage: Here, a blood vessel in the vocal folds can rupture, making the voice disappear. One may be able to speak but not sing when dealing with this condition.
Neurological conditions: Hoarseness can be caused by Parkinson’s disease or stroke, as such conditions affect the part of the brain controlling the larynx muscles.
Muscle tension dysphonia: This is the change in the feel or sound of the voice because of excessive muscle tension in and around the voice box.
Recurrent respiratory papillomatosis: This disease causes benign tumors in the air passage.
Vocal fold paralysis: Here, one or both vocal cords do not work well.
Vocal polyps, cysts, or nodules: A benign growth in the vocal folds due to excessive pressure or friction can cause changes in the voice.
Laryngeal cancer: Hoarse voice can be a symptom of laryngeal cancer.

Management options
One can opt for the following remedies and treatment options to deal with hoarseness:

Rest the voice for a few days: One should not shout or talk loudly for a while. One must also avoid whispering, as it further strains the vocal cords.
Stay hydrated: Water and other fluids can moisten the throat and offer relief from hoarseness.
Avoid caffeine: Coffee and other caffeinated beverages can aggravate the hoarseness by drying the throat.
Get a humidifier: The appliance can moisten the air, ease breathing, and help open up the airways.
Take hot showers: The steam from a hot shower can open the airways and offer adequate moisture.
Avoid exposure to allergens: Allergies can aggravate or trigger hoarseness, so it is important to get rid of pet dander and dust at home.
Try lozenges: This can stimulate the saliva and soothe the throat.
Avoid decongestants: These treatment options can further dry and irritate the throat.

If these at-home treatments do not relieve hoarseness, doctors will study the symptoms and come up with a precise course of action to treat the underlying cause, like an infection or health condition. Early intervention by the healthcare expert can help one get timely treatment and relief from symptoms. This can also prevent further damage to the throat or vocal cords.

Prevention
One can adopt the following measures to keep hoarseness at bay and protect their vocal cords:

Wash hands often: Hoarseness can be brought on by a viral respiratory tract infection. So, frequently washing hands can keep one healthy and prevent the spread of germs.
Stay hydrated: Drinking at least eight glasses of water every day can help thin the mucus and moisten the throat. Additionally, one should avoid caffeine to prevent dehydration.
Resist the urge to clear the throat: Frequently clearing the throat worsens inflammation in the vocal cords and irritation in the throat.