Changes to Your Voice May Have Health Implications
Changes to Your Voice May Have Health Implications Javascript must be enabled to use this site. Please enable Javascript in your browser and try again. × Search search POPULAR SEARCHES SUGGESTED LINKS Join AARP for just $9 per year when you sign up for a 5-year term. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. Leaving AARP.org Website You are now leaving AARP.org and going to a website that is not operated by AARP. A different privacy policy and terms of service will apply.
Higher pitch voice in men
Lower pitch voice in womenReduced volume and projection of the voice (or thin voice)Reduced vocal enduranceDifficulty being heard in noisy situationsTremor or shakiness in the voice Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. An aging voice box, or , as well as changes to the respiratory system that powers your voice, can alter the way you sound in your older years. Other age-related conditions include a thinning of the larynx and a loss of flexibility in your vocal cords. Causes can also come from lower in the body, including a shrinking torso and lungs. According to an article on the Cleveland Clinic’s website, Claudio Milstein, the clinic’s Voice Center director, says that a weakening of the voice later in life may point to other health issues as well, such as chronic fatigue and neurological problems, which can cause a tremor in your voice. Cancer, a polyp or paralysis also may impact your vocal cords.
Daily voice exercises to strengthen vocal production
Microsurgery for vocal cord lesions, such as polyps or cystsInjections to plump up your vocal cordsImplants to stabilize the vocal cords The American Academy of Otolarynology also recommends maintaining excellent overall body fitness to keep your voice healthy and trying vocal exercises, such as reading a book or the paper aloud for 10 to 15 minutes, two or three times a day, or singing along with the radio. AARP Membership — $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. AARP VALUE & MEMBER BENEFITS See more Health & Wellness offers > See more Flights & Vacation Packages offers > See more Finances offers > See more Health & Wellness offers > SAVE MONEY WITH THESE LIMITED-TIME OFFERS
Do You Recognize Your Own Voice
Age-related changes to the way you sound could have health implications
Singing or reading aloud are good vocal exercises, but sometimes you also need medical intervention. Getty Images that needs the attention of an otolaryngologist, otherwise known as an ear, nose and throat doctor. The American Academy of Otolarynology–Head and Neck Surgery notes that there are several commonly reported voice changes as we age:Higher pitch voice in men
Lower pitch voice in womenReduced volume and projection of the voice (or thin voice)Reduced vocal enduranceDifficulty being heard in noisy situationsTremor or shakiness in the voice Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. An aging voice box, or , as well as changes to the respiratory system that powers your voice, can alter the way you sound in your older years. Other age-related conditions include a thinning of the larynx and a loss of flexibility in your vocal cords. Causes can also come from lower in the body, including a shrinking torso and lungs. According to an article on the Cleveland Clinic’s website, Claudio Milstein, the clinic’s Voice Center director, says that a weakening of the voice later in life may point to other health issues as well, such as chronic fatigue and neurological problems, which can cause a tremor in your voice. Cancer, a polyp or paralysis also may impact your vocal cords.
Reclaim your voice
Even if a medical issue is not to blame, feeling your voice fade can have a damaging impact, Milstein says, causing people to withdraw socially — which can lead to isolation and . To avoid this, he recommends being evaluated by a voice specialist, a laryngologist or a speech pathologist. “Thanks to modern science and technology, many treatments can make your voice sound better,” Milstein says. Possible treatments include:Daily voice exercises to strengthen vocal production
Microsurgery for vocal cord lesions, such as polyps or cystsInjections to plump up your vocal cordsImplants to stabilize the vocal cords The American Academy of Otolarynology also recommends maintaining excellent overall body fitness to keep your voice healthy and trying vocal exercises, such as reading a book or the paper aloud for 10 to 15 minutes, two or three times a day, or singing along with the radio. AARP Membership — $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. AARP VALUE & MEMBER BENEFITS See more Health & Wellness offers > See more Flights & Vacation Packages offers > See more Finances offers > See more Health & Wellness offers > SAVE MONEY WITH THESE LIMITED-TIME OFFERS