Otolaryngologic

HOARSENESS: Acute

HOARSENESS: Acute Scheme

Red Flags:
External Laryngeal Trauma

Clinical Pearls:

  1. Listen to the voice!  The worse the voice, the more investigation is warranted.
  2. Explore the impact on the patient’s job, daily living, etc.
  3. Look out for heavy smokers with gradually worsening voice.
  4. If hoarseness is associated with otalgia, odynophagia, dysphagia, rule out the etiologies with poor prognoses.
  5. Always ask about vocal abuse or overuse.
  6. If fairly sudden onset of a breathy voice – think paralysis.

HOARSENESS: Acute Acute < 3 weeks Hoarseness Constant Variable Acute Nonspecific Laryngitis (GERD, Smoking, Allergies, Vocal Abuse) Inhaled Steroids Viral Laryngitis Fungal Laryngitis (Monilia) Bacterial Laryngitis Bacterial Tracheitis Voice Overuse External Laryngeal TraumaIatrogenic - Endoscopy - Endotracheal intubation Muscle Tension DysphoniaIf Hoarseness persists > 3 months, Refer to ENT Infectious Inflammatory HyperfunctionInflammatory Trauma Non-Acute > 3 weeks

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Related resources

Cards
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Calgary Guide