chronic hoarseness / breathing difficulties following straining of voice.

[bernardj]

Four years ago I led a Geography field trip, and found myself running out of breath as I talked / lectured. My chest got tighter, and voice hoarser. Stupidly I carried on (I was the only qualified member of staff on the trip). As a result I had to rest up for a few days with very bad aches across my chest and also feeling very unwell.

I recommenced lecturing after the easter break, and had to stop after 20 minutes as my chest became tigher and I felt increasingly breathless.

For about a fortnight I was up about 5 times a night to sip water as my throat felt so dry and sore. That has not been such a major problem since.

Ever since, for the last 4 years, I have suffered with this tightness and soreness which varies but extends up my throat and across shoulder blades. It is very debillitating, as often I hold back from speaking or doing anything very active due to the pain and tighness, which I know from experience will only get worse and stay longer if I carry on doing something active. Prior to all this I was very active, playing sport on a regular basis. All that has had to stop.

If I rest for a couple of weeks I feel a lot bettre, but any exertion seems to bring it back, and also accompanied by some heart palpitations, due (I assume) to the problems breathing easily.
I have undergone various tests / scopes ect and acid reflux (based on these tests) does not seem to be the problem. However, I do, at some periods, get an acidy pains in my throat and the sensation of reflux (although that seems to come after lecturing or doing too much rather than before). Heart scans prove ok, and the lungs likewise. ENT have observed some rednesss, but do not know the cause of the problems. I have had speech therapy, and take the advice of the therapist, but it has not really helped.

The origin of this was me speaking and straining my voice, until there was literally nothing left, on the field trip. This leads me to think it ius to do with muscles / vocal chord etc.

It has been difficult to completely rest the voice although I have been able to arrange spells without lecturing.

At times I feel desperately ill, but just about get by. I really need some help.

[Liz22222]

Hi,
  I wonder how you are - posts are a little old now.  Improving I hope.  I read your case with interest because I have experienced something similar.  I developed an allergy to air freshener, which gave me asthma - not a huge problem I thought, I'l avoid them.  Went into a gym to join = feeling particularly fit and energetic and wanting to improve on that - unknown to me an air freshener at the gym caused a severe reaction.  I managed to control it.  But was exhausted after three days decided I should visit the doctors for some meds. Bad mistake.  Loads of people at doctors coughing lots and kept waiting for 40 minutes - result - really really ill with throat infection and rasping cough.  Lasted 12 weeks!!!   Until I begged to go onto anti-biotics.  That was over a year ago and I haven't recovered.  Everything (almost) now seems to affect my breathing, when my breathing gets bad I cannot talk.  For hours and hours my voice has no power whatsoever.  If my life depended on it I could not call for help.  I am on steroid inhaler twice a day.  I understand completely what you say.  I have gone from a fit active person, to being unable to go out  without symptoms and I have no energy whatsoever when my breathing is bad.  I actually care about nothing, and just visualise an oxygen tank ( dont even know if that would help, never had it)  I too had very severe chest and mid -upper dorsal pain, that has improved with steroid inhaler.  Got an appointment with consultant coming u  soon - hoping for an amazing insight and cure . . . .

[Tired_of_Being_Sick1234]

I also used to be quiet active, walking weight training etc.. but after this started developing i stopped. Sometimes this gets to be so depressing but my Dr says that there are some people out there who would love to have what i have because it isn't so bad, but, I'm serious when I say it is depressing.  Can someone help?

[Tired_of_Being_Sick1234]

Hey, I have almost all the same symptoms.  I also refrain from talking because it's such a tiresome thing to do most times.  My voice has taken a turn to the deeper and and i can't laugh like I used to instead now days it's more of a moan when i try and laugh because of something isn't right.  I used to have a nice voice so I thought, I can't reach high pitches (regular) anymore or when I get into these episodes which islike 95% of the time.  My nose is constantly blocked despite doing nasal cleanses.  My Dr. put me on Steroids, antibiotics but nothing works.  Sometimes It's difficult to breathe and in the mornings I have to cough and cough to get my throat cleared, the shower I noticed helps alot.  I too am at my wits end as this has been going on for about 5 years with no relief in site for me.  My Dr. has virtually said there is nothing he can do for me but yet he tries. I have been scanned, MRI'd lol, to a voice coach, put on some meds that blows everything out of your system and for the first time in 5 years I was able to breath and smell and taste again, but then I came in contact with a child who had a cold and walaa, my throat started tingling and my ears tingled and within a matter of 2 days i was back to my old ways again. I've been searching the internet hoping to find something like mine.  I've been tested for acid reflux, no problem there, but yet sometimes my throat burns so bad.  I am tired of being sick all the time and believe me it has taken a toll on my personality, my talking, story telling to my grandbaby,  I'll continue watching your post in hopes someone can offer some help. I've tried the steaming, anti biotics which help for a little while but I cant take them forever I guess.  When I breathe in you can hear in my throat that something isn't right.  

[Dakotawinks]

I don't know a lot about this, but have you ever heard of "singer's throat" with all the issues I have had over the year, I ran across it when I googled something. Singer's strain their voice and have problems then singing again and have to really rest their vocal cords before they can sing. I'm not sure what it's called, but perhaps you could try putting that in google or on "search" on here and see if something comes up. Like "singers voice problems or strain on singers voice" something like that in google.....sounds a lot like it though. I read some on it, and also saw something on a Dateline one night about a famous singer that had to quit singing for years as his voice or vocal cords was strained. They have "sprays" out there for it, but do they work?? I don't know.
Dakotawinks