Hoarse Voice

A hoarse voice involves a loss of vocal
range and intensity,1,2

Leaving sufferers with a vocal quality that is often described as ‘shaky’.1 If thyroid issues are the cause, the onset of a hoarse voice will be slow and gradual, rendering it undetectable until the later stages of hypothyroidism.2

Hoarse Voice
A hoarse voice is one of many hypothyroidism symptoms

The thyroid gland sits in the lower front of the neck below the larynx, which is also known as ‘the voice box’.3 Low thyroid hormone levels cause fluid to accumulate in the vocal folds, and when the thyroid gland enlarges due to disease, the vocal chords can become pinched or partially paralyzed due to their snug proximity.1

Talk to your doctor

These physiological changes cause distinct hoarseness among other vocal symptoms.

Talk to your doctor about thyroid symptoms and how they can be properly addressed. This will allow you to find out if your hoarse voice being caused by hypothyroidism.

Other Hypothyroid Symptoms

Click on the symptoms below to know more.

References:

1. Bone SL, Vertigan AE, Eisenberg RL. Auditory-perceptual voice characteristics in pre-operative patients undergoing thyroid or parathyroid surgery. Folia Phoniatr Logop. 2012;64(2):87-93. 2. Hari Kumar KV, Garg A, Ajai Chandra NS, Singh SP, Datta R. Voice and endocrinology. Indian J Endocrinol Metab. 2016;20(5):590-594. 3. Anatomy of the endocrine system. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Accessed May 21, 2023. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/anatomy-of-the-endocrine-system