Live Life Team
Many people have been being introduced to someone, and have been taken aback at the new acquaintance’s voice. For some reason, the sound that comes out of the new acquaintance’s mouth does not match their appearance. There can be a number of reasons for this, some of them temporary, like a bout of laryngitis. Some are permanent, caused by disease or the effects of smoking.
Smoking prematurely ages every cell in the human body. The vocal cords are no exception. They are covered by mucous membranes that show signs of premature aging when subjected to cigarette smoking. The result is deterioration in vocal quality.
Smoking also increases the instance of vocal polyps. These are lesions on the vocal cords and can be caused by frequent smoking. The result of vocal polyps is a voice that sounds breathy and hoarse or harsh.
Of course, another risk of smoking is developing laryngeal cancer, or cancer of the voice box. One of the treatments of this type of cancer is stripping of the vocal cords followed by radiation therapy. The most invasive treatment for cancers of this type is a laryngectomy, in which the voice box is removed completely. Unfortunately, people who have had cancer of the vocal cords are more susceptible to develop cancer elsewhere in the head.
A person’s voice is something that is very often taken for granted. But the voice is also a large part of our personalities. When altered for any reason, this can impact how one perceives himself. A healthy smoke free lifestyle is therefore the best way to help keep your voice at its best.
