If throat cancer is caught early, the likelihood of a cure without extensive treatment is very good, says Hogikyan, an associate professor in the U-M Medical School's Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery. "Early attention to voice changes can literally make the difference between life and death for throat cancer patients, and in other cases can help resolve more minor issues before serious ones develop." "Thankfully, most voice changes are temporary and self-limiting, but if they last longer than a few weeks, they can signal serious problems," says Hogikyan, who runs the U-M Vocal Health Center at the U-M Health System's Center for Specialty Care in Livonia, Michigan. (A sample of the tips follows below.) The quiz helps visitors identify how voice-related problems are affecting their lives it's based on U-M research on voice-related quality of life.
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To help people understand how to protect their voices and recognize problems, Hogikyan and his colleagues prepared four fact sheets and an online Voice Quiz for the academy's web site. They've declared Wednesday, April 16, as World Voice Day, through voice societies in South America, Europe and the professional society for ear, nose and throat physicians in the United States: the American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery. This week, Hogikyan and his fellow specialists around the world hope to raise the public's awareness of voice-related issues. But many people don't know they can protect their voices by following a few simple tips, and should seek medical attention for prolonged voice changes. In fact, our voices can say a lot about our health - if we would only listen.Ĭhanges in a person's voice can indicate anything from a common cold or acid reflux to throat cancer or vocal cord paralysis, says U-M vocal health specialist Norman D. But, says a University of Michigan expert, much can go wrong with the human voice.