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Is It Normal for the Voice To Get Quieter with Age?
People often expect certain changes as they age, like fine lines and wrinkles. However, those involving their voice usually come as a surprise.
While it’s natural to experience age-related voice changes, they can negatively impact daily life. In fact, when communication becomes difficult, it can cause social withdrawal, isolation, and even depression.
Instead of dismissing voice changes as part of the aging process, Dr. Vandana Kumra at ENT New York recommends getting an expert voice evaluation. This simple step can protect your voice and overall health for years to come.
Are you getting older? Here’s how aging affects your voice and what you can do about it.
Aging and your voice
It’s no secret that your voice undergoes numerous changes during puberty. However, vocal aging is also a common problem later in life. It typically occurs for two reasons: aging of the vocal system and declining overall health.
An aging vocal system
Your voice originates from the air your lungs push through your vocal cords, which are stretchy bands of tissue inside the larynx or voice box.
As you age, all of these components can change. In your voice box, that often includes:
- Stiffness and calcification in the larynx joints
- Thinning and weakening larynx muscles
- Lost muscle tone, elasticity, and moisture in the vocal cords
Changes in the respiratory system powering your voice typically include a shrinking torso, rib calcification, and smaller, less pliable lungs.
All of these changes can contribute to a weaker voice.
Declining overall health
While aging can directly impact your voice box and respiratory system, voice changes can also occur because of an underlying medical problem.
Common causes of these voice changes can range from nodules or growths in the throat to neurological problems or chronic fatigue.
Since your voice can grow quiet for various reasons, it’s essential to work with an expert like Dr. Kumra to determine the cause.
Diagnosing voice problems
Age-related issues can cause a variety of changes in your voice, such as:
- Weakness
- Reduced volume or projection
- Decreased vocal stamina
- Tremors or shakiness
- Lower pitch in women or those assigned female at birth
- Higher pitch in men or those assigned male at birth
Dr. Kumra can investigate these changes during a throat and voice evaluation.
This assessment uses specialized tools to evaluate your throat and vocal cords. Dr. Kumra can also capture images and measure electrical impulses controlling the voice box and irregularities in sounds it produces.
Treating voice problems
Based on your evaluation, Dr. Kumra can offer personalized guidance on managing your symptoms moving forward, such as removing growths on the vocal cords.
However, Dr. Kumra can also provide additional strategies to keep your voice in tip-top shape for the years to come, such as:
- Managing chronic conditions that restrict breathing, like asthma and allergies
- Drinking 6-8 glasses of water a day
- Eating plenty of “wet” snacks, like grapes, melons, and cucumbers
- Limiting caffeine and alcohol, which can dry the throat
- Using a humidifier
- Finding ways to use your voice, especially if you live alone and talk less
- Quitting smoking
Dr. Kumra could also suggest voice therapy. These programs can help improve your voice's function, quality, stamina, and overall health.
Has your voice become quieter with age? If so, schedule a voice and throat evaluation with Dr. Vandana Kumra in New York City today.
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