Re: vocal chords and asthma

[Guest guest]

You need to be seen by a speech pathologist and an ENT for a full assessment.

Sometimes vocal cord dysfunction can mimic asthma but the treatment and

prevention are different.

ps Speech alone is not a trigger but it can cause vocal cords to spasm leading

to a sensation of dyspnea and coughing.

----- Original Message ----

From: suzsummit <sdepaolis@...>

Sent: Saturday, January 13, 2007 4:39:32 PM

Subject: [ ] vocal chords and asthma

Weird question but since this groups is full of experience.. .

Does anyone here feel that talking is an asthma trigger for them? I

find that when I talk (not even a lot) I have more problems. I don't

get a sore throat but my voice becomes supper raspy and then the

'burning' sensation begins -- which is using following by spasm and

then the dreadful coughing....

I am a teacher... at least up until this all started back in Sept. I

train teachers on weekend workshops and now I find myself unable to

carry on after only 15-30 of talking. I had to cancel all my speaking

engagements. (Having to go out my car to do a Neb treatment halfway

through a teaching session is just too embarrassing. ...)

Just wondering if talking is a trigger for anyone and how have you

learned to cope with it? Speaking at teaching conferences is out

until I can figure this one out....

thanks

suzanne

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__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Sounds like vocal cord dysfunction. Have you ever heard of it?

I have vcd and asthma.

suzsummit <sdepaolis@...> wrote:

Weird question but since this groups is full of experience...

Does anyone here feel that talking is an asthma trigger for them? I

find that when I talk (not even a lot) I have more problems. I don't

get a sore throat but my voice becomes supper raspy and then the

'burning' sensation begins -- which is using following by spasm and

then the dreadful coughing....

I am a teacher... at least up until this all started back in Sept. I

train teachers on weekend workshops and now I find myself unable to

carry on after only 15-30 of talking. I had to cancel all my speaking

engagements. (Having to go out my car to do a Neb treatment halfway

through a teaching session is just too embarrassing....)

Just wondering if talking is a trigger for anyone and how have you

learned to cope with it? Speaking at teaching conferences is out

until I can figure this one out....

thanks

suzanne

[Guest guest]

>

> Sounds like vocal cord dysfunction.

Been to the ENT did the endo thing and he found the fungus on my vocal

cords at that time. No vcd found. Just another question to ask the

asthma guy next week. Also during my bronchoscopy (they thought I had

something caught that was causing the coughing) by my pulminologist he

found discoloration around my vocal cords (later identified as the

fungus) but nothing else unusual. My husband thinks it's just because

talking allows more air to pass and it's causing more inflamation.

It's just so strange since I have the cough variant type of asthma in

which I have hardly any mucus build-up. Just another medical mystery

I guess.

Next mystery is how to get rid of the crackles (rales) that come on

every night.

suzanne

[Guest guest]

--- In , " suzsummit " <sdepaolis@...>

wrote:

>This is extremely interesting. When I had the attack that almost

killed me; my vocal cords were so irritated that most people

couldn't inderstand me when I talked. I survived but my voice isn't

the same. My voice is different- my friends call it the whiskey and

cigarette voice. I used to sing in our church choir; now I can't

sing a note. I've had 4 bronchs and seen an ENT. My cords look

normal. A voice change is my very first sign of a impending flare-

up. My drs told me that the uncontrolled coughing and neb treatments

over the years have caused the problem. I have noticed that there

are times when talking will trigger a coughing fit. Of course when

I'm coughing, I don't need a reason- it's uncontrollable. My drs

keep telling me I can't cough,(or ever take steroids again) because

the combo has also caused damage to my trachea. If coughing can

damage a tough thing like a trach, I know that's what has done

damage to the delicate vocal cords. I noticed a difference when I

use the nebulizer too. I went 11months without coughing or using my

nebulizer; thanks to Xolair, my voice was much better. I have been

fighting a flare up since Christmas and I feel liks I am starting

over. But, I'm fighing it without evil candy, so there is progress!

As bad as it tastes, the lidocaine in my neb treatments has helped

the coughing more than anything. Good luck. becki

>

> >

> > Sounds like vocal cord dysfunction.

>

> Been to the ENT did the endo thing and he found the fungus on my

vocal

> cords at that time. No vcd found. Just another question to ask the

> asthma guy next week. Also during my bronchoscopy (they thought I

had

> something caught that was causing the coughing) by my

pulminologist he

> found discoloration around my vocal cords (later identified as the

> fungus) but nothing else unusual. My husband thinks it's just

because

> talking allows more air to pass and it's causing more inflamation.

> It's just so strange since I have the cough variant type of asthma

in

> which I have hardly any mucus build-up. Just another medical

mystery

> I guess.

>

> Next mystery is how to get rid of the crackles (rales) that come on

> every night.

>

> suzanne

>

[Guest guest]

Wow, I am learning every day with this group. I guess that whistling sound I

hear, especially when lying down, are rales -- or crackles or crepitations

(wikipedia definition for rales includes these). I never knew these sounds

had names other than wheezing but I always wondered about it since real

wheezing sounds totally different than the whistling does. It's funny

because even before I had my adult " re-diagnosis " of asthma, I had those

whistles when reclining (no other solid asthma symptoms at that point other

than tendency to have colds and flu hit me in the lungs harder than everyone

else). My husband and I used to joke about it and a few times I wondered

" who was making that sound? Was there someone else in the house or was

something in the house broken to make such a noise? " Then I'd realize it was

connected to my breath...

I also can end up with a coughing fit triggered by too much talking. It

seems it usually happens when I really get going, lots of inflection changes

and emotion behind my words and many consecutive minutes of talking. It does

seem that I have a little catch in the throat which triggers a small little

cough which then gets the big cough session going on and on and on.....it is

really annoying and embarrassing. And I have worked on better controlled

slower breathing at times trying to fight off any occurrence of it.

Sometimes helps, sometimes doesn't....

I once had a friend who told me for years that I should do voice work

because I had a good voice for it. I never pursued that but in the throes of

my coughing over the past few years, I've thought " well, it's a good thing I

didn't get into voice work... " I'm sorry for those who are adversely

impacted by this problem. People who don't have asthma have no conception of

how many ways it hampers everyday life. I'm grateful to be here among so

many who understand and grateful for the sharing we do.

I am thinking I should see an ENT too now because come to think of it, I do

have throat triggers that seem perplexing and perhaps a bit strange. Does

anyone else trigger primarily from the throat first from ice cold beverages

or vinegar/lemon or strong ginger flavor (ginger ale)? Those triggers are

not allergic responses for me, they just happen some of the time I take

those foods/beverages and they begin with a throat " stitch " (not food

sensitivity sensation as I have that too) that leads into coughing.

[Guest guest]

OMG! I LOVE this group! I think it keeps the, " I must be imagining

this' down to a good level. When I read the post...

> I am thinking I should see an ENT too now because come to think of

it, I do

> have throat triggers that seem perplexing and perhaps a bit strange.

Does

> anyone else trigger primarily from the throat first from ice cold

beverages

> or vinegar/lemon or strong ginger flavor (ginger ale)? Those

triggers are

> not allergic responses for me, they just happen some of the time I take

> those foods/beverages and they begin with a throat " stitch " (not food

> sensitivity sensation as I have that too) that leads into coughing.

>

I felt like hugging that poster (Ok a big virtual HUG!). I have food

triggers too that start the spasms and then the coughing begins and it

all goes downhill from there. Mine are vinegar things (ketsup has

become a real nuisance - and I love french fries with ketsup) -- salad

dressings (vinegar based), red wine and champange are also become

triggers for me. My husband laughed because the other other night as

we were entering a restaurant I did 2 'puffs' of albuterol -- he gave

me that questioning look and I replied, " honey, I want some champange

tonight " . And yes, I am not allergic to these foods -- they just set

me off (good news is I have mastered making salad dressing with orange

and lemon juice)bad news is I crave french fries all the time now :-)