What causes hoarseness? Hoarseness is a harsh, raspy, or strained voice caused by a variety of conditions including: GERD, allergies, smoking thyroid disease, cancer of the larynx, trauma, and more. Learn more about treatment and home remedies.

Hoarseness is a symptom and not a disease. It is a general term that describes abnormal voice changes. When hoarse, the voice may sound breathy, raspy, strained, or there may be changes in volume (loudness) or pitch (how high or low the voice is). The changes in sound are usually due to disorders related to the vocal folds, which are the sound- producing parts of the voice box (larynx). There are many causes of hoarseness; fortunately, most are not serious and tend to go away in a short period of time. If hoarseness persists longer than two weeks, a visit to your physician is recommended. While not always the case, persistent hoarseness can be a warning sign of larynx cancer.