Umashankar Dagar (name changed), a Government schoolteacher hailing from Sirsa Haryana was terrified when he saw traces of blood in his sputum. His life came to a screeching halt because he was about to get married and traces of blood in his cough made him wary about the fact that he might be suffering from Tuberculosis.
Dagar said, "I visited a Dots centre for test secretly and even covered my face with a towel while I was waiting for the doctor at the centre. TB is a taboo in our society and I didn't want to end up breaking my marriage."
However the schoolteacher was left flabbergasted when he came to know that the reason behind his surprise ailment was not a virus but his own profession in which he had to deliver lecture while taking back to back classes as he was a schoolteacher. Dagar was at PGI on Friday to attend a public lecture on voice disorder with his colleagues.
Around 60 per cent of professionals visiting PGIMER for voice disorder are Government schoolteachers, followed by singers.
Politicians throng the OPD while election campaigns are at peak, because of delivering speeches at high pitch, day in and day out, ENT doctors said.
Globally more than seven per cent of the population suffers from voice disorders. In India, the prevalence rate is around eight per cent of the total population. Voice problems may range from change in voice to complete inability to speak. It could be either functional or organic.
A voice disorder exists when a person's quality, pitch, and loudness differ from those of similar age, gender, cultural background, and geographic location.
Patients should be concerned when there is persistent vocal quality change including breathiness, hoarseness or complete loss of voice. Other symptoms also include a persistent irritation or pain in the throat; persistent feeling that the voice is "stuck" in the throat, vocal fatigue and persistent pitch breaks says experts.
Eight to ten patients are diagnosed with voice disorders per day at PGI. The total number of patients with voice disorders has increased tremendously over the period of time probably due to the life style modifications.
"Smoke, dust and other pollutants in the air may trigger chronic coughing in a patient which after a period of time leads to voice disorder. lifestyle and food habit also impacts ones vocal cords. People should avoid oily food and tobacco products to maintain a clear voice,” said Dr Naresh Panda, Prof and Head, Department of Otolaryngology, PGIMER.
People can avoid voice disorders by taking a lot fluids and keeping the vocal cord hydrated and control vocal strains like yelling or talking for long at a high pitch.
Dr N Banumathy, Speech and Hearing Unit PGI said, “A person should not speak for more than two hours at a stretch, which if done might tamper the lining of the vocal cord. Teachers should not take back to back classes that call for continuous lecturing and use dust free chalks and mike to address a big classroom to avoid any complications.”
Males who are depressed with their high-pitched voice after puberty can visit a voice therapist.
"The prevalence of high pitched voice in males after puberty is called puberphonia. This is a psychological problem which after proper consultation can be cured," added Dr Banumathy.
Most of the voice disorders are preventable through appropriate awareness, and public education programs. In some of the cases of voice disorders surgical intervention may bring in relief for the patients says the experts from PGI.
The lecture on 'Voice Disorders' was given by the faculty of Department of Otolaryngology on the occasion of World Voice Day, which is on April 16.
Around 46 countries have come together to create awareness among general public. Four Zonal representatives have been selected from India to observe the World Voice Day.