Some people who have had COVID continue to struggle with chronic symptoms, including vocal symptoms, even after 1o months or more. For those who use their voices professionally, either speaking or singing, these continuing symptions have created problems for them in ther work and personal lives. They have suffered from intermittent to persistent hoarseness, discomfort or pain in the throat, labored breathing, difficulty in swallowing, noctural choking, pressure in the chest, upper airway obstruction, muscle tension disorder, laryngo-pharyngeal reflux, and vocal fold distortion, possibly due to lung inflammation and breathing pattern disorders. 26.8% of the Covid patients in this one study, had dysphonia. It is important for doctors and especially ENTs and laryngologists to become educated on how to recognize and treat these symptoms.
Ashish Chaudhry, Jeannie McGinnis,Amaili Lokugamage
thebmj.com
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