A Terrifying Observation
At the end of a
flexible nasoendoscopy,
a procedure in which a small camera was passed through my left nostril, the
right one having proved less pliant, there were a few conclusions, though none
of particular concern.
The procedure
examined my throat and voice box for a simple reason: since I commenced four
weeks of radiotherapy for prostate cancer in September 2024, I had lost my
natural voice. It had been reduced to a hoarseness, carrying a semblance of
weariness and tiredness that might suggest I was gravely ill.
In general, I am
fine. The voice that comes and goes does not reflect that impression, and yet a
consultant on another stream of the multidisciplinary team that handles my
clinical issues and healthcare outcomes has been on my case since January 2025.
Questioning the Cause
While I had surmised
that the change in my voice was a long-term side effect of the radiotherapy,
she disputed this. Even if I, as a man, were kicked in the testicles, with the
usual prospect of momentarily losing my voice, and I had indeed been through the
equivalent by way of radiotherapy, the effect should not last as long as it has
in my case.
I even dared to
question how she, as a female, would know about this uniquely male anatomy.
Then, at my biannual
consultation just over a week ago, the consultant took the initiative on the
matters I had been reticent to pursue, and scheduled sessions with other
specialists in the very fields she had been seeking answers in. My hospital
visit yesterday was to see an ENT (Ear, Nose, and Throat) specialist, or should
I say an otolaryngologist.
Into the Consulting
Room
Before meeting the
consultant, I filled in three pages of tick boxes, affirmatives or negatives,
to provide a general overview of what needed assessing. I was then called into
a consulting room to sit in an abridged version of a dentist's chair.
On what was my third
hospital visit in eight days, I could be forgiven for feeling some trepidation,
whilst remaining hopeful that nothing untoward would be found.
Understanding
Dysphonia
The condition under
review is called dysphonia,
a medical term for any voice disorder that makes your voice sound hoarse,
raspy, breathy, or strained. This is in addition to sexual dysfunction, an
obvious side effect of the radiotherapy, and dysphagia, another condition
that may have been exacerbated by radiotherapy but has existed for longer, for
which I had an oesophagogastroduodenoscopy
in May.
In layman's terms, my
vocal cords were considered quite thin, not closing properly when I talk, and
carrying a slight tremor. It was watching the video playback, while we
discussed the prognosis, that left me a little terrified. The movement of my
vocal cords looked like the wings of a bat about to take off from a perch. You
mean that was happening inside me?
The Prognosis
A contributory factor
to my snoring was that my palate is unusually low, though nothing was
attributed to that condition beyond the raspiness in my voice, which is
probably caused by acid reflux that does not occur all that often.
We agreed there was
little else to do, unless I initiated a follow-up because my voice had
noticeably worsened, or unless I wanted the filler injection known as vocal
fold injection augmentation, not an endearing prospect from what I have read
about it.
Exploring the Prefix
Dys-
Meanwhile, the
original consultant has already scheduled an appointment to discuss the
results, and I am learning more about the prefix dys-, which might refer
to any of the following kinds of situations.
Bad / Ill: working in
a harmful or poor way.
- Dysfunction: impaired or unhealthy
functioning (e.g. family dysfunction)
- Dyspepsia: bad digestion
- Dystopia: a bad or undesirable society
- Dysphoria: a state of unease or
dissatisfaction
Difficult / Painful:
causing trouble or hurt to do.
- Dyslexia: difficulty reading
- Dysphagia: difficulty swallowing
- Dyspnoea: difficulty breathing
- Dysmenorrhoea: painful menstruation
Abnormal / Impaired:
moving away from the normal state or standard.
- Dysplasia: abnormal development of cells
or tissue
- Dyskinesia: abnormal or impaired
movement
- Dysarthria: impaired speech articulation
- Dysgraphia: impaired writing ability
