Every year on April 16, ‘World Voice Day’ is a day established to inform the world about the importance of a healthy voice. Although voice is an important way of expressing yourself to others, awareness of its importance is lacking. In particular, the voice change phase, when the structure of the vocal folds changes as the vocal chords grow, is the time when the voice that will last a lifetime is completed depending on how you spend it. That is why it is an important time to control your voice well.
When a voice change occurs, it is best to vocalize using abdominal breathing rather than shouting or squeezing your throat｜Source: Getty Image Bank
only for men? No! Even girls go through puberty
When you grow up, not only does your body grow, but so do your vocal cords. The voice change period refers to the period when the voice changes according to the rapid growth of the pharynx due to secondary sexual characteristics. Testosterone, one of the male hormones, stimulates the vocal cords, making them thick and long, leading to a change in the voice. At this time, the vocal cord pattern controlled by the brain changes, resulting in a hoarse voice or unstable pitch.
It is generally believed that only males experience puberty and that it does not occur to females. However, this is far from the case. Girls are obviously going through puberty too. I just think that because there is no obvious change in voice like men. Puberty usually starts around age 13 for males and around age 12 for females. Depending on the individual, it can be as short as 3 months or as long as a year. After this period, the tone of the voice is lowered by 1 octave for males and 3 octaves for females, giving them adult voices.
Unknown female genitalia, how to check?
In males, the length of the vocal chords changes after puberty. What was around 10mm before the transition period grows up to twice as much throughout the transition period. After this period, adult vocal cords reach about 13 to 24 mm in length, which is why men produce thicker and lower voices than women.
Women’s vocal cords are just as long as men’s. However, less testosterone is secreted than men, and the length of the vocal chords is also 15 mm, so they have a quieter voice than a thick and low voice. The change in a female voice is less than a male voice, and the vocal cords grow in a certain direction, so it feels like there is not much change in the voice. However, girls go through puberty without being aware of it.
In the case of women, puberty can be confirmed when the following symptoms are present.
1. If your voice is low
The voice change did not start when the voice got lower. After several months of initiation, the pitch becomes lower. So, if you think your voice has dropped, the voice changer has already started.
2. If it is difficult to control the pitch while singing
This is the period when the loudest cracking sound is heard. If something doesn’t work as naturally as before, there are cracks, vocalization feels difficult, and your throat gets tired quickly, it could be a change in the voice.
3. If your voice becomes more and more husky
Although every person is different, if your voice is huskier than usual, it could be a symptom of voice change. Some people’s voices change to a lower pitch, while others become husky.
Be careful of voice and vocal diseases during the voice change… Vocal cord care is important
The voice change period is a period of refining the voice that will be used for the rest of your life. However, due to the coincidence of puberty and puberty, emotional changes are great and energy overflows, so it is often high. If you overuse your vocal cords in this way, it is easy to damage your vocal cords and you may have to spend your whole life with a husky voice. In addition, if you are not used to the voice that changes to a low and thick voice, and if you are a forceful voice to make the same sound as before, voice disorders such as dysphonia or dysphonia can happen If the vocal cords are overused, diseases such as vocal cord dystrophy and vocal cord adhesions, which cause lifelong hoarseness, can appear.
Haidak Otorhinolaryngology Counseling Doctor Jeon Seong-ho (Chamgilbi Throat Clinic) said, “Women can have a voice change, but they don’t show as big a change as men.” , sticky vocal cords, vocal cord cysts, and other diseases, and if these diseases last a lifetime, the voice gradually changes and can make speaking itself scary.” In addition, “It’s good speak quietly so as not to strain the throat, and avoid irritating foods as they affect not only the control of the throat but also the general state of health. It is useful to drink about 1.5L and make the abdomen breathe for about 30 minutes.”
Support = Haidaq Counseling Doctor Jeon Seong-ho (Otorhinolaryngology Specialist at Cham Gil Hospital)
