What is the medical term for a hoarse voice?

Medical Terminology for Hoarse Voice

The medical term for a hoarse voice is "dysphonia." 1

Precise Definitions

Dysphonia is the clinician-recognized term for altered vocal quality, pitch, loudness, or vocal effort that impairs communication as assessed by a clinician and/or affects quality of life. 1

Hoarseness is technically the patient-reported symptom of altered voice quality, while dysphonia is the clinical diagnosis made by the healthcare provider. 1

Important Clinical Distinction

While these terms are often used interchangeably in practice, the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery clarifies that this terminology is imprecise:

• Hoarseness = subjective symptom reported by the patient 1
• Dysphonia = objective clinical finding characterized by impaired voice production recognized by a clinician 1

Diagnostic Criteria

Clinicians should diagnose dysphonia in a patient with altered voice quality, pitch, loudness, or vocal effort that impairs communication or reduces voice-related quality of life. 1

The diagnosis is based on strictly clinical criteria and does not require testing or additional investigations initially. 1

Common Pitfall to Avoid

Do not confuse dysphonia with related but distinct terms:

• Dysarthria = speech disorder due to impaired movement of structures used for speech production (lips, tongue, articulation muscles) 1
• Aphonia = complete loss of voice 2
• Dysphagia = disordered or impaired swallowing 1