title: Hoarseness - what is the voice trying to tell you?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Most episodes of hoarseness are benign and self limiting.
  
  
  METHODS
  This article describes the causes and management of hoarseness in adults, outlines the features of common causes of voice disturbance in adults, and highlights a number of red flags that should trigger urgent referral.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with hoarseness lasting more than 3 weeks require specialist assessment to visualise the larynx.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology and Neck Surgery, Southern Health, Victoria. nickagar@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Nicholas J M
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Agar
authors.forename: Neil A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Vallance
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D006685:Hoarseness / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D012017:Referral and Consultation