Q. After exposed to dry dust, I started getting hoarse voice, and inflamed vocal cords. What can I do?

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Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I doubt very much that cancer is high on the concern list. So I would start by addressing gastroesophageal reflux disease since you are of an age when this starts, you have a chronic throat clearing cough (almost diagnostic for GERD), you are a nonsmoker, and have had your vocal cords looked at and no mass or ulceration was seen at the time. Bear in mind, if you follow my GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) recommendations and I am correct in the diagnosis, it might take up to four months before your cough and hoarseness resolve. Be patient with the process.

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The Probable causes:

Age. Eating or drinking anything (even water) two hours before be or during the night.

Investigations to be done:

See local ENT if no resolution in four months time.

Differential diagnosis:

GERD. Other sources of dysphonia.

Probable diagnosis:

GERD.

Treatment plan:

Nothing, not even water, two hours before bedtime and during night. Put 4 inch bricks under the two legs at the head of the bed to elevate the head of the bed. This keeps your esophagus uphill from your stomach. Take 40 mg Omeprazole (Prilosec) daily for three months. Take two chewable gums just before going to sleep every night. This is to continue for at least a year or even longer if needed.

Regarding follow up:

See local ENT if no resolution after four to five months.

# I understand your concern. However, from what I understand, you had two days total exposure and wore a mask. It is doubtful that you got over 50 mcg/day. (To get silicosis, you must have that dose over many, many days as I understand it, not just two days. But I don't know if there is an established "dose " to get silicosis.) Additionally, your main complaint is hoarseness and not pulmonary complaints.
A simple chest X-ray at your primary care doctor's office or clinic or through your work would show silicosis, which does have an increased risk for cancer and also tuberculosis. So a simple TB test could also alleviate your fears. As far as cancer goes, the cancer associated with silicosis is pulmonary in origin, not on the vocal cord (the area that would give you hoarseness).
The hoarseness persisting despite just 2 days exposure is likely that it was just enough irritation to "kick-off" the hoarseness that was "almost there already" from your GERD...It usually takes longstanding GERD plus some other new factor to initiate the hoarseness...after it gets started, the GERD alone can keep it going.
So...treat the GERD and really follow my recommendations and see if it doesn't clear up in the next 4 months or so....

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The Probable causes:

GERD

Treatment plan:

As specified before

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