• Mayo Clinic Minute: A Look Inside Your Voice

doctor pointing at voice vocal cords monitor

If you’ve ever lost your voice, you know how hard it can be to communicate. Vocal health is so important, there's even a day set aside to promote it, World Voice Day, on April 16, 2016.

Voice disorders can be caused by smoking, screaming or failing to drink enough water. Your voice also can be affected by age, allergies and neurological diseases.

In this Mayo Clinic Minute, voice specialist Dr. Amy Rutt shows what it takes to create your voice and issues that can affect it. Jeff Olsen reports.

Watch the Mayo Clinic Minute.

Journalists: Broadcast-quality video (1:06) is in the downloads. Read the script.