[Hoarseness from the viewpoint of primary care]

Hoarseness is a symptom that is constantly encountered by doctors in primary care. It is the leading symptom in acute laryngitis and is often present as one of the symptoms in, for example, respiratory tract infections, influenza, and bronchitis. For the general practitioner, the infection factor as the cause of hoarseness is so dominant that other possible causes may fail to be taken into consideration. The general practitioner's possibilities for diagnosing the cause of this symptom are largely determined by habit, and by his ability to observe and assess the vocal chords. Examination of the vocal chords is often technically difficult, and patients in whom inspection presents difficulties should be remitted to an ear specialist. Hoarse smokers constitute a special group at risk, and these patients should be remitted for further examinations, if the general practitioner finds it hard to make a complete inspection of the chords. The article also describes an investigation on how hoarseness is handled at a health centre.