# Why does my voice get deeper when I am sick?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-voice-get-deeper-when-i-am-sick/110671>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 24, 2002, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-voice-get-deeper-when-i-am-sick/110671 "2002-05-24T16:43:06Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Chekmate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/46a35a/32.png) [@Chekmate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chekmate)\
**Post date:** [May 24, 2002, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-voice-get-deeper-when-i-am-sick/110671/1 "2002-05-24T16:43:06Z")

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Why does my voice get deeper when I am sick?

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**Author:** ![choosybeggar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@choosybeggar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choosybeggar)\
**Post date:** [May 24, 2002, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-voice-get-deeper-when-i-am-sick/110671/2 "2002-05-24T19:02:11Z")

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This is a WAG, but a good one, I think.

Conceptualize your vocal chords as guitar strings. Thicker, heavier strings produce lower tones.

When you get sick, you can get inflammation of the vocal chords. This makes them thicker and heavier, making the tones they produce lower.

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**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\
**Post date:** [May 24, 2002, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-voice-get-deeper-when-i-am-sick/110671/3 "2002-05-24T19:33:45Z")

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Coincidentally enough, I asked this very question a couple of months ago. [Here’s the link](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=99272).