First: is this an emergency?
Call 911 right away if not being able to talk comes with any of these:
- Sudden trouble finding words, speaking in a way that makes sense, or understanding others
- A drooping face, weakness or numbness on one side, loss of balance or sudden vision changes
- Trouble breathing, noisy or high-pitched breathing, or not being able to swallow or stop drooling
- New confusion, or being very hard to wake up
- Chest pain or pressure
Sudden confusion in an older adult who is sick, for example with a urinary tract infection or pneumonia, can be delirium. It needs urgent medical care, even when the illness seemed mild.
Voice loss or a language problem?
“Can't talk” can mean two very different things. This table shows common differences. It is a guide, not a diagnosis.
| Voice loss (laryngitis) | Language problem (aphasia) | |
|---|---|---|
| What is wrong | The voice box is swollen or strained | The brain's language areas are hurt |
| Do you know the words? | Yes. You know what to say; it just comes out hoarse, as a whisper or not at all | Finding, saying or understanding words is hard |
| Can you write or type it? | Usually yes, clearly | Often hard too |
| What else is going on | Sore or scratchy throat, cough, runny nose, sometimes fever | Often sudden; may come with a drooping face, one-sided weakness or confusion |
| What to do | Rest your voice; see a doctor if it lasts more than 2 weeks | Call 911 if it starts suddenly |
Laryngitis, colds, the flu and COVID-19
Laryngitis is swelling of the voice box (larynx). It is most often caused by a virus, such as a cold or the flu, and it can also come from shouting, singing or talking a lot. COVID-19 can cause a sore throat, a cough and congestion, and a hoarse or lost voice can come with it. Laryngitis usually gets better on its own within one to two weeks.
Things that can help your voice recover:
- Rest your voice as much as you can.
- Avoid whispering, which can strain your voice more than speaking softly.
- Drink plenty of fluids and breathe moist air, such as from a humidifier or a steamy shower.
- Avoid smoke and other things that irritate your throat.
See a doctor if an adult is hoarse for more than two weeks, if a child is hoarse for more than a week, or if a baby under 3 months is hoarse.
How to communicate while you can't talk
- Write notes, or type on your phone and show the screen.
- Agree on simple signals with the people around you, like a thumbs up for yes.
- Text instead of calling.
- Use a communication app that speaks for you.
If the trouble is with words themselves, not your voice, read what aphasia is and what to do about sudden word-finding trouble.
Common questions
Why am I sick and can't talk?
Most often, a cold, the flu, COVID-19 or another infection has caused laryngitis, a swelling of the voice box that makes you hoarse or takes your voice away. It usually gets better on its own within one to two weeks. If you suddenly can't find or understand words, call 911.
Can COVID-19 make you lose your voice?
COVID-19 can cause a sore throat, a cough and congestion, and like other colds it can lead to a hoarse or lost voice. Call 911 for trouble breathing, chest pain or pressure, new confusion, or trouble waking or staying awake.
What is it called when you can't speak?
Losing your voice is called aphonia, and a hoarse voice is dysphonia; laryngitis is a common cause. Trouble finding or understanding words is aphasia, a language disorder from brain damage. Slurred speech from weak muscles is dysarthria.
When is not being able to talk an emergency?
Call 911 if trouble speaking starts suddenly with confusion, wrong words, trouble understanding, a drooping face, weakness on one side, loss of balance or vision changes, or if there is trouble breathing or swallowing, drooling or noisy breathing.
How long does laryngitis last?
Laryngitis from a cold or other virus usually gets better within one to two weeks. See a doctor if an adult is hoarse for more than two weeks, or a child for more than one week.
How ExpressAgain can help
Not being able to say what you need is hard, whether it lasts a week or longer. For people who know what they want to say but cannot get it out, ExpressAgain lets them read and choose words and phrases, from pain and basic needs to questions for the doctor, and says them out loud. It is built for aphasia and is also used by patients who cannot rely on speech in the hospital.
Keep reading
More about aphasia
- Understanding aphasia: the overview
- Sudden difficulty finding words: When word-finding trouble starts suddenly, call 911. What it can mean, and when slower changes need a doctor.
- What is aphasia?: The meaning of aphasia, its medical definition, and what the inability to speak is called.
- Aphasia causes: Stroke, head injury, tumors, infections and progressive conditions, and why sudden changes are an emergency.
- ExpressAgain for aphasia: how the app's aphasia mode works
- ExpressAgain after a stroke: communication through recovery
Sources
- Mayo Clinic: Laryngitis
- MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Laryngitis
- CDC: Symptoms of COVID-19
- CDC: Signs and Symptoms of Stroke
- NIDCD (National Institutes of Health): Taking Care of Your Voice
- MedlinePlus (National Library of Medicine): Voice Disorders
- MedlinePlus (National Library of Medicine): Delirium
- NIDCD (National Institutes of Health): Voice, Speech, and Language
Last reviewed . This page is general information written in plain language from the sources above. It is not medical advice and cannot diagnose anyone. Talk with a doctor or a speech-language pathologist about your own situation. If speaking or understanding suddenly becomes hard, call 911.