CNN: John Kerry lost his voice

[TheWebHead]

and has cancelled three campaign rallies today as well as TV appearances... Could it play a factor in such a tight race?

[DemNoir]

1. Kerry's Voice

Is a significant problem, the cut they played on NPR this morning made him sound 100 years old. It's a big problem that could really hurt a general election campaign.

[cryofan]

2. I would imagine so, and with NH so close behind...

....I wonder if he will have time to heal his throat?

[Nederland]

20. He's in luck

The State of the Union address is tommorrow (Tuesday), and the media will focus on that for a few days. I believe he could rest his voice for the next three maybe four days and not see his campaign suffer horribly.

[imhotep]

3. its probably psychosomatic

I have done research about cases like this in which the unconscious dissonance of what comes out of the mouth, literally shuts down the vocal cords.

[creativelcro]

5. mind posting the references for this research ?

I'd love to read about it.

[imhotep]

10. yes

one of the terms is VCD (vocal cord dysfunction).
It mostly occurs with child abuse victims and veterans of war, people who are terrified of failure.
This is where the sports term "choke" originates.
I don't have links, but im sure google has a ton of stuff.

[creativelcro]

13. Found a couple of things on pubmed

Adolesc Med. 2000 Oct; 11(3): 547-65. Related Articles, Links


Respiratory diseases with a psychosomatic component in adolescents.

Homnick DN, Pratt HD.

Divisions of Pediatric Pulmonology, Kalamazoo Center for Medical Studies, Kalamazoo, MI, USA.

Adolescence is often a time of emotional upheaval and it is no wonder that many respiratory diseases with a psychosomatic component find their origins or time of exacerbation during this time of life. Adolescents who present with unexplained respiratory diseases may also suffer from some form of psychosomatic illness. Recognition of the psychological contributions to symptoms related to the respiratory tract is essential for practitioners who care for adolescents. This article includes some of the more common respiratory or related conditions that have psychological etiologies or components and are encountered in the adolescent patient. These include psychogenic cough, sighing dyspnea, hyperventilation, vocal cord dysfunction, and emotional state as a trigger for asthma. This review provides a general discussion of these conditions and an overview of issues related to psychological/psychiatric evaluation and the reluctance of patients and their parents to access mental health treatment.



J Nerv Ment Dis. 1991 May; 179(5): 295-8. Related Articles, Links


Childhood sexual abuse in patients with paradoxical vocal cord dysfunction.

Freedman MR, Rosenberg SJ, Schmaling KB.

Department of Medicine, National Jewish Center for Immunology and Respiratory Medicine, Denver, Colorado 80206.

We present three prototypical cases of paradoxical vocal cord dysfunction. The symptoms of this functional disorder mimic those of bronchial asthma attacks. These patients typically have experienced extensive medical intervention including intubation and corticosteroid use. We identify a history of childhood sexual abuse as an important factor contributing to the development of this psychosomatic disorder. We discuss the severity of psychopathology in patients with paradoxical vocal cord dysfunction and how this physical symptom may have developed to express psychological difficulties.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

14. It's physical, not psychological with Kerry

but smear him all you want.

[drfemoe]

15. Kerry's health has always

been a concern to me. I hope he takes care of himself.

I remember wanting so badly to send Clinton a homeopathic remedy when he got hoarse, or recommend a good homeopathist.

[creativelcro]

16. I'm not smearing. I posted a quick pubmed search in response to

what one poster suggested. Frankly, I'd prefer to have a psychosomatic problem than throat cancer...

[NewYorkerfromMass]

17. and what one poster suggested was a smear

eom

[dsc]

18. What mindless drivel

I am sure the other supporters of whomever you support are glad you don't have his avitar on that post. Kerry has recognized problems, allergy, with his voice.

[HereSince1628]

4. Nah, he's modeling himself on Clinton <satire>

But Clinton did lose his voice and John Kennedy had a bruised hand from so much hand shaking.

These guys will all need a "morning in" tomorrow.

[blm]

6. He's had a bad cold for two weeks now.

Not surprising.

[DemNoir]

7. A lot more than 2 weeks

This problem with hoarseness goes back to the very beginning of the campaign.

[blm]

12. Those early problems were allergy related.

Especially when he was in SC. SC is not kind to allergy sufferers.

[maxanne]

8. that's awful

I feel so bad for him, he's had so much trouble with his voice in recent months. When I met him in the spring he sounded so different. I hope he's seen a good doctor - and a voice coach.

[mdmc]

9. I hope Honest Abe feels better!

That is what my non political flatmate calls Kerry, based on his long appearance.

[AP]

11. It didn't stop Clinton. However, Clinton didn't stop campaigning (I think)

when the same thing happened in '92 days before GE (right?).

[DoveTurnedHawk]

19. Imagine How Excited He Must Have Been These Last Few Days

I mean, the Kerry surge has been exciting to watch even for ME, despite the fact that I support another candidate who is being hurt by it.

He must have been shouting up a storm, these last few days. It doesn't surprise me that he's lost his voice; the same thing happened to my candidate right after he announced, he was undoubtedly excited as well.

DTH

[Dems Will Win]

21. It will be a fairly large factor, enough to stop or even reverse the surge

Electability is the main issue and you can't debate Bush with a cracking voice.

It may not hurt him in IA so much but what doctors recommend is no talking for days or even weeks, by the way. That's going to kill him in NH

[MaineDem]

22. I think not

This isn't the big deal you're making it out to be.

[tishaLA]

24. It's true what you say about cracking voices

look what cracking voices do to aspirant American Idol contestants!

[cindyw]

23. Come on people. The man has had a cold.

You know that majorly dangerous disease that only people who are not physically fit and really old get. I know most of you don't get colds. And you never lose your voice after a cold. Only the weak do that. And forget presidents. I mean anyone who gets that rare dangerous disease is unfit for the presidency.

:eyes:

[Fleshdancer]

25. Kerry must be SO annoyed right now!

I've lost my voice before and it sucks. You end up getting so pissed off at the situation and there's nothing you can do about it. Didn't this happen to Clinton too? I imagine it's a risk when you talk all day every day on the campaign trail.

Isn't this what endorsements are for? He shouldn't cancel the rallies, just have his endorsements speak for him with him standing there waiving and smiling. I can't imagine people would care too much if he didn't speak considering it's the supporters who go to the rallies anyway.