- A TikTok user has been posting about her mysterious case of vocal loss.
- For nearly three months, she hasn’t been capable of speaking above a whisper.
- A specialist believes it’s possible that her anxiety may have shut off her voice.
Isabella North has been posting lots of lip sync videos recently. The TikToker has no other option: For almost three months she hasn’t been able speak more than a whisper.
North posted a TikTok video in early August explaining her predicament. She stated that she was unable to speak for five weeks.
North speaks in a slow, breathy voice and uses captions to get her words across. She said she has trouble projecting her voice because her “diaphragm keeps spasming” whenever she tries to talk.
North claimed that she’s been to multiple doctors, including one who examined her nose, ears, and throat. She was prescribed steroids and antibiotics to remove any swelling or infection from the vocal chords. However, the medications didn’t help her speak.
After posting her first video about her vocal loss, North said she saw another specialist who diagnosed her with functional vocal cord disorder. North was able to be seen by the doctor using a camera that was inserted through her nose.
“My vocal cords are working fine, but my brain, as a stress response, is telling them not to close — which is why I keep whispering,” North said in an update video.
North described the problem as “involuntary, but also voluntary.” The muscles that allow us to speak usually open and close outside of our awareness, trapping air that vibrates to create sound. If the air is not properly trapped, a voice can become strained or breathy.
North was informed by her doctor that vocal loss can be caused by anxiety. This can be treated with vocal therapy. Since her post-doctor’s visit video, North hasn’t posted any major updates — although she did discover her throat makes a Chewbacca noise when she hums.
Insider asked North for comment, but she did not immediately reply.