it, changed. no more cheering for her kids. silence at the salon. and routines at home became the challenge. she had to bang on the wall to wake us up on the morning. it not only was a strain on her voice it was a strain on the marriage. it was like i wasn t married almost. a lot of things that we did we weren t doing together. reporter: four agonizing months and friends told her about something they heard in the news. they called and said you have to listen to this woman, she sounds just like you. i can t order food at a restaurant because people don t understand me. reporter: and in that story was a doctor who said a common cold can cause something called functional dysphonia. when a cold virus enters your voice box it can cause irritation and swelling, makes your voice hoarse. a lot of swelling can trigger abnormal tightening around the muscles in the voice box to lose your voice completely. erin did not know if that is
what she had but she made an appointment and drove to the cleveland clinic. the doctor said it might take minutes to change her life. sit up straight. and try to relax your throat and pushing down on your voicebox. reporter: dr. millstein massages and relaxes the muscles around her muscle chords. at first, nothing. then after five minutes, hints of her voice. after ten minutes monday, tuesday, wednesday. wow. again. reporter: and 15 minutes later, she couldn t believe it, her four-month ordeal was over. i hear my laugh. i m sorry. now i m going to cry. she couldn t wait to call her kids. it s not a prank call. it s me. reporter: erin quickly rediscovers a new appreciation
just kind of been no answers. reporter: life as she knew it, changed. no more cheering for her kids. silence at the salon. and routines at home became the challenge. she had to bang on the wall to wake us up on the morning. it not only was a strain on her voice it was a strain on the marriage. it was like i wasn t married almost. a lot of things that we did we weren t doing together. reporter: for agonizing months and friends told her about something they heard in the news. they called and said you have to listen to this woman, she sounds just like you. i can t order food at a restaurant because people don t understand me. reporter: and in that story was a doctor who said a common cold can cause something called functional dysphonia. when a cold virus enters your voice box it can cause irritation and swelling, makes your voice hoarse. a lot of swelling can trigger abnormal tightening around the muscles in the voice box to lose your voice completely. erin did not know
what she had but she made an appointment and drove to the cleveland clinic. the doctor said it might take minutes to change her life. sit up straight. and try to relax your throat and pushing down on your voicebox. reporter: dr. millstein massages and relaxes the muscles around her muscle chords. at first, nothing. then after five minutes, hints of her voice. after ten minutes monday, tuesday, wednesday. wow. again. reporter: and 15 minutes later, she couldn t believe it, her four-month ordeal was over. i hear my laugh. i m sorry. now i m going to cry. she couldn t wait to call her kids. it s not a prank call. it s me. reporter: erin quickly