Unexpected hoarseness or voice loss might be a sign of a serious health problem. Acid reflux, often known as heartburn or gastroesophageal reflux disease, is another probable explanation (GERD). Vocal nodules, polyps, cysts, and contact ulcers are all names for growths on your vocal cord tissue.... If you have no other symptoms except for your voice being suddenly weak or using the wrong tone, it may be because you've damaged some nerve fibers that connect to the muscles in your larynx (voice box). This most commonly happens when you develop cancer of the tongue. Because cancer can cause problems with the nerves, it can also cause voice changes without you knowing it. As the cancer grows closer to the nerves, they begin to malfunction, causing painless voice changes. Cancer can damage the nerves that control the muscles of your voice box, causing them to weaken. This usually happens with cancers that grow into or close to the brain or neck. Some types of cancer may also destroy bone marrow, which produces new cells that help maintain healthy vocal cords. When this happens, you may become more likely to develop squamous cell carcinoma, a type of cancer that develops from skin cells. Smoking is one of the biggest causes of cancer-related voice loss. The chemicals in tobacco irritate the mucous membranes of the mouth and throat, making them more prone to damage from acid reflux or other problems.