Voice disorders are medical conditions that affect the pitch, loudness or quality of your voice. The voice is produced as air moves from the lungs through the vocal cords (sometimes called vocal folds). The vocal cords are two folds of muscle tissue in the larynx (also called the voice box). A voice disorder occurs when something prevents the vocal cords from vibrating normally.
Below are two common voice disorders.
Vocal Cord Nodules
Vocal cord nodules are calluses that form on the vocal cords. There are two types: soft (early) nodules and hard (late nodules). Soft nodules are like the calluses that form on someone’s hands after a weekend of gardening, while hard nodules are like the calluses that form on someone’s hands after years of working a manual labor job.
Nodules are the result of some form of trauma, usually voice abuse or poor vocal hygiene. Examples of poor vocal hygiene include singing without warming up, voice overuse during a respiratory infection or chronic coughing/throat clearing (usually the result of an untreated medical condition like reflux or asthma).
The first step for treating vocal cord nodules is to address the underlying condition. Sometimes voice/speech therapy is recommended in order to learn healthy vocal hygiene, though voice rest is sometimes all that is needed. Surgery is recommended very rarely, and only for advanced vocal fold nodules.
Vocal Cord Polyps
If nodules are thought of as calluses, polyps are more like blisters. They are flesher than nodules and don’t form bilaterally, as nodules do. It is often the case that a single polyp can form as the result of acute vocal trauma.
Other conditions that cause polyps include exposure to tobacco smoke, excessive alcohol consumption and gastroesophageal reflux. Occasionally, the entire vocal cords can become polypoid and swollen, which is called Reinke’s edema.
Vocal cord polyps are usually treated by surgical excision, although small polyps may respond to voice therapy and rest. It is also essential to address the underlying condition so the polyps don’t return.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, call the experts at Texas ENT & Allergy today.
