Voice Care

Vocal cord tumors, swelling, reflux, or allergies can all result in hoarseness. A careful assessment of all of these factors is important to find a cure. We perform painless fiber optic evaluation in the office to examine the vocal cords and direct the right treatment.

Small nodules can develop on the vocal cords and cause hoarseness. These typically occur with overuse of the voice and are often called singer’s nodules. Early nodules may respond to medical treatment and speech therapy. More mature nodules can be removed with delicate microsurgery on an outpatient basis with significant voice improvement.

Lesions can grow on or under the lining of the vocal cords causing a deep, breathy hoarseness. Specialized microsurgery to remove the lesions under microscopic guidance is used to restore the voice.

One of the most frustrating conditions for patients is a chronic cough. Strong coughing spells can disrupt sleep, cause respiratory distress, and lead to embarrassing social situations. Many factors need to be addressed to identify the cause and relieve this problem. We frequently see patients who have been frustrated by this condition for years without relief. We have a comprehensive and step-by-step plan to finally provide relief for these patients.

Cancer of the vocal cords can occur in any person, but is particularly common in people that smoke. Early diagnosis can make less invasive treatment options available. Frequently the patient will experience persistent hoarseness or change in vocal quality with no other symptom. If you are concerned about the possibility of vocal cord cancer, the specialists at Capital ENT and Sinus Center can perform painless fiber optic endoscopy in the office to evaluate the cords in the office setting.

The muscles of the vocal cords can weaken over time as we age. A patient’s voice may not project with the confidence they require. Children may have difficulty hearing their grandparents. We can perform outpatient procedures to bulk up the vocal cords and increase the vocal strength.

The human papilloma virus (HPV or wart virus) may cause warty growths on the vocal cords. These growths cause hoarseness and may cause difficulty breathing. The warty growths may spread to involve the entire respiratory lining if they are not identified and treated. Outpatient microsurgery can safely remove these warty growths. Local injections of vaccines may be placed in the vocal cords in refractory cases.

One of the vocal cords may become paralyzed causing a weak voice, hoarseness, and a weak cough. This may have been following neck surgery, secondary to other diseases like diabetes, or may occur because of a viral infection. Many times the cord will return to normal function naturally. Outpatient surgical procedures can be performed to improve the voice if the cord doesn’t return over time.

In this condition, the voice is spastic with interruptions and breaks in speech. The nervous control of the vocal cords is dysfunctional. We can perform a simple office procedure in which BOTOX® is injected into the vocal cord. This injection usually causes months of improved vocal quality. The procedure is repeated as necessary and typically is more effective over time.

Patients with this condition may have difficulty breathing similar to asthma. Often, they are initially diagnosed with asthma and do not to respond to medications as expected. Patients with this disorder involuntarily close their vocal cords, preventing deep breathing. At Capital ENT and Sinus Center, we can identify this condition and treat the underlying medical conditions.