Vocal cord nodules

What are vocal cord nodules?

These develop in people who overuse their voice excessively, putting a great strain on the vocal cords in their voice box (or larynx).

The nodules are small and vary from the size of a pinhead to that of a grape seed. They're a greyish-white, non-cancerous and made of keratin. They probably occur as a result of the vocal cords colliding more frequently than normal and affect the way the voice box works, although its not clear why they only affect some people who speak or sing a lot.. The voice becomes hoarse and is lost rapidly.

Causes and risk factors

Teachers, public speakers and singers are most commonly affected. And it's not only adults who develop them - noisy children can, too.

Treatment and recovery

To confirm the diagnosis and ensure the problem isn't being caused by something more serious, an ear, nose and throat specialist will look at the voice box using a painless technique called mirror laryngoscopy. A biopsy (small piece of tissue) of the nodules may also be taken.

If the nodules are small, speech therapy is recommended to teach the person how to use their voice correctly and prevent further damage. This usually allows the nodules to shrink and sometimes disappear.

Larger nodules can be removed with microsurgery or laser therapy.