I Have a Paralyzed and Can Sing No More. How Can I Sing Again?

What is vocal fold paralysis?

Structures involved in speech communication and vocalization production

Vocal fold paralysis (also known as vocal cord paralysis) is a vocalism disorder that occurs when one or both of the vocal folds don't open up or close properly. Unmarried song fold paralysis is a common disorder. Paralysis of both vocal folds is rare and can be life threatening.

The vocal folds are two elastic bands of muscle tissue located in the larynx (voice box) straight higher up the trachea (windpipe) (see effigy). When yous breathe, your song folds remain apart and when you eat, they are tightly closed. When y'all use your vocalization, however, air from the lungs causes your vocal folds to vibrate between open up and closed positions.

If y'all take vocal fold paralysis, the paralyzed fold or folds may remain open, leaving the air passages and lungs unprotected. You lot could have difficulty swallowing or food or liquids could accidentally enter the trachea and lungs, causing serious health issues.

What causes vocal fold paralysis?

Vocal fold paralysis may be caused by injury to the caput, cervix, or breast; lung or thyroid cancer; tumors of the skull base, neck, or chest; or infection (for example, Lyme disease). People with sure neurologic atmospheric condition such as multiple sclerosis or Parkinson's illness, or who have sustained a stroke, may experience vocal fold paralysis. In many cases, nevertheless, the crusade is unknown.

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms of song fold paralysis include changes in the voice, such as hoarseness or a breathy vocalisation; difficulties with breathing, such every bit shortness of jiff or noisy breathing; and swallowing bug, such as choking or cough when yous eat because nutrient is accidentally entering the windpipe instead of the esophagus (the muscular tube that connects the throat to the stomach). Changes in vocalism quality, such as loss of book or pitch, also may occur. Damage to both vocal folds, although rare, ordinarily causes serious issues with breathing.

How is song fold paralysis diagnosed?

Song fold paralysis is usually diagnosed past an otolaryngologist—a doctor who specializes in ear, nose, and throat disorders. He or she will ask you virtually your symptoms and when the problems began in society to assistance determine their cause. The otolaryngologist will as well mind to your phonation to place breathiness or hoarseness. Using an endoscope—a tube with a light at the end—your doc will look directly into the pharynx at the vocal folds. Some doctors as well use a procedure called laryngeal electromyography, which measures the electrical impulses of the nerves in the larynx, to better sympathize the areas of paralysis.

How is song fold paralysis treated?

The most common treatments for song fold paralysis are voice therapy and surgery. Some people's voices will naturally recover sometime during the offset year after diagnosis, which is why doctors often delay surgery for at to the lowest degree a year. During this fourth dimension, your md volition likely refer you to a speech-language pathologist for vocalisation therapy, which may involve exercises to strengthen the song folds or meliorate breath command while speaking. You might also acquire how to employ your phonation differently, for case, past speaking more slowly or opening your oral cavity wider when you speak. Several surgical procedures are available, depending on whether one or both of your vocal folds are paralyzed. The nigh common procedures change the position of the song fold. These may involve inserting a structural implant or stitches to reposition the laryngeal cartilage and bring the vocal folds closer together. These procedures commonly result in a stronger vox. Surgery is followed by additional voice therapy to help fine-melody the voice.

When both vocal folds are paralyzed, a tracheotomy may exist required to help animate. In a tracheotomy, an incision is made in the front of the neck and a breathing tube is inserted through an opening, called a stoma, into the trachea. Rather than occurring through the nose and oral fissure, animate now happens through the tube. Post-obit surgery, therapy with a speech-language pathologist helps y'all learn how to use the voice and how to properly care for the breathing tube.

What research is existence washed on vocal fold paralysis?

The National Plant on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) supports research studies that explore the causes of vocal fold paralysis too as amend means to treat the disorder. One surgical process, called medialization laryngoplasty, inserts a structural implant into the larynx to return vocalization quality. However, close to a quarter of the people who receive this handling must return for repositioning surgery to fine-melody the placement of the implant. An NIDCD-supported researcher currently is developing a pre-operative planning organization that uses iii-D computer modeling to determine the all-time location for, and configuration of, the implant. The surgery also uses an paradigm-guided system that allows the surgeon to visualize the precise location of the vocal fold to ensure exact placement of the implant. Researchers hope this new system volition reduce the need for repeated surgeries and lower the cost and gamble of surgical complications from the procedure.

The NIDCD also has been supporting a decades-long projection to develop an electrical stimulation technology to assistance people avoid having a tracheotomy when both vocal folds are paralyzed. The device, which currently is beingness tested in animals and people, uses an implanted pacemaker to stimulate laryngeal nerves. This returns mobility to the song folds and so that they tin open to allow breathing and close to allow speaking and swallowing.

Where tin can I get help?

If y'all notice any unexplained vocalization changes or discomfort, you should consult an otolaryngologist or a speech-language pathologist for evaluation and possible treatment.

Where tin I become additional information?

The NIDCD maintains a directory of organizations that provide information on the normal and matted processes of hearing, balance, gustation, smell, voice, speech, and language. Please run across the listing of organizations at www.nidcd.nih.gov/directory.

Use the post-obit keywords to help you search for organizations that can reply questions and provide printed or electronic information on vocal fold paralysis:

• Vocalism
• Laryngology
• Oral communication-linguistic communication pathologist

NIDCD Information Clearinghouse
1 Communication Avenue
Bethesda, MD 20892-3456
Toll-free voice: (800) 241-1044
Price-free TTY: (800) 241-1055
Email: nidcdinfo@nidcd.nih.gov

Publication No. xi-4306
Updated October 2011

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Source: https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/vocal-fold-paralysis

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