30701 Woodward Ave, Suite 200
Royal Oak, MI 48073
Royal Oak, MI 48073
If you or a loved one has difficulty speaking and/or breathing, then it’s possible that it’s related to a neurological disease known as vocal cord paralysis.
Our vocal cords end up doing so much more than just help us produce sounds, because they also protect our vital airways from choking on foods, liquids and saliva.
Here at The Rontal Clinic, ENT doctor in Detroit MI, we’ve supported hundreds of patients with vocal cord paralysis symptoms—so we understand if you or your loved one is rather confused about their condition and potential treatment options.
That’s why we’ve developed this article detailing what you should know about treating vocal cord paralysis, so go through the below sections to better understand this complicated throat condition!
It’s first and foremost important to understand that your vocal cords are technically two very flexible pieces of muscle tissue located at the entrance of your trachea. When you speak, your vocal cords vibrate together to make specific sounds; and when you’re not speaking, your vocal cords stay in a relaxed, open position that allows for proper breathing.
In the vast majority of vocal cord paralysis cases, only one vocal cord is paralyzed. However, when both vocal cords are impacted, an individual might have significant speaking, breathing and swallowing difficulties.
Some of the most common symptoms associated with vocal cord paralysis include:
· Noisy breathing
· Hoarseness
· Loss of vocal pitch
· Breathy speech quality
· Coughing or choking while swallowing drinks, food or saliva
· Loss of a gag reflex
· An inability to speak loudly
· Needing to breathe frequently while speaking
One thing that’s important to understand about vocal cord paralysis is that it often gradually develops over a long period of time. This is why you or your loved one must see our doctors right away when unexplained hoarseness has continued for 3-4 weeks, or when unexplained voice discomfort or changes are becoming noticeable.
Your vocal cord muscles become paralyzed when the associated nerve impulses in your larynx get interrupted.
Although it’s often difficult to pinpoint the exact cause of each individual’s unique vocal cord paralysis, industry specialists have discovered the following common causes:
· Chest or Neck Injuries: When an individual experiences significant trauma to their chest or neck area, the injury can potentially damage vocal cord nerves or the actual larynx itself.
· Surgery-Related Vocal Cord Injuries: It’s also possible for neck and upper chest surgery mistakes to damage voice box nerves.
· Tumors: Both cancerous and benign tumors can develop around an individual’s voice box muscles and nerves, which can lead to vocal cord paralysis.
· Strokes: When an individual suffers a stroke, the interrupted blood flow to the brain can result in nerve signal damages associated with the vocal cords.
· Inflammation: Various neck surgeries, viral infections and arthritis can potentially lead to the general scarring and inflammation of an individual’s vocal cord joints and cartilages. This inflammation can make it more difficult for the vocal cords to open and close, even though the vocal cord nerves are still relatively normal.
· Neurological Conditions: When an individual suffers from neurological conditions like Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis, it’s possible that they may also experience vocal cord paralysis. However, it’s important to note that these conditions are more likely to result in vocal cord weakness, and not necessarily a complete paralysis.
In order to properly evaluate your voice concerns, we’ll likely perform the following tests:
· Endoscopy: An endoscopy requires a flexible tube known as an endoscope to give doctors an in-depth look at a patient’s vocal cords. It’s also common to undergo a test that’s known as a videostrobolaryngoscopy, which is a lot more than just a crazy tongue twister! This scope utilizes a tiny camera that gives doctors a clear view of a patient’s vocal cords via a screen monitor.
· Laryngeal Electromyography: A laryngeal electromyography tests the electrical currents found within an individual’s vocal cord muscles by carefully inserting tiny needles into an individual’s vocal cord muscles via their neck. Doctors will be able to verify the specific degree of vocal cord paralysis by analyzing these electrical current patterns, which helps to pinpoint a patient’s most effective treatment options.
· Blood Scans & Tests: Due to there being a wide array of diseases that can lead to nerve damages, it’s also important for doctors to conduct additional blood tests on a patient experiencing vocal cord paralysis symptoms. Some of these tests can include lung functionality tests, blood work, MRI/CT scans and X-rays.
It’s important to remember that every patient’s vocal cord paralysis is 100% unique to them, which is why treatment options depend upon factors like symptom severity and specific causes of the condition.
It’s common to treat vocal cord paralysis through voice therapy, but it’s also often necessary for patients to undergo surgery as well.
It’s always possible for patients to see improvements without surgical treatment, which is why many doctors will delay surgeries for around 6-12 months to see if the paralysis can be healed non-invasively.
During the waiting period when a doctor is delaying vocal cord surgery, it’s likely that they’ll suggest voice therapy to treat and heal vocal cord nerves.
Vocal cord therapy sessions entail activities and exercises that strengthen an individual’s vocal cords. It’s also common for patients to undergo exercises that help them improve their breath control while speaking as well.
When vocal cord paralysis symptoms don’t heal through voice therapy, surgical treatments might be the best option. One popular procedure is bulking up a patient’s weakened vocal cord muscles through collagen, body fat, and other approved filler injections.
These injections can drastically improve the size and overall strength of a patient’s vocal cords, which can subsequently lead to the paralyzed vocal cord gravitating closer to the center of an individual’s voice box.
This type of strengthening and repositioning can make it much easier for someone to speak, breathe, swallow and cough.
In this type of procedure, our surgeons will manually move a small window of your own tissue from the outer edges of your voice box and reposition it more inwards.
This leads to a paralyzed vocal cord being pushed closer to the middle of the voice box, which makes it easier for impaired vocal cords to experience normal vibrations against its unimpaired partner.
In the situation when both of a patient’s vocal cords are paralyzed and they’re naturally positioned close together, it’s possible for them to experience significant airflow decreases and breathing difficulties.
This is when a surgical procedure known as a tracheotomy is often required, which entails an incision in the front of the neck that creates a small opening directly into an individual’s windpipe. Once the procedure is completed, a breathing tube will be inserted that allows the patient to more easily breathe by bypassing the paralyzed vocal cords.
Are you or a loved one currently experiencing symptoms associated with vocal cord paralysis? Do you live in Detroit Michigan in the Royal Oak area?
If you answered yes to these questions, then you should reach out to our team today to learn more about your treatment options. The Rontal Clinic is a renowned, family-owned ENT care provider that’s supported the Royal Oak community for over 50 years, and our specialists have supported hundreds of patients suffering from vocal cord paralysis.
Give us a call or text us at 248-737-4030 to schedule your consultation appointment with our specialists today.