Your voice is one of the traits that make you “uniquely you.” Any significant change in the quality or sound of your voice could be an 
indication of a problem, like vocal cord lesions. This is a throat-related condition that can be treated by a doctor at Midwest Ear, Nose, and Throat in Chicago, IL.
Your Vocal Cords
The vocal cords are two bands of tissue inside of the larynx, which is located behind the tongue. This tissue is key to forming the sounds that you make when you talk, yell, sing, or hum. Air is pushed out through the lungs, causing the cords to contract and vibrate. As the cords vibrate, sounds are created. The way these cords move, expand, and contract effect the pitch and volume of the voice.
Vocal Cord Lesions
A vocal cord lesion is a benign overgrowth of tissue—a polyp, cyst, or nodule. It is often caused by too much stress on the cords. For example, if you scream for long periods of time at a ball game, or sing night after night, this strain can cause extra tissue to develop on the vocal cords. Smoking can also cause lesions, which is why smokers sometimes have raspy voices. If you’re a singer, speaker, or someone who has to talk often in the course of work, vocal cord lesions can significantly affect the projection and quality of your voice. One of the first symptoms is hoarseness and difficulty getting words out.
Vocal Cord Surgery and Treatment
Vocal cord lesions can be difficult to treat without exploring voice surgery. The first step is usually to rest the voice to see if the problem heals itself or to try steam therapy. Voice surgery is usually recommended when the lesions are big or grow often. Your ENT in Chicago will use laser therapy and anesthesia to remove the growths. The recovery process is faster and easier than traditional surgical methods.
Improve Your Voice
If your ENT in Chicago, IL, discovers that you have vocal cord lesions, consider all treatment options, including voice surgery. Call (312) 988-7777 today to schedule an appointment with Dr. Gordon Siegel at Midwest Ear, Nose, and Throat.
MIDWEST ENT UPDATE 9/29/2020
As we approach fall and winter, we wish to update you on your ear nose and throat health. We recommend that you have your humidifiers inspected and cleaned. If you don't have one, this may be a good time to purchase. When heaters go on, so should humidifiers. In addition, nasal saline sprays and netty pots often times aid in healthy noses and throats. It is becoming increasingly well known how important good nasal breathing is for our overall health. I am sending a link to a recent story aired on CBS News, featuring James Nestor, author of the recent book, "Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art". It is very insightful and I hope you enjoy it.
We continue to take very strict COVID precautions. We have had no cases as a result anyone coming to our office or having surgery with us at Northwestern Hospital.
Flu season is rapidly approaching and strongly encourage the flu vaccine.
We are very pleased with our results of the Inspire(inspiresleep.com)procedure for sleep apnea. This has proven to be an excellent outpatient procedure for those who are not getting good results with CPAP.
As always, we offer a full range of services for your hearing health. We provide the most current technology for testing your hearing and providing the most appropriate hearing aids for each individual.
Please feel free to call the office(312-988-7777) for further information on all of the above or to set up an appointment. You may also send individual emails through our patient portal.
Wishing you all good health and safety,
Gordon J. Siegel, M.D.,FACS
Assistant Clinical Professor
Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Vocal Cord Lesion
posted: Apr. 19, 2018.
Our Location
3 East Huron Chicago, IL, 60660, US
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Our Regular Schedule
Monday:
8:00 am-5:00 pm
Tuesday:
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Wednesday:
Closed
Thursday:
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Friday:
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Saturday:
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Sunday:
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