North Hampshire ENT can assess, diagnose and treat children and young persons with the following conditions.
Our voice is produced by vibration of the vocal cords which lie in the ‘voice box’ (larynx) at the level of the Adam’s apple. When we breathe in the vocal cords open to allow air to fill the lungs and then come together and vibrate as we breathe out to produce the voice.
Inflammation of the vocal cords will change the voice, as in a common cold, but sometimes smoking or gastro-oesophageal reflux may cause on-going problems.
Vocal cord nodules are initially areas of swelling on the vocal cords which can become fibrous in time. They are often caused by voice strain or singing, even professional singers can get them.
Swelling of the vocal cord, cysts and polyps can all cause a change in the voice which can only be diagnosed by examining the larynx, usually by a small endoscope.
If the nerve supply or muscles of one vocal cord stop working the cord becomes paralysed and the voice may become very breathy.
The high vocal requirements of the professional voice user can develop into voice disorders that require specialist equipment for diagnosis.
