4 Must-Know Voice Issues and How to Treat Them

Your voice enables you to communicate, and not just with words. When you have full control of your vocal range, you can emote with your inflection. It gives you a valuable tool to tell the people around you what you want and need and to enjoy shared experiences with them.

That’s why voice problems can feel so frustrating. If you lose the ability to speak like you could before, you probably feel limited. 

To help, Matthew W. Shawl, MD, and our team offer dedicated care for voice issues. When you visit our Union Square office in New York City, Dr. Shawl can determine what’s causing the problem with your voice. More importantly, he tailors a plan to treat it, ideally helping you reclaim full control of your vocal faculties. 

#1: Laryngitis

You develop this condition when your voice box (larynx) gets inflamed. This might happen because of overuse — maybe you yelled or sang too loudly at a concert one night — or because you have an illness infecting your larynx. 

Treatment for laryngitis

If you have laryngitis from overuse, resting your voice and drinking fluids will usually clear it up. If another health condition like the flu is causing the problem, treating it means addressing the underlying health condition. Dr. Shawl can help there. 

#2: Lesions

You might develop abnormal tissue on your vocal cords, causing your voice issue. This could be a cyst, polyp, or nodule, and it might be benign or cancerous. 

In many cases, the lesion grows in size with time. You might notice growing hoarseness and other voice changes, along with pain in your throat. 

Treatment for lesions

Advances in treatments give you a variety of options for addressing these lesions. Laser therapy, minimally invasive surgery, and injections can all address the nodule, cyst, or polyp. 

#3: Spasmodic dysphonia

This condition causes voice box spasming. You might experience regular voice cracks or notice that your voice sounds strained. 

Treatment for spasmodic dysphonia 

Dr. Shawl tailors treatment to you. In some cases, voice therapy is enough to calm the voice box. Other people need targeted treatment like Botox® injections to temporarily freeze spasming muscles or surgery. 

#4: Vocal cord paralysis

When the nerve impulses that control your voice box don’t work the way they should, it can paralyze your vocal cords. This issue often develops after an injury impacting the nerves in that part of your body. 

Treatment for vocal cord paralysis

Voice therapy can be a powerful tool for people with vocal cord paralysis. If your voice box doesn’t respond well to therapy, Dr. Shawl can explore other treatment options — like steroids or surgery — with you. 

With any of these voice issues, Dr. Shawl and our team prioritize conservative treatment first. Our goal is to help you reclaim your voice with as little invasiveness as possible. To get started, call our Manhattan office or book an appointment online today.