Swelling Of The Vocal Cords

2024 Author: Josephine Shorter | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 21:43

Swelling of the vocal cords

The vocal cords are an important organ of voice production. It is the main element of the middle part of the pharynx. They are located on both sides of the larynx, stretched from front to back. These are elastic formations consisting of connective muscle tissue. There is a glottis between the vocal cords. When the air leaves the lungs, pressure is created to bring the ligaments closer together. There is tension and trembling, sound (voice) appears.

One of the secondary, but also important functions of the vocal cords is to protect the bronchi and lungs from foreign bodies. Acute inflammation of the larynx involves the vocal cords in the process, which is complicated by an increase in their size, a decrease in the glottis. Often such a pathological condition is associated with viral diseases, allergies, and excessive voice stress.

Often, the disease develops as a result of inhalation of irritating substances. Always the sudden appearance of hoarseness should be suspicious, especially when it comes to children. Persistent edema of the mucous membrane in the area of the vocal cords, leading to hoarseness and a change in the timbre of the voice, requires an immediate visit to an otolaryngologist.

In the acute period of swelling of the ligaments, treatment should be carried out in a hospital setting. Only a specialist can correctly find out the cause of the disease and prescribe medications that eliminate the swelling of the vocal cords. Swelling of the ligaments occurs whenever there are certain diseases of the throat. In order for the functions of the vocal cords to be preserved, their sufficient tension is necessary, otherwise it is difficult for a person to pronounce a sound.

As a result of swelling of the ligaments, the lungs cease to receive air, and the patient may suffocate. Regular overexertion or inhalation of an irritating factor (smoke, dust) leads to a chronic disease of the larynx and often results in swelling of the mucous membrane. Then the tone of the voice changes, becomes hoarse. Edema can trigger the onset of cancer. This is another reason for the need to contact a specialist.

People whose activities are related to the intensive use of the vocal cords should take measures to prevent throat diseases. Edema of the larynx is often a manifestation of many pathological processes, but, as a rule, it necessarily involves the vocal cords in this process. The larynx most often swells in young men under the age of 35, edema can be found in children and people of advanced age.

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Swelling of the larynx is inflammatory and non-inflammatory. One of the most common causes is trauma to the larynx, which can be caused during some kind of surgery, such as moxibustion (galvanocautery), in children with bronchoscopy, or damage to the larynx with hot food or caustic solutions.

Inflammatory edema of the larynx, and, consequently, of the vocal cords occurs as a result of the transferred processes of a purulent nature at the root of the tongue and in another zone of the oral cavity. Sometimes edema is obtained with measles, scarlet fever, flu, typhoid, tuberculosis, syphilis and other infectious diseases.

Non-inflammatory laryngeal edema follows diseases of the cardiovascular system, kidneys, liver, and occurs when the blood circulation of the veins and lymphatic vessels of the neck is disturbed. In the area of edema, the tissue becomes thickened.

Serous effusion appears between the fibers of the connective tissue. When an infection joins the inflammatory process, then infiltration can be detected in the submucosal layer. Launched edema causes pain when swallowing, a feeling of pressure, the presence of a foreign body, voice disturbance. It is difficult to establish the cause of the edema and provide for the further development of the inflammatory process.

With edema of the true vocal cords, serous effusion, in addition to the subepithelial layer, also involves intermuscular connective tissue layers in the pathological process. If bilateral changes are observed, narrowing of the glottis can be expected. The course of the disease cannot be predicted, therefore, a timely visit to a doctor will allow you to quickly eliminate the edema, you cannot wait for a critical condition. Treatment of ligament edema can be very diverse, recommendations should be followed exactly.

In some cases, the help of a surgeon may be needed. Usually, the operation is needed in case of severe symptoms of suffocation or when it is necessary to open the formed abscess in the larynx. Therapy for the treatment of vocal cord edema is determined depending on the identified causes that provoked the problem. If the swelling is caused by cardiovascular disease, heart medications are prescribed. In case of edema due to kidney disease, diuretics and anti-inflammatory drugs should be additionally used.

Article author: Mochalov Pavel Alexandrovich | d. m. n. therapist

Education: Moscow Medical Institute. IM Sechenov, specialty - "General Medicine" in 1991, in 1993 "Occupational Diseases", in 1996 "Therapy".