Treatment Options For Vocal Cord Dysfunction

Vocal cord dysfunction is a disorder where an individual's vocal cords are unable to function normally. A healthy individual has vocal cords that open up when they breathe air in and out, where individuals affected by vocal cord dysfunction have vocal cords that close. It is more difficult for air to enter and then leave the patient's lungs because of this abnormal vocal cord closing. Respiratory infections, odors, fumes, smoke, post-nasal drip, acid reflux, stress, intense emotions, and exercise can cause an individual to develop vocal cord dysfunction. 

An individual with vocal cord dysfunction may experience shortness of breath, chest tightness, frequent cough, excessive throat clearing, choking sensation, wheezing, noisy breathing, and a hoarse voice. Vocal cord dysfunction can come on suddenly, reducing the concentration of oxygen in the blood.

Speech Therapy

A patient experiencing vocal cord dysfunction may need to have speech therapy with a certified therapist. The vocal cords in an individual are essentially two bands of limber and stretchy tissue. Because these tissues can be conditioned to adjust to changes, speech therapy is often successful in treating vocal cord dysfunction. An affected individual learns how to perform certain breathing exercises and other methods to help relax the muscles around their throat and vocal cords. 

These types of techniques can be used to manage the symptoms that occur in vocal cord dysfunction, such as shortness of breath, noisy breathing, and a hoarse voice. During speech therapy, an affected individual is asked to run or jog on a treadmill to induce their vocal cord dysfunction symptoms so they can actively work with the certified speech therapist to learn ways to help alleviate them. It typically takes between three and four sessions of speech therapy for an individual to really learn how to control their vocal cord dysfunction effectively.