About 5 yrs ago I had a got a new heart valve and double bypass. When they busted my chest open it seems they clipped a nerve going to one of my vocal cord flappers. It stays open all the time. I can barely talk using a lot of air. I went to a Dr that had put a silicon wedge trying to push the flapper closed and helped some till I had another operation and must have moved the wedge. Just wondering or hoping someone else has had this problem and found a doctor who was able to help. It really hurts a guy who likes to talk..
Vocal Cord Problem
- Thread starter Bruno
- Start date
Theophrastus Bombastus
Recycles dryer sheets
- Joined
- Jul 27, 2021
- Messages
- 76
Contact the state medical society for the names of ENT specialists who have experience with this. Conversely, you can call the larger, medical school affiliated hospitals for names of such specialists.
MissMolly
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
- Joined
- Jun 9, 2010
- Messages
- 2,349
I am dealing with something similar. I got Legionnaire's Disease last May. I then developed what I thought was laryngitis from all the coughing and inflammation from the Legionnaire's. Now here I am 9+ months later and still can't talk. At first the doctors just shrugged it off saying it was laryngitis and would resolve.
After 3 months of not being able to talk I was referred to an ENT who scoped my throat (unpleasant). My vocal cords were stuck in the open position. He called it muscle tension dysphonia and said it was due to the enormous stress my body went through from the Legionnaire's (I've never been so sick in life) and that my vocal cords just shut down from all the inflammation. He referred me to a speech therapist feeling that with voice training it would resolve. After 4 months of weekly visits to the speech therapist and doing all the vocal exercises every day, both the therapist and I agreed this wasn't working.
Went back to the ENT and he agreed this wasn't working (after another unpleasant throat scope). He has referred me to a laryngologist whose practice is only focused on throat/vocal cord problems. He is associated with our local university medical system (we have a large teaching hospital here). I see the laryngologist for the first time next Tuesday. My fingers are crossed that he can help me.
So basically I don't talk much anymore because it's too hard to make people understand me. And it makes them uncomfortable to hear me struggle to get words out, even though it's not at all painful. So people avoid talking to me.
I have no words of wisdom for you unfortunately, but can offer my sympathy Maybe I'll know more in a week. But I understand and know what you are going through. It sucks.
After 3 months of not being able to talk I was referred to an ENT who scoped my throat (unpleasant). My vocal cords were stuck in the open position. He called it muscle tension dysphonia and said it was due to the enormous stress my body went through from the Legionnaire's (I've never been so sick in life) and that my vocal cords just shut down from all the inflammation. He referred me to a speech therapist feeling that with voice training it would resolve. After 4 months of weekly visits to the speech therapist and doing all the vocal exercises every day, both the therapist and I agreed this wasn't working.
Went back to the ENT and he agreed this wasn't working (after another unpleasant throat scope). He has referred me to a laryngologist whose practice is only focused on throat/vocal cord problems. He is associated with our local university medical system (we have a large teaching hospital here). I see the laryngologist for the first time next Tuesday. My fingers are crossed that he can help me.
So basically I don't talk much anymore because it's too hard to make people understand me. And it makes them uncomfortable to hear me struggle to get words out, even though it's not at all painful. So people avoid talking to me.
I have no words of wisdom for you unfortunately, but can offer my sympathy Maybe I'll know more in a week. But I understand and know what you are going through. It sucks.
rk911
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Loads of good thoughts coming your way for, hopefully a quick, but certainly a full recovery.
street
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
My wife a month ago had her thyroids removed from ENT. She has a partialized larynx on right side. She is going to speech therapy starting next week and she also is going to see a laryngologist next week. All scratchy and and very hard to understand. I feel very bad for her and hope she can get some help. I wish all of You the best outcome also.
Flyfish1
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
As a retired ENT I am not going to say too much. Except this, self refer to a major University with a dedicated Laryngologist - yes it a an actual specialty. Even if it involves a plane flight , do it.
rk911
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Same poitive thoughts and prayers for your wife.
MissMolly
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
- Joined
- Jun 9, 2010
- Messages
- 2,349
Actually, I wish you would say more. Is there any hope for those of us dealing with this? Are there any specific questions I should ask the Laryngologist? Is there something more I could be doing? Talking more doesn't make it better. Not talking at all for several days doesn't make it better. Speech therapy doesn't make it better. Gargling with salt water doesn't make it better. Humming doesn't make it better. Vocalizing aaaaa, eeeee, iiiii, ooooo, uuuuu doesn't make it better. Blowing bubble through a straw doesn't make it better. I'm really frustrated. Any professional advice would be most welcome.
Mark1
Full time employment: Posting here.
All excellent questions, but you have seem to have not asked the one question I might have asked.
Can you recommend a major University with a dedicated Laryngologist that I might visit?
I hope Flyfish gets back and gives a recommendation and you get your issue resolved, as it has to be very frustrating.
MissMolly
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
- Joined
- Jun 9, 2010
- Messages
- 2,349
But I already have an appointment with a Laryngologist at a major university. It’s next Tuesday.
Flyfish1
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
So I am retired and no longer have an active medical license but I still can't give medical advice on a person's individual situation. You are seeing a sub specialist, a Laryngologist at a major University and that is the best move you could do. If you haven't read about muscle tension dysphonia yet it may help you to do so in advance of your visit. I actually appreciated the people that did their homework before the visit even if they were totally wrong as it often saved time for me to try to explain difficult topics.
About 30 years ago I had a similar problem. A cold virus damaged the left nerve, leaving me with a left laryngeal nerve palsy. The left side of my larynx was totally paralyzed.
First, they checked it out thoroughly to make sure that the nerve problem was in fact caused by a virus. Then I was told the nerve might grow back in time. I had no surgery or meds. I had only a whisper level voice for probably 9 months, but the nerve was slowly growing back. Then my voice began to get better and in another 2 or 3 months I had my old voice back.
After a last scoping of my throat by an ENT, he said that rather than the 2 sides of my larynx flapping closed 50% each, the left side was still a bit slow, closing maybe 40%, and the other side was compensating by closing 60%.
To those above that are having problems, I can tell you that for me it was frustrating at times. I hope you recover, and I hope it helps to hear from someone that did recover over time.
First, they checked it out thoroughly to make sure that the nerve problem was in fact caused by a virus. Then I was told the nerve might grow back in time. I had no surgery or meds. I had only a whisper level voice for probably 9 months, but the nerve was slowly growing back. Then my voice began to get better and in another 2 or 3 months I had my old voice back.
After a last scoping of my throat by an ENT, he said that rather than the 2 sides of my larynx flapping closed 50% each, the left side was still a bit slow, closing maybe 40%, and the other side was compensating by closing 60%.
To those above that are having problems, I can tell you that for me it was frustrating at times. I hope you recover, and I hope it helps to hear from someone that did recover over time.
Uplooking
Dryer sheet wannabe
- Joined
- Feb 13, 2010
- Messages
- 16
@Bruno, my wife has a very similar experience after two heart surgeries - no definite cause but suspect trauma to a nerve(s) controlling half of her diaphragm and one side of her vocal cord. Both are largely unresponsive resulting in shortness of breath and poor (<50%) vocal quality/volume (hard time making herself understood above a moderate conversation background). The injuries occurred about 5-6 years ago. Nerves can heal but are very slow to heal. The vocal cord issue is treatable at least and the heart surgeries mean I still have her company.
She was treated at Mayo Clinic Rochester, MN by an Otolaryngolost (inserted a wedge to move the non-responsive cord closer to center line so the functional code fold could work against it). Good results with about 70% of vocal response recovered after 3 months. Nerve in question is likely Laryngeal nerve based on my non-professional research.
Reading through some of the experiences - I realize we are not the only ones. Trust your outcome will be as good or better than ours!
Glad you’re going to see a laryngologist. Finding the right specialist is always a challenge and the major university suggestion makes logical sense. If they aren’t the right person perhaps they will know who is.
I had a dysfunctional vocal fold problem years ago and was sent to a forensic speech pathologist and it helped me. (Chronic cough). I didn’t know there was such a specialty.
I had a dysfunctional vocal fold problem years ago and was sent to a forensic speech pathologist and it helped me. (Chronic cough). I didn’t know there was such a specialty.
youbet
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
In mid-November I had a serious open heart surgical procedure performed (aortic dissection - Type A, ascending aorta) on an emergency basis at a prominent teaching hospital in downtown Chicago. This was after an exciting ambulance transfer from a community hospital in suburban Chicago where I had spent two days in their cardiac ICU. Following the 9.5 hour surgical procedure, I had little voice. After nine days in the cardiac ICU, they moved me to "step down" care where a specialist (otolaryngology?) showed up one afternoon with a cart full of equipment. He ran a camera down through my nose and we both enjoyed a nice view of my vocal cords. The left side was paralyzed.
He suggested a procedure where a steroid would be injected into my left side vocal cords causing swelling and improvement in the ability of the non-paralyzed right side cords to do their job. He wanted to schedule the procedure within a few days before I was discharged to the rehabilitation hospital. I begged off because (1) the camera insertion had been quite unpleasant and I was already very uncomfortable from the surgery and (2) he said my voice might improve on its own over the next few months.
They said the paralysis was caused by damage to nerves during the lengthy intubation and was common during this type of surgery.
I'm now about three months past surgery. The first month I was hospitalized. The past two months I have been home with DW as my caregiver and visiting nurses and therapists coming and going. I have yet to do anything about my voice situation although it has improved somewhat to where I can now do squeaky/raspy phone calls, talk to store clerks, etc., if they are patient. I'm thinking about going ahead and scheduling an appointment with an otolaryngology specialist now. My surgeon gave me a referral and a list of docs that are part of the same system. I'm still apprehensive about the procedure but I also miss my once robust, deep voice!
He suggested a procedure where a steroid would be injected into my left side vocal cords causing swelling and improvement in the ability of the non-paralyzed right side cords to do their job. He wanted to schedule the procedure within a few days before I was discharged to the rehabilitation hospital. I begged off because (1) the camera insertion had been quite unpleasant and I was already very uncomfortable from the surgery and (2) he said my voice might improve on its own over the next few months.
They said the paralysis was caused by damage to nerves during the lengthy intubation and was common during this type of surgery.
I'm now about three months past surgery. The first month I was hospitalized. The past two months I have been home with DW as my caregiver and visiting nurses and therapists coming and going. I have yet to do anything about my voice situation although it has improved somewhat to where I can now do squeaky/raspy phone calls, talk to store clerks, etc., if they are patient. I'm thinking about going ahead and scheduling an appointment with an otolaryngology specialist now. My surgeon gave me a referral and a list of docs that are part of the same system. I'm still apprehensive about the procedure but I also miss my once robust, deep voice!
Last edited:
youbet
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
In my case, the head of the cardiac surgical team provided me with a referral and a list of Laryngogists, One is located at the mother ship hospital in downtown Chicago, the others at suburban satellite locations that are also part of the system.
Do you think there is an advantage to booking an appointment with the downtown doc? He's probably the same guy who scoped me while I was hospitalized there. Or I am likely to be as well off with one of the suburban docs?
Traveling to the downtown location is a challenge and driving to one of the suburban locations would be much more convenient. But, I want to put myself in the best possible situation.
Have any thoughts on this?
Flyfish1
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Not every ENT will perform the vocal cord injections. Best to call ahead.
Similar threads
- ERD50
- Technology, Media & e-Gadgets
- Replies: 23
- Views: 636
- GreekGeek1222
- FIRE and Money
- Replies: 0
- Views: 422
- ejko
- Travel Information
- Replies: 7
- Views: 1K
