How long does it take for vocal cord polyps to go away with medication?

Written by Zhang Jun
Otolaryngology
Updated on January 11, 2025
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Vocal cord polyps do not respond to medical treatment. The majority of vocal cord polyps are caused by improper or excessive use of the voice, such as prolonged speaking, overexertion, and shouting, leading to vocal cord lesions. The disease typically affects one vocal cord, causing the patient to have persistent and progressively worsening hoarseness.

During an examination with a laryngoscope, a smooth, pale white or pale red neoplasm with a thin stalk can be seen at the anterior-middle third of one vocal cord. The vocal cord moves well but does not close completely.

In terms of treatment, medication is ineffective for vocal cord nodules and polyps. The patient needs to undergo a vocal cord polypectomy under a support laryngoscopy. This surgery requires hospitalization, general anesthesia, and postoperative use of antibiotics to prevent local infection. Recovery and discharge can typically occur about a week post-operation. After recovery, patients are advised to speak softly and minimally, and avoid exhaustion to prevent recurrence.

(The use of medication should be under the guidance of a professional doctor.)

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Written by Li Rui
Otolaryngology
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Can people with vocal cord polyps eat spicy food?

Vocal cord polyps are a relatively common otolaryngological condition. It is advised to avoid spicy foods in the diet. This type of food tends to irritate the vocal cords significantly, potentially causing congestion and edema in the vocal cords, and aggravating the condition of the vocal cord polyps. Moreover, it may also lead to further worsening of hoarseness. Some patients may even develop acute pharyngitis, which can cause throat pain, breathing difficulties, and possibly even fever. After the onset of vocal cord polyps, it is necessary for patients to visit an otolaryngology department, undergo a laryngoscopy to assess the condition, and consider medical conservative treatment or surgical removal depending on the case.

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Written by Xu Qing Tian
Otolaryngology
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Symptoms of recurrent vocal cord polyps

Vocal cord polyps are a common and frequently occurring illness, primarily characterized by symptoms such as hoarseness and throat discomfort. After surgical removal of vocal cord polyps through suspension laryngoscopy, the patient's voice may still be hoarse in the short term. This hoarseness is mainly due to postoperative mucosal edema, and the general recovery period requires three to four weeks. Patients need to rest their voice and reduce vocal usage. Dietary precautions include avoiding spicy and irritating foods and reducing the incidence of colds and coughs. If a patient experiences a recurrence of vocal cord polyps, the main symptom is hoarseness. This can be confirmed through an examination with an electronic laryngoscope to determine whether the vocal cord polyps have recurred. There is still a certain probability of recurrence, which mainly depends on how the patient protects their voice in daily life.

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Written by Zhang Jun
Otolaryngology
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How long does it take for vocal cord polyps to go away with medication?

Vocal cord polyps do not respond to medical treatment. The majority of vocal cord polyps are caused by improper or excessive use of the voice, such as prolonged speaking, overexertion, and shouting, leading to vocal cord lesions. The disease typically affects one vocal cord, causing the patient to have persistent and progressively worsening hoarseness. During an examination with a laryngoscope, a smooth, pale white or pale red neoplasm with a thin stalk can be seen at the anterior-middle third of one vocal cord. The vocal cord moves well but does not close completely. In terms of treatment, medication is ineffective for vocal cord nodules and polyps. The patient needs to undergo a vocal cord polypectomy under a support laryngoscopy. This surgery requires hospitalization, general anesthesia, and postoperative use of antibiotics to prevent local infection. Recovery and discharge can typically occur about a week post-operation. After recovery, patients are advised to speak softly and minimally, and avoid exhaustion to prevent recurrence. (The use of medication should be under the guidance of a professional doctor.)

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Written by Li Rui
Otolaryngology
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Can vocal cord polyps be treated without surgery?

Some patients with vocal cord polyps may not require surgery, as the treatment of vocal cord polyps is mainly divided into two categories. The first category is conservative treatment, and the second category is surgical treatment. Surgical intervention might be considered if the polyp is particularly large and symptoms are prominent, such as hoarseness or breathing difficulties. However, if the hoarseness is not very pronounced and the polyp is relatively small or the clinical symptoms are not very typical, it is possible that the condition could be alleviated through medication. Common treatments include oral medication and nebulization, accompanied by voice training. With conservative treatment, many patients can achieve effective control, and some may even experience a gradual reduction in the polyp size. Regular follow-up examinations are advised to avoid excessive use of the voice.

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Written by Deng Bang Yu
Otolaryngology
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Can vocal cord polyps be treated without surgery?

Vocal cord polyps are benign neoplasms in the throat, primarily presenting clinically as hoarseness. Typically, vocal cord polyps are relatively large when detected, and various treatment methods often do not result in complete disappearance. Therefore, clinical treatment of vocal cord polyps mainly involves surgical removal. Sometimes, if patients are reluctant to undergo surgery, medication can be attempted. However, the likelihood of completely eliminating vocal cord polyps with medication alone is relatively low. If the condition does not improve or the polyps do not shrink or disappear after medicinal treatment, surgery is often necessary.