Do you need to avoid certain foods if you have vocal cord polyps?

Written by Yao Jun
Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
Updated on March 19, 2025
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Vocal cord polyps are a common ENT disease, mainly caused by patients overusing their voice, or by long-term consumption of spicy, irritating foods, staying up late, smoking, alcohol, strong tea, coffee, etc. Therefore, patients with vocal cord polyps should avoid eating spicy and irritating foods, and also avoid staying up late, smoking, drinking alcohol, and consuming strong tea and coffee etc. It is best to eat some cooling foods that relieve summer heat, or take proprietary Chinese medicines that clear the throat and benefit the voice. Try to speak less, avoid staying up late, and avoid catching colds. Generally, if medication is ineffective, surgery may be considered. (The use of medications should be under the guidance of a doctor.)

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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.

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Written by Deng Bang Yu
Otolaryngology
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What should I do about vocal cord polyps?

Vocal cord polyps are benign tumors located on the vocal cords, primarily caused by improper use of the voice or by inflammatory infections. When vocal cord polyps are suspected, it is essential to visit a hospital for an examination, primarily using a laryngoscope to assess the size of the polyps and check for any other vocal cord lesions. Once diagnosed, surgical intervention is often evaluated. Suitable cases are admitted to the hospital for surgery under a surgical microscope to remove the polyps. Generally, patients can be discharged three to five days after the surgery. The surgery involves microscopic techniques, so the trauma is minimal.

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Written by Li Mao Cai
Otolaryngology
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The difference between vocal cord polyps and laryngeal cancer

The difference between vocal cord polyps and laryngeal cancer is firstly notable in their nature. Vocal cord polyps are benign lesions, and their removal generally does not significantly affect the patient's quality of life or lifespan. Laryngeal cancer, as the name implies, is a malignant lesion that greatly affects both the patient's quality of life and lifespan. Location-wise, vocal cord polyps are found on the vocal cords, while laryngeal cancer can be located in one of three areas: on the vocal cords, known as glottic laryngeal cancer; below the vocal cords, known as subglottic laryngeal cancer; and above the vocal cords, known as supraglottic laryngeal cancer. The prognosis for vocal cord polyps is very good; after surgery, if the patient rests well, their future quality of life is generally unaffected. Laryngeal cancer is divided into three types: glottic, supraglottic, and subglottic, with glottic being the most common, accounting for about 80%. This type of laryngeal cancer usually presents early symptoms such as hoarseness, similar to vocal cord polyps. Therefore, glottic laryngeal cancer can often be detected early. With prompt and correct treatment, the postoperative results can be good. As it typically involves highly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma, if it is completely excised surgically and regularly reviewed postoperatively, it doesn't greatly impact lifespan or quality of life. In contrast, subglottic and supraglottic laryngeal cancers often show symptoms later, which means they tend to be diagnosed at a later stage, usually at a mid to advanced stage. Supraglottic laryngeal cancer, in particular, is prone to cervical lymph node metastasis, thus usually having a poorer prognosis compared to glottic laryngeal cancer. There's also a higher likelihood of recurrence and metastasis, and the surgery may involve greater trauma. These are the main differences.

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Written by Deng Bang Yu
Otolaryngology
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Can vocal cord polyps be cured by taking Chinese medicine?

Vocal cord polyps are benign neoplasms on the free edge of our vocal cords. Once vocal cord polyps form, they are difficult to eliminate through medication and are generally removed surgically, as they are usually relatively large. In terms of using Chinese medicine, clinically, we mainly use Chinese patent medicines that clear the throat and benefit the voice. However, these can only serve as an adjunctive treatment and cannot eliminate vocal cord polyps. Therefore, in clinical treatment, surgery is primarily used. Chinese medicine cannot eliminate vocal cord polyps, and this is something we must understand.

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Written by Zhang Jun
Otolaryngology
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Can recurrent vocal cord polyps turn into cancer?

Recurrent vocal cord polyps can potentially lead to cancerous changes. Vocal cord polyps are caused by improper use of the voice over an extended period, such as yelling loudly or excessive fatigue, leading to changes in the vocal cords. Generally, it affects one vocal cord and causes the patient to experience persistent, progressive hoarseness. During an examination with an electronic laryngoscope, a neoplasm can be observed on the anterior-middle third of the affected vocal cord. This neoplasm is smooth, pale white or pale red, and has a thin stalk, leading to incomplete closure of the vocal folds and subsequent hoarseness. In terms of treatment, conservative methods are ineffective. The patient requires a microlaryngoscopy under general anesthesia to remove the vocal cord polyp. Postoperative care includes antibiotics to prevent local infections, and the patient can typically recover and be discharged about a week after the surgery.