Treatment Options For Vocal Cord Dysfunction

Managing Asthma

When treating vocal cord dysfunction, managing underlying conditions that can be more serious should be the first approach. Asthma is a long-term disease that affects a patient's airways, which are responsible for transporting air to and from both of their lungs. The airways or bronchial tubes that lead to the lungs become swollen, narrow, and inflamed as a result of asthma. The inflammation of the airways can cause muscles in the patient's neck and throat to malfunction and tighten excessively.

Asthma attacks have also been known to stimulate an overproduction of mucus in the airways. The swelling and excessive mucus can stop sufficient amounts of oxygen from reaching the patient's lungs because they are not able to breathe very well. These breathing malfunctions and inflammatory mechanisms can cause the adduction of the vocal cords. Inhaler medications can be utilized to help reduce the asthma symptoms that are known to trigger vocal cord dysfunction.

Managing Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

Gastroesophageal reflux disease is a disorder of the digestive system where the lower esophageal sphincter does not function the way it should. As a result of this malfunction, gastric acids that are native to the stomach inappropriately flow upward into the patient's esophagus. This process produces painful and uncomfortable symptoms that may include difficulty swallowing, the sensation of a lump in the throat, chest pain, burning sensation in the chest, regurgitation of food, chronic cough, laryngitis, and disrupted sleep.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease can stimulate a pathogenic mechanism referred to as laryngeal hyper-responsiveness. Laryngeal hyper-responsiveness can cause symptoms of vocal cord dysfunction. However, these symptoms can be mediated upon the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease with the use of medication or surgical procedures.