Vocal cord paralysis

Please read: Important 2013 cancer research update from Dr. Michael Camilleri

Free

E-newsletter

Subscribe to Housecall

Our weekly general interest
e-newsletter keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics.

Sign up now

Risk factors

By Mayo Clinic staff

Factors that may increase your risk of developing vocal cord paralysis include:

  • Being female. Women are slightly more likely to develop vocal cord paralysis.
  • Undergoing throat or chest surgery. People who need surgery on their thyroid, throat or upper chest have an increased risk of vocal cord nerve damage. Sometimes breathing tubes used in surgery or to help you breathe if you're having serious respiratory trouble can damage the vocal cord nerves.
  • Having a neurological condition. People with certain neurological conditions — such as Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis or myasthenia gravis — are more likely to develop vocal cord weakness or paralysis.
Complications Causes
References
  1. Doherty GM, ed. Current Diagnosis & Treatment: Surgery. 13th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2010. http://www.accessmedicine.com/resourceTOC.aspx?resourceID=23. Accessed April 17, 2012.
  2. Vocal cord paralysis. National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/voice/pages/vocalparal.aspx. Accessed April 17, 2012.
  3. Deckert J, et al. Vocal cord dysfunction. American Family Physician. 2010;81:156.
  4. Fact sheet: Vocal cord paralysis. American Academy of Otolaryngology — Head and Neck Surgery. http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/vocalChordParalysis.cfm. Accessed April 17, 2012.
  5. Rubin RT, et al. Vocal fold paresis and paralysis. Otolaryngologic Clinics of North America. 2007;40:1109.
  6. Vocal cord paralysis. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. http://www.asha.org/public/speech/disorders/vfparalysis.htm. Accessed April 17, 2012.
  7. Hicks M, et al. Vocal cord dysfunction/paradoxical vocal fold motion. Primary Care Clinics in Office Practice. 2008;35:81.
  8. Ekbom DC (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. June 6, 2012.
DS00670 June 15, 2012

© 1998-2013 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). All rights reserved. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.com," "EmbodyHealth," "Enhance your life," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.

  • Reprints
  • Print

  • Share on:

  • Email

Advertisement


Text Size: smaller largerlarger