Uploaded January 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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For a crystal clear sounding voice, the vocal fold vibration and mucosal wave must be symmetric and cyclical as well as precisely apposed against each other. However, with aggressive hyperfunctional voice use along with some type of vocal injury, a vocal cord cyst may develop. The cyst disrupts the vocal fold vibration and mucosal wave leading to a raspy sounding voice.

Because a cyst is a mass found within the superficial lamina propia just under the mucosa, one can surgically excise the cyst after making a small incision in the mucosa (microflap excision). Alternatively, voice therapy can be pursued which may resolve the vocal cord cyst without resorting to surgical removal.

Voice therapy to help resolve a vocal cord cyst include:

Vocal Straw Exercises (Semi-Occluded Vocal Tract) Voice Therapy:
youtu.be/eC_BFfTzhYE

Vocal Function Exercises:
youtu.be/IeuY84lq3Iw

Check out our voice therapy playlist!
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLblLJazSSA3SmEiGoV_lrcvZrh0vEi_5A

Vocal cord surgery:
youtu.be/OMyKwZa6sis

Video created by Dr. Christopher Chang:
FauquierENT.net

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