*disclaimer: there is a medical photo in this post, so if you’re a queasy one, be forewarned. it’s near the bottom…

So, I’ve been losing my voice progressively worse and worse since February, which is very difficult for me since my job requires a lot (!) of talking. First I thought I was recovering from a cold. Then I thought I might have developed allergies. Finally, I went to an ENT specialist who scoped my throat to take a look at my vocal cords and found…

NODULES. (gasp!)

Also known as nodes, these develop from overuse and over exertion of the voice. This feels devastating because I studied voice/speech in grad school. Every. Day. And we did this in school so as to learn how to use our voices correctly in order to avoid things like nodes. Ugh. But with the amount of teaching and workshop leading I’ve been doing since January, it’s not surprising that my vocal folds are crying uncle. And it’s rather emotional to deal with voice loss. I don’t sound like myself.

A Vocal Cord Nodule is a mass of tissue that grows on the vocal folds. A vocal cord nodule reduces or obstructs the ability of the vocal folds to create the rapid changes in air pressure which generate human speech. Symptoms include hoarseness of speech, painful speech production, frequent vocal breaks and reduced vocal range. Females are most likely to develop nodules.
*thank you wikipedia.

So, I am taking a medication and have been prescribed some speech therapy which will be like physical therapy for my voice. With diligence and by changing some of my bad habits they should go away. I sure hope so, because I really, really, really want to be able to talk without a scratchy voice again. And sing.

If you are a curious mind, here is a photo of a vocal fold nodule (though not mine)…

Ew. Me no likey.
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