Vocal Nodules: Symptoms, Causes & Treatment

If you speak or sing too much, you may develop non-cancerous growths on your vocal cords. These are called nodules. They cause your voice to change, make it hard to talk or sing, and can cause pain.

Vocal Quality Symptoms

• Nodules can make your voice sound hoarse, scratchy and harsh. They also can delay voice initiation---you begin talking, but it takes a moment for the sound to come out.

Singing Symptoms

• Nodules are especially troublesome for singers. They cause general vocal inconsistency, they limit range and make it harder to sing loudly.

Pain

• Nodules can cause neck pain or a shooting pain from ear to ear, and they can make it painful to speak or sing.

Endurance Symptoms

• Vocal nodules can cause your voice to feel tired after only a little activity. They also can cause overall body fatigue.

Throat Symptoms

• Nodules can make you feel as if there's always a lump in your throat; this is called a globus. They may also cause you to try and clear your throat frequently.