Singing with Nodules – Diagnosis and Treatment

Vocal Fold Nodules

Without seeking to sound alarmist, there are many things that can go wrong with the human voice. More often than not, vocal issues are functional. That is, there can be problems with breath flow, tension and vocal tract shaping. Occasionally, however, singers and professional voice users such as call centre workers and classroom teachers can experience a disturbance in the voice known as a vocal pathology. Today we are going to discuss one such voice pathology: vocal fold nodules.

For some, today’s topic is a scary one. Vocal Fold Nodules are probably the most notorious of vocal pathologies. Equally, they are among the least understood conditions. As is often the case, poor information can lead to fear, so today I want to dispel the fear that surrounds vocal fold nodules by describing what they are, discussing how they should be treated and finally I’ll offer some helpful tips for those of us that have received a diagnosis of nodules.