When someone uses his voice to sing or talk, the vocal cords vibrate more than 100 times per second as air is pushed up through the trachea, or windpipe. The vocal cords are actually two smooth muscles located in the larynx, also known as the voice box.
Voice Production
The vibration of the vocal cords, or vocal folds, as they are more accurately called, creates the sound of your voice, The variations heard in people's voices are attributed to the length and tension of the vocal cords. When you mimic a different voice, you force your vocal cords to act accordingly. When you speak in a low, deep voice, you are shortening and relaxing the vocal cords. When you speak in a high-pitched voice, you are stretching and tightening the cords.
Vocal Cord Damage
Vocal cords are muscles, and as such, they are subject to strain when used too much or abused. For instance, some very famous vocalists. such as Julie Andrews, have experienced painful nodules that formed on their vocal cords as a result of such abuse. These nodules must be surgically removed; and even after the surgery, the quality of the performer's voice and the vocal cords themselves may never fully recover because of the scar tissue that forms on the cords.
Vocal Cord Reconstruction and Repair
The University of Delaware has worked on a very promising research project. The researchers are trying to engineer replacement vocal cord tissue to replace or repair the tissue that has been hardened and scarred by surgery. One method they are exploring is injecting a gelatinous material into the scarred tissue to increase its elasticity. In another experiment, they are trying to re-create and form tissue that can replace the damaged tissue in the cords.
Throat Cancer
Throat cancer can affect the vocal cords, as well as the larynx and other areas of the throat. People who smoke and drink with regularity are putting themselves at a high risk for this type of cancer. The symptoms of throat cancer include high-pitched breathing; coughing up blood; inflammation of the neck, or lumps; long-lasting and painful sore throat; trouble swallowing; loss of voice, or hoarseness; and unexplained weight loss. Fortunately, if caught early this type of cancer is about 90 percent curable. If not caught and the cancer has metastasized, the chances of a full recovery are slim.
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