The voice of a person who has vocal nodules usually sounds hoarse, low-pitched, and slightly breathy. Vocal polyp . A vocal polyp, also called Reinke's edema or polypoid degeneration, is a benign growth that is similar to a vocal nodule but is softer, more like a blister than a callous. It most often forms on only one vocal cord. People who develop a vocal polyp usually have a low-pitched, hoarse, breathy voice, similar to the voices of people who have vocal nodules.
Contact ulcers are a less common disorder of vocal abuse.
They are experienced by people who use too much force when bringing the vocal folds together for speech. This excessive force causes ulcerated sores or a wearing away of tissue on or near the cartilages of the larynx that move to bring the vocal folds together. These ulcers are also found in people who have gastroesophageal reflux. People with this type of voice disorder often complain of their voice tiring easily and may feel pain in the throat, especially while talking. While hoarseness is a common symptom of vocal abuse or misuse, it is also one of the first signs of cancer of the larynx.