Vocal cords produce the sound of your voice, by vibration and the air passing through the cords from the lungs. Vocal cord disorders are often caused by vocal abuse or misuse, such as excessive use of the voice when singing, talking, smoking, coughing, yelling, or inhaling irritants. Some of the more common vocal cord disorders include laryngitis, vocal nodules, and vocal polyps.
Vocal nodules are a frequent problem for professional singers.
Voice nodules cause the voice to be hoarse, low, and breathy. A polyp usually grows alone on one vocal cord and is often caused by long-term cigarette smoking. Voice polyps cause the voice to be hoarse, low, and breathy. Vocal polyps are also called Reinke's edemas or polypoid degeneration. Sometimes, less common disorders of the vocal cords occur due to voice misuse or disease, such as contact ulcers and laryngeal papillomatosis.