0773 – Polyps, Nodules and Phonal Trauma

2023.02.12 – 0773 – Polyps, Nodules and Phonal Trauma  

Treating your voice badly, shouting[1], smoking or straining it, is not showing it the respect it deserves. These actions can lead to ‘phonal trauma’ such as nodules or polyps (small growths) on your vocal folds. These can be painful and if they heal at all can take a long time. At an extreme, they may need to be removed in an operation. (Wince…)

“Once, a year or two back, I’d lost my voice during the evening… really lost it and I had to do all the evening, the late news etc etc and then I had to do the Shipping Forecast [at 00:48 hrs]. I had a gallon of water beside me which wasn’t very helpful to be honest, but I just had to keep on closing the fader, having a sip of water, trying to get some sort of voice back. The listeners could just hear it disappearing, during the whole eleven minutes. It was torture! And in the end you have to say ‘and that’s the Shipping Forecast, have a peaceful evening’… and I said that and then I just said, ‘I have been Lee Marvin, goodnight.’ ”[2]

Susan Rae, BBC radio 4 newsreader/announcer, “You’re On The Air” podcast December 2020

[1] Some voice professionals ‘fake cheer’ at sporting events and concerts, opening their mouths but staying silent.

[2] Actor Lee Marvin had a voice once described as “like rain gurgling down a rusty pipe”. He used his gravelly singing voice on a number of occasions, duetting with John Wayne in ‘The Comancheros’, and most notably performing ‘Wand'rin' Star’ in the movie musical ‘Paint Your Wagon’, which earned him a hit single.

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