Can people with vocal cord polyps eat spicy food?

Written by Li Rui
Otolaryngology
Updated on February 14, 2025
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Vocal cord polyps are a relatively common otolaryngological condition. It is advised to avoid spicy foods in the diet. This type of food tends to irritate the vocal cords significantly, potentially causing congestion and edema in the vocal cords, and aggravating the condition of the vocal cord polyps. Moreover, it may also lead to further worsening of hoarseness. Some patients may even develop acute pharyngitis, which can cause throat pain, breathing difficulties, and possibly even fever. After the onset of vocal cord polyps, it is necessary for patients to visit an otolaryngology department, undergo a laryngoscopy to assess the condition, and consider medical conservative treatment or surgical removal depending on the case.

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Written by Xu Qing Tian
Otolaryngology
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Do vocal cord polyps cause a sore throat?

Patients with vocal cord polyps usually do not experience throat pain. The pathological basis for the occurrence of vocal cord polyps is edema and hyperplasia in the mucosal layer and Reinke's layer of the vocal cords, with hoarseness being the main symptom. The causes generally involve improper or excessive use of the voice, as well as harmful stimuli such as smoking and drinking, which lead to the proliferation of vocal cord polyps. The main treatments for vocal cord polyps currently include oral medications to clear the throat and benefit the voice, and surgical treatment. Surgical treatment primarily involves the endoscopic removal of the vocal cord polyps with support, and the patient must remain silent for three to four weeks post-surgery to allow the mucosal epithelium to recover, thereby improving the symptoms of hoarseness. (The use of medications should be under the guidance of a doctor.)

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Written by Li Rui
Otolaryngology
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Do vocal cord polyps fear oil smoke?

Polyps on the vocal cords are a relatively common ENT disease with various clinical symptoms. The most common symptom is hoarseness. Some patients may also feel like there is a foreign body in their throat or experience throat pain. It is recommended to avoid exposure to cooking fumes as much as possible, as they are quite irritating and can directly stimulate the mucous membrane of the throat. Such exposure can also cause coughing and thus irritate the vocal cords. Frequent contact with cooking fumes can potentially worsen hoarseness. Of course, it is even more important to receive timely treatment. Most patients can consider medication therapy, although a small number may need to undergo surgery to remove the vocal cord polyps. (Specific medications should be used under the guidance of a doctor.)

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Written by Li Rui
Otolaryngology
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Early symptoms of recurrent vocal cord polyps

Vocal cord polyps are a relatively common otolaryngological disease. If vocal cord polyps recur, they can cause related clinical symptoms, the most common being a hoarse voice. Some patients experience persistent hoarseness, while others have sporadic hoarseness. Moreover, the hoarseness generally becomes more pronounced after excessive use of the voice. In terms of treatment, the first step is to visit an otolaryngologist. It is recommended to undergo a laryngoscopy to examine the size of the polyp in detail. If the polyp is relatively small, conservative treatment may be considered, commonly involving oral medication combined with nebulization therapy. However, if the polyp is particularly large, surgery might be necessary.

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Written by Li Rui
Otolaryngology
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Can vocal cord polyps be treated in an outpatient clinic?

Some vocal cord polyps can be treated with outpatient surgery. This decision largely depends on the general health of the patient and the size of the polyps. If the polyps are not particularly large and the patient’s overall health is good, local anesthesia procedures in an outpatient setting might be considered. However, during the procedure, it is important for the patient to cooperate with the doctor to avoid serious complications. If the vocal cord polyps are larger or the patient's overall health is not very good, it is recommended to opt for inpatient treatment. With hospitalization, additional assessments can be made, followed by surgery under general anesthesia. In this scenario, the patient does not need to actively participate during the surgery, and the procedure is generally considered routine minor surgery.

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Written by Li Rui
Otolaryngology
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Why does vocal cord polyp surgery require general anesthesia?

Vocal cord polyps are a relatively common type of ENT (Ear, Nose, and Throat) disorder. For larger polyps where conservative treatment with medication is ineffective, surgical treatment should be considered. Currently, the main surgical procedure is the excision of vocal cord polyps under a supported laryngoscope, which requires general anesthesia. This is because the procedure is difficult for patients to endure without general anesthesia, as the supported laryngoscope is a type of metal tube that needs to be inserted through the mouth into the pharynx. Local anesthesia would be insufficient as patients might struggle to cooperate and tolerate the pain or nausea, hence general anesthesia is necessary for the surgery.