Vocal Nodes

Singers who have been belting for years tend to start to pick up some gravelly texture to their voice. This can either add to their sound or end up crippling their vocal chords. Calluses termed "vocal fold nodules" cause this modulation in the vocal chords. It afflicts many professional singers both young and old. It can subside with time and relaxation, or removed through surgery. They are generally exacerbated by stress and frequent singing. If you notice significant degradation in your voice, you should see a doctor and ask him to examine it.

The symptoms can include reduced vocal range, pain when speaking or singing and hoarseness. Women are more likely to develop them than men. A diagnoses of vocal nodes can be the source of a great deal of terror for performers that make their living on their singing, so doctors are often avoided to the singer's detriment. The surgery to correct the nodes is relatively minor and very safe, although it is generally conducted under general anesthesia. With surgery, speech therapy and rest, a full recovery is very possible.

Singers like Justin Timberlake, Whitney Houston, Natalie Imbruglia, Luciano Pavarotti and Freddie Mercury have suffered from vocal nodes. The stigma around nodes centers around the belief that it is exacerbated by poor singing technique, although this had not been empirically proven. The nodules are easier to treat if they are diagnosed and treated while they are in the "pre-node" form. It can develop even in children, so if you think you might be suffering from them, press your doctor to conduct an examination.