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Fix Paralyzed Vocal Cords: Green Tea vs Medical Treatment

Edited by Mian Sheilette Ong, Eng, Lynn, Doug Collins and 9 others

7 Parts:

Facts About Vocal Cord Paralysis

How Green Tea Can Help Treat Vocal Cord Paralysis

How Medical Treatment Can Fix Vocal Cord Paralysis

Comparison of Green Tea Treatment to Medical Treatment

Tips

Questions and Answers

Comments

Vocal cords are also known as vocal folds or vocal reeds. They are comprised of two symmetrical infoldings made up of mucus membranes. These infoldings stretch horizontally, anterior to posterior, across your larynx. When you speak or sing, vocal cords vibrate to modulate the air that you push out of your lungs. The vagus nerve controls the folds. Because blood doesn't flow liberally in this area, vocal cords are white. Vocal cord paralysis, or paresis, exists when the vocal cords are unable to move. This condition could devastate someone's life, limiting his or her lifestyle, confidence, employment choices, leisure activities, and daily normalcy. Fixing this condition is possible by means of natural (traditional), or conventional (medical) remedies. The natural solution would be to drink green tea. The medical treatment could be anything from surgery and therapy to medications. Arm yourself with knowledge, so you can wisely choose which method of treatment you'd like to employ when dealing with vocal cord paralysis. Just make sure you're comfortable with your choice and that your health provider is aware of it, especially if you choose the traditional route.

Contents

1 Facts About Vocal Cord Paralysis
2 How Green Tea Can Help Treat Vocal Cord Paralysis
3 How Medical Treatment Can Fix Vocal Cord Paralysis
4 Comparison of Green Tea Treatment to Medical Treatment
5 Tips
6 Questions and Answers
7 Comments

Facts About Vocal Cord Paralysis

When you have vocal cord paralysis, you experience a decrease in the volume of your speech, vocal fatigue, hoarseness, choking, and pain in your throat when you speak. Since the vocal cords protect the airway, they shield the trachea from saliva, drinks, and food. This will cause choking, and could result in aspiration and even death. If your vocal cords are immobile, it will adversely affect your ability to sneeze and swallow, and even coughing won't remove laryngeal waste. The waste then serves as ideal media for viral and bacterial growth. These infections that will ensue, aggravate the discomfort you're already experiencing.

Doug Collins doctor examining neck with ultrasound.jpg

Signs and symptoms of vocal paresis or paralysis are the following:

dilated pupils
difficulty breathing
drowsiness
loud whispering
huskiness
hoarseness
noisy breathing
change in pitch
frequent catching of breath
lost gag reflex
inadequate clearing of the voice
altered voice volume

Your chances of developing vocal paralysis are raised by the following factors:

1
Some surgery types (throat surgery, chest surgery, cardiac surgery)
.
Breathing tubes are placed down the throat, and it may damage your vocal cord nerves.

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2
Neurological conditions (myasthenia gravis, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis)
.
These conditions bring about vocal cord weakness, increasing the possibility of developing vocal cord paralysis.

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3
Neck and chest injury
.
These injuries may damage the nerves that control the larynx or the vocal cords.
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4
Stroke
.
When the part of the brain that controls the voice box becomes damaged by a stroke, vocal paresis happens.

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5
Scarring and inflammation of the vocal cord joints
.
This prevents the normal function of the larynx. Inflammation usually results in some of the signs and symptoms of vocal cord paresis. Inflammation may also be brought about by certain viral and bacterial infections.
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Initially, the patient will probably see a GP (general practitioner, primary care physician) who will ask about symptoms and check him or her out for some signs, such as listening to his or her voice and asking how long there have been problems.

How Green Tea Can Help Treat Vocal Cord Paralysis

The deterioration of your vocal cord cells results in various conditions, including vocal cord paralysis. For decades, people have been getting sick because of exposure to free radicals that destroy the cells. Cell destruction makes your body weak in defending itself and makes it vulnerable to various illnesses, including vocal cord paresis. Once you have this condition, you have to find an effective way of treating it. One way of the natural ways to treat vocal cord paralysis is drinking green tea.

Green tea is a natural drink, rich in catechins. Catechins are natural antioxidants that fight off and protect your vocal cords from cell damage. The method of processing green tea undergoes helps bring out the catechins your body needs. Green tea is obtained from camellia sinensis. As soon as the leaves are harvested, they are heated immediately. They are either fired in a pan or steamed, and then dried. The quick drying prevents the green leaves from turning brown due to over-oxidation. This process yields the most polyphenols and antioxidants from the young leaves, and ensures the green tea always tastes fresh.

This tea is a potent traditional remedy for wounds, digestion, bleeding, mental health, body temperature, and heart health. It can contribute to many kinds of health improvements. The anti-carcinogenic and anti-inflammatory properties in green tea's polyphenols are very useful in improving one's general health. Drinking green tea every day for your paralyzed vocal cords will help the healing process and recovery. Let your doctor know when you add green tea to your health regime.

How Medical Treatment Can Fix Vocal Cord Paralysis

Aside from drinking green tea, you might decide surgery is the best option for you. The following are some of the common techniques you doctor might suggest for you:

1
Bulk Injection
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In this procedure, an otolaryngologist targets the weak vocal cord muscles. The medical professional may inject collagen or fat into the vocal cords. The bulk injection repositions the vocal cords nearer to the voice box or larynx. This enables the patient to speak properly, cough, and swallow.

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Tracheotomy

In a tracheotomy, the surgeon incises the front of the patient's neck so that an opening can be cut into the windpipe or the trachea. A tube for breathing is then inserted in the incision so that the patient can breathe, as it bypasses the paralyzed vocal cords.

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Phonosurgery

This is a procedure for repositioning the vocal cords. It involves the reshaping or the repositioning of the vocal cords, in an attempt to improve the voice.

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Voice therapy can also help the vocal cord muscles

It is equal to physical therapy. The patient is given specific exercises to strengthen their vocal cords, which will improve control and breathing while speaking. It also prevents tension in muscles near the affected area to keep solids and liquids from entering the airways.

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Comparison of Green Tea Treatment to Medical Treatment

Drinking green tea to treat vocal paralysis is a much slower, but gentler treatment. You have to be patient waiting for results. There are, however, very few and mild side effects associated with Green Tea. On the other hand, medical intervention is more radical and the results come much quicker for vocal cord paralysis. On the down side, there are more risks involved with surgery and conventional medicine. You could also combine these two treatments, so that you could get the best of both worlds. You can drink green tea after surgery so that you can heal faster, or perhaps try the tea, in combination with the voice therapy.

Tips

Always consult your doctor regarding your treatments.
Do not eat sweets, as these encourage bacterial and viral growth.
Eat more fruits and vegetables to help you gain more antioxidants to improve your condition.

Questions and Answers

Can a paralysis patient take green tea?

Yes, people suffering from hyperkalemic periodic paralysis (HyperKPP) are advised to drink green tea. In addition, they must stick to a diet that is relatively high in protein and carbohydrates but low in potassium.

It is important to keep paralytic patients well hydrated by increasing fluid intake that includes water, green tea, and milk. Coffee can be taken in moderate servings of up to 2 cups a day.

Green tea is recommended for patients suffering from paralysis and for a wide range of ailments. It is rich in polyphenols and known for its anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties, which also enhance mental or cognitive development. Green Tea has a much lower percentage of caffeine compared to coffee, another thing that makes it one of the most popular health drinks in the world today.

Left side paralysis of vocal cords were not helped by injection. I would like to do a natural remedy.

Can you suggest alternative medicines for vocal cord paralysis? Thanks

A great natural remedy is 30C dosage 3 times a day of Phosphorus tablets. Phosphorus can be obtained at most health food stores as well as online. Within a month you should notice improvements. Also gargle and use the green tea method as well.

I do have vocal fold paralysis. Would voice therapy help my problem or would surgery be best?

I've been in thyroidectomy since last Nov. 2015. 1st day - my voice was OK, then after vomiting a lot, the next day my voice became husky. I have tried: Getting voice therapy is my hope. I think it was caused by: My operation and vomiting.

Over time, your vocal paralysis will heal itself. After surgery our throat and chords are inflamed. Within a few weeks, you should be back to normal. Wait 6 weeks post surgery before attempting vocal therapy.

"Left Vocal cord paralysis" after intestinal (abdominal) surgery.

Three weeks ago, I underwent intestinal surgery. Soon after surgery, my voice got hoarse. My ENT specialist did a laryngoscopy, and told me that I have left vocal cord paralysis. He suggested an HRCT of chest, which was clear. I am still in a fix. What should I do? Kindly help me. I have tried: Nothing. The doctor said to wait. I think it was caused by: I think incubation is main source of problem

Try a hot and cold method. Drink the hot green tea for five minutes and then gargle or drink ice cold water for 5 minutes. Alternate back and forth for 30 minutes. Also check out taking Phosphorus 30C tablets, 3 times a day.

See more questions like this: What can I try to free my left vocal cord from full paralysis or the right partial paralysis?