Throat nodules are lumps that appear in the neck and fall into two general categories: thyroid nodules and vocal cord nodules. These nodules are quite common and most are benign. In many cases, throat nodules cause no pain and do not represent a health threat, but, in a small number of cases, throat nodules can indicate a cancerous condition. Throat nodules can be a sign the thyroid gland is producing too much thyroid hormone. Vocal cord nodules, also called vocal fold nodules, consist of a tissue mass that grows on the vocal cords and do not usually impact the patient's general health.
Thyroid nodules are more common in women than in men, with one in 12-15 young women having throat nodules. By contrast, only one in 40 young men have this condition. The likelihood that a person has throat nodules increases with age. For example, 50 percent of all 50 year-olds have at least a single throat nodule, while with 70 year-olds, that number increases to 70 percent. Throat nodules should not be confused with goiters, which are growths within the thyroid gland.
Though a throat nodule can occasionally cause pain or difficulty in swallowing, most produce no symptoms. They are often discovered when the patient or his or her doctor discovers a lump in the throat. They are also coincidentally discovered when radiology procedures are used for diagnosis of other disease or injuries. Physicians often use a fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNA) to obtain tissue with which to determine if the throat nodules are benign or cancerous.
If throat nodules are discovered by the patient, they should be assessed by an endocrinologist, endocrine surgeon, or other physician familiar with the diagnostic procedures involved. This assessment usually involves inquiring if the patient has received radiation treatment or has been exposed to nuclear radiation, especially as a child or teenager. There is a small increased risk of thyroid cancer among people exposed to such ionizing radiation.
Vocal cord nodules may result in hoarseness, reduced vocal range, breaks in speech, and pain when speaking or singing. They appear on both sides of the vocal cords as symmetrical swellings and impact the vocal folds' ability to rapidly change air pressure necessary to produce speech. Their cause is usually the result of strenuous vocal cord use, such as shouting, screaming, and coughing. People who must use their voices in loud settings are most susceptible to throat nodules. Singers, preachers, teachers, and drill instructors are at greatest risk for developing vocal cord nodules.
Treatment of vocal cord nodules often involves speech therapy and vocal training. Removal of the nodules is sometimes done surgically and is considered a relatively safe procedure. On occasion, it is necessary to address the psychological consequences of throat nodules, particularly in the case of singers and actors.
