Stamford Advocate

Left vocal cord becomes paralyzed

Dear Dr. Roach: My daughter, 45, has had a paralyzed left vocal cord for about a year now. We have been to an ear, nose and throat (ENT) doctor who ran at least a half dozen tests. These didn’t show a reason for the problem. She had a cold before this happened.

The doctor has told us there is nothing to be done to unfreeze the vocal cord. I would love your opinion on this matter.

K.P.

Answer: Paralysis of the vocal cord is often the result of damage to the nerve that goes to the vocal cord. The left side is particular­ly vulnerable and may be damaged during surgery, but a big fear is that a mass (especially a cancerous one) can damage the nerve and cause paralysis of the vocal cord.

When a cause can’t be found, we call it “idiopathic unilateral vocal cord paralysis.” This often seems to happen after a viral infection, and it sounds like your daughter might have had one.

ENT surgeons have several types of surgical interventi­ons to improve hoarseness, cough and discomfort. It’s time to go back to her ENT doctor or get referred to an expert in surgical treatment of this condition.

Dear Dr. Roach: If exercise helps new arteries to grow, would it also help new veins to grow and alleviate varicose veins? M.D.

Answer: It’s a good thought, but unfortunat­ely, exercise does not make the body grow new arteries, which are the large blood vessels that bring oxygen-rich blood to our organs and muscles. Exercise increases the size of the arteries and can help keep them from getting stiffer with age.

In addition, exercise can help with varicose veins. Varicose veins are dilated veins that occur due to damage in the tiny valves inside veins. Without those valves, the venous blood can pool under the effects of gravity, causing veins to swell.

Exercise helps because of the pump effect of the intermitte­nt muscle contractio­n, which forces blood back into the large veins and ultimately back into the heart. Exercise, compressio­n stockings and elevation are among the most important lifestyle changes for varicose veins.