No, not the virus, not strained vocal cords, not the singer's nodes on the vocal cords, but cricoarytenoiditis - what? Supercalifragilistiexpialidocious- yes, its arthritis of the joints between the two small laryngeal bones that hold the vocal cords and the larger cricoid bones of the throat, the cricoarytenoid joints.
Cricoarytenoiditis is felt as pain in the throat and hoarseness and can be part of rheumatoid arthritis, a systemic disease which causes pain and swelling in many joints of the body - wrists, fingers, ankles, knees. While rare, the condition adds to the already debilitating effects of this generalized form of arthritis.
A rheumatology clinic is the best setting for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Optimum treatment will improve crycoarytenoiditis, as well as, the arthritis of the rest of the joints. Treatment is complex and consists of one or more drugs in combination - pain killers and low dose steroids as "bridge treatment" and disease modifying drugs, both synthetic and biologic. This is the best shot a patient can have to avoid disability arising from destruction of the peripheral joints as well as, the throat joints.
Go, ask your doctor about it!
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