Internal and external trauma to the larynx

Abstract

Abstract Trauma affects the larynx internally through vocal misuse, chemical and thermal burns, and intralaryngeal instrumentation; externally through physical violence, industrial accidents and automobile collisions. Occupational laryngeal trauma is that seen in the larynges of professional voice users such as singers, preachers, lawyers, school teachers, politicians, telephone operators, sales people, credit managers and auctioneers. Particularly common are the nodules on the vocal cords of housewives with several small children! In industry, voice changes and laryngeal pathology are common in voice abusers such as foremen, women assembly line workers, men working near a steam jack and engineers and firemen in cabs of diesel locomotives. 1 Bridging these two categories of white collars and blue shirts are representatives in management‐labor relations who have additional reason to develop laryngeal trauma.