Can Shouting Damage the Vocal Cords?
Yes, shouting and any activity that is considered to be misuse of the vocal cords can damage the voice and lead to problems with the vocal cords. Vocal cord damage happens commonly in children, who may use bouts of screaming to get their own way, but it can also occur in people who use their voice a lot in their work. Singers, actors, teachers, court lawyers, cheerleaders and sports coaches are all susceptible to vocal cord damage. What Do Vocal Cords Do?The vocal cords are the parts of the throat that enable us to make the noises of speech and also non-speech noises such as screaming, wailing or grunting. The vocal cords are more like folds in the tiny muscles within the voice box, also called the larynx. In men, the vocal cords are longer than in women, so give a deeper tone and pitch to the voice. At rest, the muscles that form the vocal cords are separated but when we are speaking, singing or screaming, they are drawn closer together and the air passing through them causes them to
