Every time you whisper or talk, your vocal cords vibrate, and in essence, bang against one another. Following vocal cord surgery therefore, it is important to use your voice as little as possible, to allow the area to heal. We recommend strict voice rest (no talking or whispering at all) for 24 hours, followed by 1 week of only using your voice when absolutely necessary.
Surgery on your vocal cords typically does not affect your ability to eat, and most patients are able to tolerate the same diet post operatively that they were on before surgery. Avoiding hot liquids for 24 – 48 hours may be recommended to minimize the risk of bleeding.
Follow up from vocal cord surgery depends on the reason for the surgery and how extensive your procedure was. It is important that you correct any bad habits which may have contributed to your initial problem. This includes quitting smoking, controlling acid reflux and using you voice in a calm quiet tone to prevent vocal abuse.