Is it possible to treat vocal cord polyps without surgery?

Whether surgery is needed for vocal cord polyps mainly depends on the size of the polyp, the severity of symptoms, and the patient's specific condition. If the vocal cord polyp is relatively small and the patient has the conditions to allow sufficient rest for the voice, surgery may not be initially recommended. Instead, drug therapy, such as the use of antibiotics and glucocorticoids, can be primarily employed to reduce laryngeal inflammation and edema and alleviate symptoms such as hoarseness. However, if the vocal cord polyp is large or symptoms are severe—for example, if hoarseness persists and worsens or is accompanied by throat pain—non-surgical treatment may fail to effectively relieve symptoms and could even lead to further deterioration of the condition. In such cases, procedures such as endoscopic vocal cord polypectomy or microscopic laryngoscopic vocal cord polypectomy can be performed to remove the polyp and restore normal vocal cord function.