Is Chinese medicine effective in treating white spots and vocal cord polyps?

  Clinically, we often see cases of patients with vocal fold leukoplakia whose hoarseness improved significantly and vocal fold leukoplakia shrunk or disappeared after 3-6 months of herbal treatment. It is also common to see cases of patients with vocal fold polyps who have shrunk or disappeared after herbal treatment. Then one may ask: “Are all vocal fold white spots and vocal fold polyps curable by herbal medicine?” “Which vocal fold polyps and vocal fold white spots are non-surgical?” “What is your experience in treating vocal fold leukoplakia and vocal fold polyps with Chinese herbs?”  Vocal fold leukoplakia or laryngeal leukoplakia refers to the white patch-like manifestation of laryngeal mucosal epithelial hyperplasia and hyperkeratosis that occurs. Mucosal leukoplakia can be histopathologically referred to as hyperkeratosis of the epithelium, or severe atypical hyperplasia, which is considered to be a precancerous lesion as the cancer rate is 16% according to foreign statistics. Because of the fear of cancer, vocal cord leukodermabrasion is often performed, but after surgery, it often recurs, so many patients often seek Chinese medicine treatment.  Vocal cord polyps are also caused by loud speech, improper vocalization, and addiction to tobacco and alcohol. We found that some patients with wide base, edema-like polyps and chronic swelling of laryngeal mucosa, Chinese medicine often has obvious effect.  The path of exploration: Chinese medicine treatment of vocal cord leukoplakia, vocal cord polyps often also coalesces the experience of several generations of Chinese medical predecessors. After graduating from university in 1987, I was assigned to the Department of Otorhinolaryngology of Jiangsu Provincial Hospital to study under the clinical evidence of Professor Gan Zuwang, a master of Chinese medicine. He proposed the theory of “the vocal cord transmits the liver” and the treatment method of activating blood circulation and resolving blood stasis, supplemented by resolving phlegm and dispersing nodules. He used the treatment of small polyps in the vocal cords with the addition and subtraction of Sanjia San.  During the training of the 3rd batch of national outstanding TCM clinical talents, he studied under Professor Xu Zhiyin, one of the first batch of national famous TCM teachers in Jiangsu Province. I found that Professor Xu’s treatment of thyroid adenoma and thyroid nodules used the method of warming phlegm and removing blood stasis with systemic identification, which could shrink or even disappear thyroid adenoma and thyroid nodules. At that time, I suggested to Professor Xu that since thyroid lumps can be eliminated, vocal cord polyps and white spots are also lumps, so they can be treated similarly. Therefore, according to the experience of Professors Gan and Xu, combined with their own experience, in the vocal cord white spots, vocal cord polyps of Chinese medicine treatment has accumulated a little experience.  Treatment tips: 1, the vocal cord white spot after Chinese medicine treatment need to review once a month laryngoscopy, if the white spot does not expand or shrink that is effective. In fact, patients can also be observed according to their own, after taking Chinese medicine hoarseness improvement, laryngoscopy will generally also have signs of improvement. On the contrary, if the white spot of the vocal cord expands every month after medication, it needs to be removed surgically to prevent cancer, and then take Chinese medicine after surgery to prevent recurrence.  2, vocal cord polyps of broad-based edema-like polyps Chinese medicine effect is better, the lighter edema-like polyps can be eliminated; heavy edema-like polyps can make the degree of receding edema-like polyps, edema range is reduced, to create conditions for surgical removal of polyps. And the tip polyp is better for surgery.  3, long-term use of Chinese medicine, generally poor spleen and stomach function may appear bloated discomfort, patients need to inform the doctor in time to adjust the medication.