The causes of vocal cord paralysis can be analyzed from these two points

For people with vocal cord paralysis, the specific causes of the vocal cord paralysis should be understood in advance. Generally speaking, the common clinical causes of vocal cord paralysis are mainly the following two points.

Depending on the location of nerve damage, it can be divided into central and peripheral, of which peripheral is more common.

(a) Central:

The laryngeal motor center in the cerebral cortex on both sides is connected to the nucleus ambiguus on both sides by nerve bundles, so the muscles on each side receive impulses from the cerebral cortex on both sides. Therefore, laryngeal paralysis caused by cortical lesions is extremely rare clinically. Cerebral hemorrhage, basilar artery aneurysm, posterior cranial fossa inflammation, medullary and pons tumors can all cause vocal cord paralysis.

(ii) Peripheral:

Any laryngeal paralysis caused by lesions that occur primarily at the recurrent laryngeal nerve or vagus nerve before it leaves the jugular foramen and branches out of the recurrent laryngeal nerve is considered peripheral. Skull base fracture, thyroid surgery, various traumas to the neck and larynx, compression by benign or malignant tumors of the larynx, neck or skull base, metastatic tumors of the mediastinum or esophagus, nasopharyngeal carcinoma invading the skull base, tuberculous adhesions at the apex of the lung, pericarditis, peripheral neuritis, etc. can all cause vocal cord paralysis.