Is it possible to have a laryngeal fracture if I have no symptoms?

Doctor's Answers 1

Thank you for your question. The larynx (voice box) is protected by the thyroid cartilage (which has a prominent protrusion in males known as the Adam's apple). For a fracture to occur, the force has to be quite large and you would have had significant symptoms at the point of the trauma (e.g pain, neck swelling or bruise, hoarse voice or even difficulty breathing or swallowing). It would be highly unlikely for your friend to fracture your larynx without you having any symptoms.

The more important question is if you have any of the symptoms that I have just listed above at this moment. Even if there was a fracture then, it would likely have mostly healed by now. If you have no symptoms, you shouldn't be too worried about it.

However, if you are concerned, you can see an ENT Specialist for an evaluation. Apart from your clinical history, physical examination and a nasoendoscopy (scope through the nose and down to the level of the voicebox), a CT scan of your neck may be required to show the presence or absence of a fracture.

Hope this helps and all the best.

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