Acupuncture at voice-related points may promote anti-inflammatory healing in vocal nodules, offering a less invasive alternative to surgery.
Adults with voice disorders caused by vocal nodules were randomly assigned to receive either genuine acupuncture or a sham procedure in a blinded, placebo-controlled design. Genuine treatment involved needle insertion at voice-related body points, while sham treatment used blunt needles applied to the skin at the same points. Vocal-fold surface secretions were collected before treatment, immediately afterward, and the following day, then analysed for proteins involved in wound healing and inflammation.
Genuine acupuncture increased levels of an anti-inflammatory immune signalling protein, whereas sham acupuncture did not produce this response. The findings suggest that acupuncture may encourage an anti-inflammatory healing process in vocal-fold injuries associated with vocal overuse.
