From Adele to Kiss' Paul Stanley: Why Are So Many Award-Winning Singers Undergoing Vocal Cord Surgery?

Paul Stanley, left, of KISS performs on stage during their Sonic Boom Over Europe tour at Wembley Arena in this May 12, 2010 file photo in London, England. Adele poses in front of the winners board at the Barclaycard Mercury Prize 2011 at Grosvenor House in this Sept. 6, 2011 file photo in London. (Neil Lupin/Redferns/Getty Images; Dave Hogan/Getty Images)

ABCNews.com
For some of today's most powerful young singers, vocal cord issues have them "rolling in the deep."
The health of singing sensation Adele's raspy voice, which propelled her into superstardom and has made her a favorite to sweep the Grammys next month, was threatened last year. Weeks after her Sept. 22 concert at Albert Hall in London, the singer/songwriter had surgery to repair her vocal cords and save her career. She hasn't sung publically since her surgery.

But the 23-year-old isn't the only young singer to go under the knife to help save her voice. John Mayer, 34, was operated on last year, as was 44-year-old country star Keith Urban.

Singers are suffering from polyps, nodules and even hemorrhaging in their throats, the kind of severe damage that can shut down any booming voice, according to Dr. Shawn Nasseri, an otolaryngologist in Beverly Hills who treats many of the biggest money-making singers in the music business today.
It takes the coordination of the lungs, diaphragm, neck, voice box, throat and mouth to produce a voice, but it's when the vocal cords are brought together and vibrate that a pitch and tone are produced. Nasseri said for a singer suffering from a hemorrhaging polyp on their vocal cords, similar to what Adele had, the polyp can keep the two vocal cords from meeting and give the person "absolutely no voice."

Continue Reading