The most common complaint is a sudden voice change - for example, if a person is singing and the voice just cuts out completely.

Diagnosis of a hemorrhage is very simple. Vocal folds are usually pearly white, and when someone bleeds into their vocal fold, there will be a visible pool of blood inside the vocal fold.

If a patient thinks they have a hemorrhage, they should go on complete voice rest and follow up with their doctor as soon as possible. In addition to voice rest, the physician may prescribe arnica so that blood can absorb more quickly or steroids to decrease some of the inflammation of the vocal fold.

The prognosis is generally excellent, provided that treatment happens rapidly at the time of occurrence. There is a very small risk of developing scar tissue or a vocal fold polyp as a result of the hemorrhage.