What is Reinke's edema, the rare condition behind Miley Cyrus' iconic voice?

Time of India

6 days ago

Miley Cyrus
If you're a fan of Miley Cyrus (and let's be honest, who isn't?), you've probably noticed that her voice has a uniquely raspy, gritty texture — a raw, rockstar edge that sets her apart.
But here's the wild part: that signature sound didn't come from just years of singing or a stylistic choice. Nope. Miley herself has credited a vocal condition called Reinke's edema for helping shape the voice that made her famous.
In a recent appearance on Apple Music's "The Zane Lowe Show," the Grammy-winning singer revealed she has Reinke's edema, a condition that causes swelling in the vocal cords and affects vocal performance, ABC reported.
"It's a part of my unique anatomy," she explained. "This is what I look like. So, I have this very large polyp on my vocal cord, which is giving me a lot of the tone and the texture that has made me who I am, but it's extremely difficult to perform with, because it's like running a marathon with ankle weights on."
Wait... what? A medical condition helped her voice?
Yup. Let's unpack this.
What exactly is Reinke's Edema?
Reinke's edema (pronounced RINE-kees edema) is a condition where the vocal cords swell up due to the buildup of fluid in a specific area called Reinke's space — a jelly-like layer just beneath the surface of the vocal cords.
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Imagine your vocal cords as two tiny, stretchy flaps that open and close super-fast to produce sound when you talk or sing. When fluid starts collecting in that squishy layer beneath them, they get puffy, floppy, and heavier. This swelling affects the way the cords vibrate, which changes the sound of your voice.
The result? A voice that's deeper, huskier, rougher, and often more raspy — a quality that's considered "sexy" or "soulful" in many music circles.
How do you get Reinke's Edema?
The biggest culprits are smoking (number one reason!), chronic voice overuse or misuse (like screaming at concerts, over-singing without rest, etc.), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) – when stomach acid keeps irritating your throat, hormonal changes (especially in women) and environmental irritants, allergies, and sometimes plain old genetics also play a role.
What does it feel like?
Some people don't even realize they have it at first.
It creeps in slowly. The voice starts sounding different, rough, breathy, or deeper. There might be hoarseness, feeling like you have to clear your throat a lot, vocal fatigue (your voice gets tired quickly), trouble hitting high notes (especially for singers), a sense of strain or tightness when speaking. For professional singers like Miley, these symptoms are massive red flags.
Your voice is your instrument, so any change can feel like a disaster.
Is Reinke's Edema dangerous?
Not dangerous in a life-threatening way, but it's definitely serious for anyone who relies on their voice. Left untreated, it can lead to permanent voice changes, chronic hoarseness, and vocal cord scarring.
In severe cases, the need for surgical intervention
Cyrus told the media that she is against surgery as she does not want to lose her unique voice.
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