Google's Page has vocal cord paralysis

Google CEO Larry Page said he is back at work after one of his vocal cords became partially paralysed. Picture: AFP Source: AFP

GOOGLE co-founder and chief Larry Page disclosed that one of his vocal cords is partially paralysed but that it will not stop him from running the Internet colossus.

"Thankfully, after some initial recovery I'm fully able to do all I need to at home and at work, though my voice is softer than before," Mr Page said in a post at Google+ social network.

"And giving long monologues is more tedious for me and probably the audience."

Mr Page said that he was first diagnosed with paralysis of his left vocal cord about 14 years ago after a severe cold left him hoarse.

Doctors at the time were unable to pinpoint a cause but speculated that a virus damaged the vocal cord nerve, according to the 40-year-old Google chief executive.

"While this condition never really affected me - other than having a slightly weaker voice than normal which some people think sounded a little funny - it naturally raised questions in my mind about my second vocal cord," Mr Page said.

"But, I was told that sequential paralysis of one vocal cord following another is extremely rare."

Google Chat: Microsoft, Google form rare alliance

Mr Page's voice became hoarse again after he weathered a cold in the middle of last year, and doctors told him that his second vocal cord was also partially paralysed, according to his Google+ post.

No cause for the condition was determined, according to Mr Page. He told of suffering from an inflamed thyroid about a decade ago but noted that doctors never linked it to the vocal cord paralysis.

"Vocal cord nerve issues can also affect your breathing, so my ability to exercise at peak aerobic capacity is somewhat reduced," Mr Page said.

"Sergey says I'm probably a better CEO because I choose my words more carefully," he continued with a reference to Google co-founder Sergey Brin.

"So surprisingly, overall I am feeling very lucky."

Mr Page is using some of his fortune to fund a Voice Health Institute research program headed by Dr. Steven Zeitels of Harvard Medical School. He also invited others afflicted with similar conditions to join in the effort by sharing information in an online survey linked to his Google+ post.

View the original article here