I’m plotting out a story idea and in it the main character goes mute as someone cuts her throat hitting her vocal cords. She survives but can’t speak. Is that possible? Also how would that play out? Would she pass out as soon as it happens/is it something that can get fixed/in general how would it affect her to things like breathing and daily life months after????
it'd have to be a stab... a side to side cut would undoubtedly severe a vein or an artery, and probably your wind pipe as well
Not an expert, but a stab wound that got severely infected or developed an abscess could possibly do it.
You’d be better off having an injury to the relevant area in the brain (Broca’s area) than damaged vocal cords for someone to go mute.
One of the greatest spaghetti westerns, The Great Silence, directed by Sergio Corbucci, features a protagonist rendered mute when his throat was cut as a boy. Is this medically realistic? I have no idea. I don't really care and I don't think you should worry about it either. Let poetry win against vulgar realism every time.
This. The vocal cords are resilient motherf*ckers. I don't suggest watching at all, ever, in a million years, but (not to be too graphic) Spoiler there's an old video of the Los Zetas drug cartel beheading some guy with a chainsaw. Dude could make sounds even as they cut completely through.
I have had my throat cut and the surgeon accidentally nicked the cords in my throat. I can speak fine now, but I always have a sore throat. My long term problem is with the cords that run between a persons thyroid and their windpipe. They convey Vitamin D and Calcium and to throw them forever out of whack, throws off your sleep schedule. They found more cancer though, so more throat-cutting is in my future.
