REINKE'S OEDEMA Smoking is injurious for health. Everybody knows it but most don't follow. Reinke's oedema in simple term is ballooning of vocal cords which occurs due to smoking. Medical management along with voice therapy is advised initially. Surgical management is the final option. No treatment is successful unless patients quit smoking. Reinke's oedema is non-cancerous effect on vocal cords of smoking. Believe me, cancer vocal cord is very common in smokers. Quit smoking before doc says that life is quitting you.