NODULES
A brief explanation…

Nodules are small, benign fibrous bumps or swellings on the free edge of the cord. They are rarely more than 1.5mm in diameter, normally appearing in pairs opposite each other. Nodules are often compared to callouses, and are caused by friction between the two edges of the vocal cords.

Vocal nodules are sometimes called singer's or screamer's nodes. They are more common in boys and women than in girls and men. Someone with nodules will often sound harsh, breathy or hoarse indicating the effort the person is making to overcome the difficulty.
Occasional shouting, screaming or a demanding performance can cause a tiny amount of bleeding in a capillary. As long as you don't overdo it, this can clear up. However, if the abuse is continuous, sometimes associated with stress, this can lead to the formation of nodules.
Nodules do usually disappear if you avoid situations which cause you to misuse your voice. This can be done by exercises that release the constriction of the vocal cords or, dealing with whatever that is causing you stress.

These days, nodules are dealt more with speech therapy than surgery, because with proper instruction, the patient can be taught vocal care and exercises. By this, nodules will gradually disappear. The reason surgery is not usually recommended is because nodes can recur if the root cause is not addressed, be it due to stress or improper usage of the voice. Unless nodules have hardened over a period of time due to continuous misuse does surgery have to be performed.