Idolator

Reigning American Idol Jordin Sparks has is currently suffering from a vocal cord hemorrhage that forced her to cancel a few shows over the weekend and may knock her out of commission for a while. "Because of the risk of permanent vocal cord damage, Sparks has been ordered to strict vocal rest and will not be able to perform anywhere until her condition improves," a flack for Penn State, where one of Sparks' canceled performances was scheduled to take place, told the New York Post.

Some quick research on vocal cord hemorrhages shows that the affliction is usually caused by misuse of the voice. Here's what the American Academy of Otolaryngology has to say about them:

If you experience sudden loss of voice following yelling, shouting, or other strenuous vocal tasks, you may have developed a vocal cord hemorrhage. Vocal cord hemorrhage results when one of the blood vessels on the surface of the vocal cord ruptures and the soft tissues of the vocal cord fill with blood. It is considered a vocal emergency and is treated with absolute voice rest until the hemorrhage resolves. If you lose your voice after strenuous voice use, see your Otolaryngologist as soon as possible.

The use of "yelling" and "shouting" in that particular paragraph should give Simon Cowell some new ammunition for hopefuls who get "shrieky" during their time on the Idol stage. Vote For The Worst is claiming that the vocal-cord news "is just the tip of the iceberg" as far as developments in Sparks' career go, and since the news is making even those guys feel bad I'm sort of wondering what could possibly come next.

Will "Idol" Ever Sing Again? [NYP]
[Photo: AP]