Take Care of Your Voice! Advice from A Doctor

You’ve planned; you’ve prepared; this upcoming gig is the one you dreamed of, and it’s finally here. But wouldn’t you know it, you wake up with a scratchy throat and a headache. As you stumble out of bed and into the shower, you have an impending sense of doom — that sinus “thing” you get every year or two decided today was the day to return. Your doctor’s glad to see you for an appointment — in three weeks — but you need your voice to be 100% tonight. You do a quick internet search for “hoarse voice treatment” and get pages of random stuff that runs the gamut from unhelpful to just bizarre, but all you want is to avoid sounding like a walrus. What are you going to do? Your bandmate says to take zinc, your coworker argues that gargling saltwater works better, your mom has a bunch of essential oils she swears by, then your manager comes back from the store with a concoction that tastes like a rusty guitar string — and on it goes.
Remedies
Unfortunately, it’s hard to know what truly works and what doesn’t, and do you know why? Because there’s very little reliable, scientifically sound data out there comparing different solutions head-to-head. I’m going to level with you – despite all the opinions out there, the fact is that there are no treatments that have been shown to be overwhelmingly more effective than a placebo when it comes to treating a sore throat or scratchy voice. That doesn’t mean nothing works; it just means that what seems to work for your friends might not work the same for you. But try you must, and here are some suggestions:

Saltwater — Gargling with saltwater helps loosen up the gunk and soothes your throat. Adding some honey or lemon can help a bit more. There is anecdotal evidence that mixing in some children’s liquid Benadryl adds some benefit — your mileage may vary.
Steam — Inhaling steam can help — find a small bathroom, close the door, and run hot water in the shower. It’s a poor man’s sauna.
Pain medications — Using acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or naproxen can help bring the pain level down for a few hours, but be careful not to use more than the recommended dosing — more isn’t better and could be harmful.
Sinus rinse — If you have a lot of sinus drainage, a sinus rinse with a neti pot can help alleviate congestion and clear some mucous, if you can tolerate it. But be aware that doing this too much can make things worse by causing additional irritation.
Herbal remedies — There are a plethora of herbal remedies out there that many people swear by. While clinical data is scarce, I’ve had patients report success with Vocal Eze (a Sweetwater favorite), Throat Saver spray, Entertainer’s Secret, or Throat Coat tea. Though not technically an herbal, Chloraseptic can help numb the throat some, but be aware the numbing effect can feel strange, especially for a vocalist, so I wouldn’t suggest trying it for the first time just before you walk out onstage.

Regardless of what you take, try not to forget the basics — rest, fluids, and a healthy diet are fundamental necessities when it comes to caring for your body and voice. Your immune system performs better when well rested, well hydrated, and well fed.
Long-term Care
Getting through an illness is one thing, but keeping your voice healthy in the long term is equally important. You know that the best offense is a good defense, and these suggestions will help keep your voice in top shape:

Hydrate, hydrate, and hydrate some more. There are no “miracle mixes” out there that are better than good clean water. Keep water with you at all times and take a drink whenever you can. Consider installing a humidifier in your home, especially if you live in a dry climate. Even a small humidifier in your room at night can be really helpful (and will fit in a suitcase so you can use it on the road in hotel rooms). Don’t forget, however, to clean it often.
Don’t underestimate the power of getting enough sleep. The average musician is woefully under-rested. Erratic gig schedules, meetings, rehearsals, and the day-to-day demands of life chip away at time needed for rest. Your body doesn’t sideline its need for sleep just because you’re busy. Try to carve out at least 7–8 hours for sleep every night. A power nap in the afternoon can make a huge difference — 20 minutes is the sweet spot according to studies. If you go longer, you risk dropping into a deeper sleep and may wake up feeling groggy and tired. A small drink of caffeine immediately before a 20-minute nap will supercharge your wakeup time, helping you hit the ground running.
Take care what you eat! Garbage in = garbage out. Avoid carb-heavy and processed foods and typical fast-food fare. Pack healthy snacks to grab when you’re too busy for a good meal. Avoid large meals after late gigs — going to bed on a full stomach increases the risk of reflux and packs on extra weight.
What about vitamins? Though studied extensively over the years, no clinically sound, large-scale, placebo-controlled data supports regular use of supplements of any kind in an otherwise healthy person. That doesn’t mean they’re useless; it just means that as of yet, there isn’t that “one thing” that can be recommended with certainty. As long as you are not exceeding recommended dosing, there is little chance for harm; however, be sure what you take is indeed helping before you continue to spend hard-earned money on it.
Avoid speaking loudly or shouting/yelling — it stresses your throat and vocal cords. Whispering is likewise unhealthy; you’re better off not talking at all. Carrying on a conversation in a noisy tour bus, talking to the club owner or your manager during a soundcheck, or speaking loudly using your mobile phone all create stress on your voice that many people fail to consider. Noisy restaurants force you to speak loudly and will wear you out fast, often before you realize it, so be careful where you choose to eat; request a quiet table or get your food to go and eat in your [parked] car or hotel room where it’s more peaceful.
Beware that certain medications can cause dryness. You can find exhaustive lists online, but the most common culprits are decongestants and antihistamines.
Be aware how travel can affect your voice. Flying in dry airplane cabins, hopping across time zones, changing climates, going in and out of air-conditioning, and following crazy schedules all conspire to throw off your routine and affect how well you are hydrating, sleeping, and eating.
Respect the importance of a good vocal warm-up. Singers are vocal athletes whose throat musculature requires conditioning. Take it seriously. Work with a vocal coach to develop a warm-up routine tailored to your genre and singing style and to work through bad habits. Once you’re warmed up, avoid straining your voice when singing — learn to use the microphone to your advantage, and stay relaxed. Learn to recognize when your voice is fatigued (limited range, swallowing and/or clearing your throat more often). Be aware that performing in a poor acoustic environment will cause you to over-sing; collaborate with your sound engineer and adjust accordingly. Keeping your neck warm with a scarf can help keep your neck muscles loose. See your doctor if your voice is acting up for more than a week or two despite taking good care of it.
Minimize tobacco use — smoking is awful for your voice and affects lung capacity. Find a way to quit. Avoid second-hand smoke as much as possible; a simple concept but tough to execute, for sure.
Minimize caffeine and alcohol before and during your gig. Caffeine can have a drying effect, and alcohol can affect vocal control and increase the risk of vocal strain.
Avoid clearing your throat often as it stresses your vocal cords. Try taking a sip of water instead of clearing your throat. If you feel you have to do this often, see your doctor to determine if there is something else going on (common culprits: reflux, allergies).

This list is by no means exhaustive, but hopefully it gives you some things to consider and try for yourself. Sometimes even a few simple adjustments can make a huge difference — find a few things you’ve learned and start applying them today! Although you’re a busy musician, taking good care of your voice needs to be a high priority!
Mitch Gallagher has interviewed many artists who shared how they care for their voices.
Matt Heafy

Lzzy Hale

Dorothy Martin

A few years ago I started working with a fabulous vocal coach, Ron Browning, and he has really taught me a lot about warming up and how to use my voice correctly. But there are also some common-sense things that really help my voice — getting a lot of rest, drinking a lot of water, not drinking alcohol, and not using my voice in noisy situations where I have to talk over ambient noise like on an airplane or at a loud club.
Amy Grant

Potato chips help me out in a pinch. The salt helps hydrate my throat.
Phil Naish

If your voice is giving out: “The first advice I would give is to relax. Getting nervous about the problem is only going to exacerbate it. Then, stop all talking. Carry a notepad and pencil if you need to. Drink lots of water and hot tea; slippery elm, Entertainer’s Secret, or Throat Coat are excellent choices. I have also had good results with the juice of one whole lemon added to a cup of hot water along with a spoonful of honey and just a pinch of cayenne pepper. I also recommend gentle vocal warm-up exercises, but absolutely nothing that hurts or causes a strain. There are several excellent videos on YouTube featuring vocal warm-up routines. I especially like Eric Arceneaux’s series. If it is possible to move songs into a lower key, by all means do it. If that is impossible, try singing softer and taking advantage of your microphone. This is not the night to belt it out! Finally, if you have determined that you have enough voice to do the gig, don’t apologize to your audience. If you maintain a positive attitude and carry on as if nothing is wrong, chances are they will never know. You might even discover a side of your voice (a “soulful huskiness?”) that you didn’t realize was there.
Carolyn Martin
The post Take Care of Your Voice! Advice from A Doctor appeared first on inSync.