General Voice Care/Vocal Hygiene
If you rely on your voice for your livelihood, then you are a professional voice user. This includes clergy, attorneys, teachers, telephone operators, actors, broadcasters, physical education instructors and singers. If you are a professional voice user, then it is of the utmost importance that you take good care of your voice. The following are some helpful hints to help you maintain good vocal hygiene: 1. Hydration It cannot be overemphasized how important it is to maintain good water intake. It is recommend to drink 6 to 8 glasses of water a day to maintain adequate hydration. Take a water bottle with you to work and refill it regularly. The goal is to drink until your urine is pale. Good water intake helps keep the lubricating mucus on your vocal cords thin, creating the ideal environment for your vocal cords to work. Coffee, tea and most soft drinks contain caffeine that tend to lead to dehydration - it is best to avoid these altogether. Alcohol is best avoided when you need to use your voice. It too dries your vocal cords. 2. Throat Clearing This is a common problem with many professional voice users. It is often seen in people with excessive mucus or GERD (reflux disease). Your doctor will give you medications to help treat these conditions, but it is important that this habit be eliminated. Throat clearing is extremely traumatic to the vocal cords, leading to excessive wear and tear. When you feel the need to clear your throat you should try the following strategies: swallow, have a sip of water, or clear your throat silently without allowing your vocal cords to touch. A good voice coach will be glad to demonstrate this. 4. Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) This is quite common among professional voice users. Although the reflux of stomach contents into the oesophagus and throat commonly leads to heartburn, many people never experience this symptom. So, just because you're not having heartburn, that does not mean you are safe from the effects of acid reflux on your vocal cords. Treatment of this condition involves changes in your diet and lifestyle. 5. Vocal Abuse/Overuse It has been said, "Everything in moderation". This is especially true when it comes to the use of your voice. Don't speak excessively; choose your words carefully. Avoid lengthy conversations on the phone. If your job involves talking on the phone all day, then rest your voice for ten minutes every 2-3 hours. This will go a long way towards easing the strain on your voice. Talk at a low to moderate volume; this will sometimes mean using different strategies when there is excessive background noise (cars, parties, airplanes, restaurants). Our best advice is to minimize talking in these environments. If you must talk in these situations, you should get as close to the person you are talking to as possible, preferably facing them. In some instances, you may need amplification to talk in a noisy environment. Avoid shouting and screaming. There are much better ways to get people's attention, and these methods will not traumatize the vocal cords as screaming will. Examples would include using a whistle or clapping your hands. If, after singing, you experience vocal fatigue, hoarseness and or discomfort, you are doing something wrong. With any type of singing, in any style, you should never experience these things. Consult a voice coach to learn how to avoid these problems. Needless to say, smoking is one of the worst things you can do to your voice. Irritation to the vocal cords from cigarette smoke can lead to chronic laryngitis, vocal cord polyps, or cancer of the larynx. If your voice is valuable to you, smoking is just not worth the risks. 6. Drugs that Affect the Voice Antihistamines/Decongestants: These drugs are commonly found in cold preparations and allergy medications. They will result in a drying effect on the vocal cords which is detrimental. Common medications in this category include Benadryl, Tavist, Dimetapp, Sinutab, Dristan, Entex, Sudafed, etc. Other medications that dry the vocal tract include Catapress (clonidine), Aldochlor (methyldopa-chlorothiazide), Aldomet (methyldopa), Aldoril (methyldopa-hydroclorothiazide), Tenex (guanfacine hydrochloride), Wytensin (guanabenz acetate), Combipress, Elavil (amitriptyline), Pamelor (nortriptyline), Sinequan and Adapin (doxepin), Tofranil (imipramine), Vivactil (protriptyline), Prolixin (fluphenazine), Thorazine (chloropromazine), Mellaril (thioridzine), Transderm Scop (scopolamine), Lomotil, Donnagel, Cogentin (benztropine), Artane (trihexyphenidyl), Lasix (furosemide), and all diuretic pills (water pills) Local Anesthetics (Chloraseptic, etc): These medications should be avoided. Numbing the throat with one of these sprays is an especially bad idea if you are about to perform or sing. Performing under the influence of one of these has been likened to playing the piano with gloves on. 7. Work Environment Avoid smoke filled and dusty environments. Travelling to dry environments such as Las Vegas or Phoenix may also cause voice problems. It is best to keep a humidifier on at night, and to maintain good water intake. Airplanes are also notoriously dry environments. If you are travelling by plane a significant amount, you should increase your water intake accordingly and avoid caffeine and alcohol. Taking all of the above into account, if you are a professional voice user, you could benefit from simple techniques to improve and maintain your voice. Basic understanding of this vital tool of your trade will help you to work better and be more effective. After all, you wouldn't get behind the wheel of a car without instruction or understanding of how to drive. A good voice coach will teach you simple and fast techniques to improve the way you sound and to develop greater vocal stamina. |
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CategoriesEveryone SingLyndhurst Community Choir Musical Theatre School Performers Voice Coaching / Singing Lessons Beaulieu, New Forest, Hampshire Warblers |
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