Can you strain your vocal cords?
Can you strain your vocal cords?
You might not think of your voice as a tangible thing, but in fact it’s something that can be overused – or misused – resulting in a strain to your vocal cords.[1] This condition can cause discomfort similar to a sore throat, and many of its causes can also lead to generalised throat pain.[2]
Keep reading to learn more about vocal strain.
How do you strain your vocal cords?
Think of muscle strains you might have experienced in the past. In general, these uncomfortable injuries come about as a result of unusual use of the muscle in question – whether it’s located in your arms, legs, back or elsewhere.
For instance, you might strain a muscle by doing lots of walking or hiking over the weekend – in other words, by using your muscles excessively. Alternatively, you could cause an injury by doing something unusual for your routine, such as starting to play football for the first time in years without warming up properly.[3]
Vocal strain, which affects the vocal cords and the surrounding muscles, works in a similar way. You might strain your voice by talking or singing for long periods of time. On the other hand, your vocal strain might come about as a result of a more unusual kind of voice use, such as screaming while riding a rollercoaster.[1]
Of course, uses of the voice and vocal cord area aren’t limited to speaking, shouting or singing. You can also irritate your vocal cords by coughing or clearing your throat a lot – and you might not even realise you’re doing it. Actions like repetitively clearing your throat can become a habit.[2]
It’s more common for vocal strain to be caused by excessive or unusual use of the voice, but it can have other causes too. If you’ve had a throat infection, such as laryngitis, or had surgery to treat cancer, vocal strain could be a side effect. Allergies or acid reflux can also have a part in it.[1,2]
In some cases, vocal strain can be exacerbated if you fail to rest your voice properly. This can include if you try to shout to make yourself heard or whisper to avoid discomfort – both actions are ‘unusual’ uses of the vocal cords and can lead to strain.[2]
How long do strained vocal cords take to heal?
Generally speaking, irritation of the vocal cords and surrounding tissues will go away without special treatment within a week or two. However, there are many factors that can affect the healing process.[2]
Naturally, if you don’t rest your voice and treat it with care while you recuperate, the strain is likely to take longer to heal. To avoid this, you should:[2]
- Stay well hydrated
- Avoid speaking where possible
- Steer clear of smoky, dusty conditions or dry air
- Refrain from smoking or drinking excessive amounts of alcohol or caffeine-based drinks
- Resist the urge to shout, sing or whisper.
To some extent, the length of time it takes to recover from vocal strain can depend on the cause. For example, if you have vocal strain because you smoke, then recovery may take longer. You might even find you don’t see an improvement until after you’ve quit.[2]
Similarly, vocal strain caused by injury to the throat or cancer surgery may heal differently to an illness-based strain. It might even require specialist treatment such as speech therapy. If this applies to you, you should speak to your recovery team about what to expect and what you can do to help your voice get back to normal.[1]
While there’s no rushing recovery from either illness or injury, there may be things you can do to help alleviate discomfort. If you have vocal strain accompanied by a sore throat – perhaps caused by a throat infection or acid reflux – then you may find relief from some of your symptoms by using a local anaesthetic[4] such as the one found in Ultra Chloraseptic Honey and Lemon Throat Spray. The benzocaine anaesthetic numbs pain in a targeted area to help you get on with your day without discomfort.
Resources
[2] – https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/laryngitis/