How to help vocal strain
How to help vocal strain
In most cases, vocal cord strain comes about as a result of overuse, though it can occur as a side effect of throat illnesses such as laryngitis or surgery in that area.[1]
Vocal strain can be uncomfortable, but there are things you can do to help. Below, we explore ways to treat vocal strain if you have it, as well as what you can do to reduce your risk of developing vocal strain in future.
How to heal strained vocal cords
If you’ve sustained a vocal strain, you’ll probably notice symptoms such as:
- A sore throat, particularly when speaking
- Long-lasting hoarseness
- Changes to the usual sound of your voice.[1]
Sound familiar? It may benefit you to try some of the following remedies to ease your discomfort and give your vocal cords time to recover.
Take vocal naps
If you have vocal strain, it’s important to rest your voice as much as possible. Think of it like an injury to your foot, for example. If you’d hurt your foot, you’d try to walk around as little as you could so your foot can heal properly – the same principle applies to vocal cord strain.
While it might be difficult to completely avoid talking even when you have vocal strain, you should at the very least attempt to take what are known as vocal naps. These are essentially breaks during which you don’t talk at all – the longer the better – so that your vocal cords can relax for a time.[2]
Try steam inhalation
In some cases, vocal strain is caused or exacerbated by dry air causing a sore throat. If this is the case, then it can help to return some moisture to your vocal cords.
Steam inhalation is a great way of doing this, as it helps to ensure the moisture goes exactly where it’s needed.[3] To do this, boil some water and pour it into a bowl. Then lower your head over the bowl and inhale the steam slowly and cautiously.
Important! Always be careful when inhaling steam or preparing boiling water so that you don’t scald or burn yourself. Extra care should be taken when children or pets are nearby.
Use a warm compress
If your throat feels painful and inflamed, then a warm compress could help to soothe your discomfort. Soak a flannel in hot water – being careful not to scald yourself – and wring it out before holding it against your throat until it cools down.
You can repeat this trick as often as you’d like if you find it helps to soothe your throat.[4]
Increase your salivation
We’ve mentioned that vocal strain can be caused or exacerbated by dry air, but the same is true of a dry mouth. Whether you simply haven’t been drinking enough, you’ve been exercising heavily and panting or you have a dry mouth caused by a medicine or condition, this could make a vocal strain feel worse.
One way to help this situation is to increase the amount of saliva you’re producing. Saliva is the natural lubricant of the mouth and throat, and producing more can help to relieve dryness and irritation.[4]
How can you do this? Well, one option is to use a throat spray such as Ultra Chloraseptic honey and lemon throat spray. If you have an overall throat irritation, this spray uses a local anaesthetic to numb that pain – but the tasty honey and lemon flavour is key to stimulating saliva production to ease vocal strain.[4,5]
Other options for doing this include boiled sweets, mints and small pieces of fruit.[4]
How to avoid vocal strain
If you haven’t already developed vocal strain, there are plenty of things you can do to reduce your chances of it. These are actions you can take at any time to help look after your voice – and in some cases they may help to prevent other types of throat pain.
Be proactive about taking breaks
It’s a natural thing to take action and rest your voice once you already have vocal strain, but often you can protect yourself from reaching that point by taking shorter, more regular vocal breaks as standard.[2]
This can be a tricky habit to get into if you’ve never done it before, but the effects are more than worth it. If you’re in a situation where you can easily end up using your voice for long durations without realising, you may find it helpful to actually set alarms or otherwise build breaks into your schedule.
For example, if you sing in a choir, all practices and performances should include intermissions to give you a chance to rest your voice. You can follow a similar principle at home or work to avoid overusing your voice in other contexts.
Avoid actions that put excess strain on your voice
Another effective preventative measure you can take is to try to steer clear of anything that might put your vocal cords under too much stress. That’s not to say you can’t sing in your choir – we’re talking about more everyday practices that can add up to a strained voice.
These include:
- Shouting from one room to another at home
- Clearing your throat repetitively
- Smoking
- Whispering
- Singing or talking a lot without warming up the voice.[2,3,4]
Stay well hydrated
If the vocal cords dry out, this can exacerbate discomfort and make you more prone to feeling the effects of vocal strain. In addition, it makes it more likely that you could experience other kinds of throat pain such as a sore throat.
To combat this, it’s important to stay well hydrated so your body has enough fluids to lubricate your vocal cords. The NHS recommends getting at least two litres of fluids a day to stay hydrated, which may be easier to achieve if you can make sure you have a glass or bottle of water with you at all times.[4]
Use a humidifier
Last but not least, consider using a humidifier to control the amount of moisture in the air at home. This can go a long way towards keeping your vocal cords well lubricated to help avoid discomfort.[2]
Having too much moisture in your home can lead to damp problems, so it’s best to take a ‘less is more’ approach when using a humidifier. Use it at the lowest setting and then increase in small increments if needed.
With these tips and tricks at your disposal, you should be well prepared to soothe and avoid vocal strain as much as possible. Remember, your voice is a valuable resource – looking after it is vital.
Resources:
[2] – https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/taking-care-your-voice
[3] – https://utswmed.org/medblog/vocal-cords-care-qa/
[5] – Spielman, A I. “Interaction of saliva and taste.” Journal of dental research vol. 69,3 (1990): 838-43. doi:10.1177/00220345900690030101 Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2182682/