Category Archives: Vocal Health

Don’t Damage Your Hearing!

Good hearing is very important to a singer, but we don’t often think about it. Unfortunately, you may not realize your hearing is compromised until the damage is irreversible. Prevention is the best and perhaps only tool to keep your ears in good shape.

Exposure to very loud noises, even briefly, can be very dangerous, but even moderately loud noise or music over a period of time can spell trouble. If you play in a rock band (or even a concert band) you may be at risk. Hearing protection is called for if you use machinery like a power saw, lawnmower, motorcycle or air compressor. Working in a noisy environment such as a bar or factory can cause damage that adds up over time. Do you play piccolo? How about hearing protection on you right side, at least when you practice. And headphones are a common source of hearing damage. It’s entirely too easy to crank up the volume to a dangerous level. (Don’t trust the manufacturer to limit the upper end for you.) Warning signs are when you need to turn the volume up to get the same thrill as previously and when the people around you can hear what you are listening to.

You may not be aware of any signs that your hearing is failing, but you’ve gotten into a dangerous zone if things sound muffled after a rock concert or party. If you value your hearing you will not stand close to the speakers. If you have to shout to the person next to you, you should probably move farther away from the sound source.

And lastly, you probably know that you shouldn’t put anything into your ears. You could harm the eardrum. But even something as innocent as tissue can easily leave bits behind that end up causing a blockage. If your ear itches or gives you other problems, you should see a doctor. Your family physician may be able to help, or your may be referred to an ear, nose and throat specialist.

 

Keeping Your Voice Healthy

Most musicians don’t have to depend on their personal health the way a singer does. In that regard, we’re rather like athletes. All kinds of things going on in your body, mind and emotions will affect your singing. Many of those things cannot be controlled directly, but by staying in the best possible condition we can function as performers through quite a few of the ups and downs. Here are some of the basics:

  • You should maintain a healthy weight and stick to good eating habits.Overall health is your foundation.
  • Exercise goes a long way to keep your body strong and resilient. Aerobic (“cardio”) in particular will help with your breath support. If you do weight-lifting try to avoid the grunting and a glottal lock.
  • Singing should never hurt. If you are doing something that feels bad, you are hurting your voice.
  • Smoking is terrible for a singer. But you guessed that, didn’t you? Of course it’s harmful to your lungs, but it also hurts the vocal cords themselves. And pot burns hotter, so it is even worse.
  • Hydration is essential. There are various guidelines out there for how much you should drink (I’m talking about water!), but a good general one is about 2 liters per day. If you drink a lot of caffeine or live in a dry climate then you should plan on a bit more. Alcohol and many prescriptions medications also dehydrate you. Remember to pee pale! It’s the best way to know that you’re well-hydrated. (If you take B vitamins or even a multi-vitamin, your urine may be bright yellow. Not a problem!)
  • Many allergens affect the vocal tract. Do what you can to deal with them by avoidance, as depending on antihistamines and steroids can have deleterious results.
  • Excessive use of your speaking voice can be very taxing. Loud talking and comical voices can quickly tire your voice. Cheerleading is a stressor, as is talking over background noise (like in a vehicle).
  • Do not use your voice if you have laryngitis. Whispering is not a good idea. Instead, carry a pencil and paper around for a few days. If you keep trying to speak when you have laryngitis you will prolong the healing and you may cause permanent damage.
  • But not all sore throats are laryngitis. When in doubt, see the doctor. A laryngologist is a doctor who specialized in the voice. They’re sometimes called “Ear, Nose and Throat” doctors.
  • Learn about reflux and take action if necessary.
  • Remember to protect you hearing. Machine noise, rock concerts and band practice can all add up to damage your hearing. If you sing in a band you should have some kind of monitor that lets you hear yourself, because you may over-sing if you can’t.
  • Practice regularly, but not always loud and long. Get used to how your voice feels when you are singing easily. Your practice should be less about “building up singing muscles” and more about making a habit of your best/easiest sound.
  • Other things that can have repercussions on the voice include hormones, surgery, prescription drugs and mental or emotional state.
  • You can’t truly hear your own singing, so you need to trust your teacher’s ear. Eventually you’ll learn to sing well by the feel of it.

You only have one voice. You can’t abuse it and then expect a doctor to make it right again, because it may never be the same. Another thing that people forget is that when the voice doesn’t feel right we tend to compensate with habits that are not ideal. These new (or old) bad habits may stick with us after the voice should be healthy again. Here are some things that are harmful to your voice or just plain taxing. How many are affecting your voice?

  • Screaming, talking forcefully all the time, talking in the car, lots of laughing
  • Doing funny voices
  • Dry air, not enough water intake
  • Glottal attacks and throat effort in your speech
  • Coughing, clearing the throat
  • Breathing very cold air
  • Poor diet, lack of sleep, stress
  • Cheerleading
  • Allergies
  • Allergy medications
  • Aspirin, ibuprofen
  • Caffeine, alcohol
  • Smoking, especially marijuana
  • Talking, singing or whispering when you have laryngitis

Sure, some of these are hard to avoid. The singer must spend a lifetime working to minimize the stresses on the voice, though. If you have allergies, for example, do everything you can to be good to your voice in other ways, like drinking lots of water and eating properly.

Eating just before bed is a favorite ritual for some of us, but this can lead to acid reflux when you lie down, which is very hard on the voice. Eating spicy foods for dinner or eating too much of anything within a few hours of bed are best left to the non-singers. If you tend to have heartburn and stomach problems and if your voice is rough in the morning and
improves through the day, you should ask a doctor about reflux. (For more about
reflux, see What is GERD?)

Please remember that alcohol, caffeine, pseudoephedrine and even water are very dangerous if you ingest too much within a short period of time (1 or 2 hours).

Wintertime Immunity

Singers have to stay on top of their health at all times. A little cold can leave you with a cough, irritated vocal cords, or a sinus infection for weeks, making singing an unpleasant activity and perhaps leading to more serious damage to the voice.

In order to avoid illness as much as possible, be sure to eat well, get regular sleep, and be a bit fanatical about washing your hands, disinfecting doorknobs, and steering clear of sick people. Vitamins might help keep you strong, and water has a beneficial effect, too. Some people like to take herbs like echinacea and garlic. These work best if taken when you’ve been exposed to a bug but haven’t gotten sick yet. They may not help at all after the sore throat has begun. At that point you might try breathing steam to clear out your respiratory system and help the entire respiratory system heal.

And if you do come down with something, consider the following.

The Advantages of Being Sick

No, it’s not crazy . Think about this:

  1. When you’re sick you don’t expect so much of yourself. You tend to expect the singing to not sound good, so you relax and let it go without employing your usual extra effort. The result is free singing that you normally wouldn’t allow yourself. And if you can’t stand what you hear, put your fingers in your ears!
  2. If your throat hurts, you’ll work extra hard to get the sensations (effort) away from it, which is always good. This is a good time to go for forward placement.
  3. At the beginning of a cold you often sing better because the mucus is thinner on your vocal cords.
  4. Sometimes the congestion in your head is situated just right so that the focus is really obvious.
  5. You can learn a lot by working when the voice is just a little under the weather, since you have vocalize easily and really pay attention to the sensations.
  6. This is a great time to concentrate on memorization, expression and character.

Don’t push too hard for high notes, perfect clarity or long rehearsals, and you should
be okay. But remember to do no singing (or speaking, whispering or even whistling) when you have laryngitis.

What Should I Eat?

You will need to observe what happens to your body and voice when you eat particular foods. It’s very individual. That said, there are certain things that singers usually try to avoid. Observe your reaction to things like milk (any dairy products) and sugar. They might make a lot of phlegm. Nuts and popcorn can easily cause you to cough, which irritates the vocal folds quite a bit, so you don’t want to take that chance within a few hours of singing. Spicy or heavy foods late in the day can make for reflux, resulting in a scratchy voice in the morning. Caffeine may not leave your body as well hydrated as you might think. You’re taking in the fluid of that cup of coffee, but the caffeine content keeps you from benefiting from it like you would from plain water. Chances are that you’re wasting your money if you always have to have the fancy bottled water. Aspirin puts your vocal folds in a fragile state, so that they are vulnerable to damage if you sing. Many (most?) prescriptions drugs have a side effect of drying.

Some singers are very attached to hot lemon water with honey and cough drops. Both can easily be over-done and cause drying of the throat. And anything you feel psychologically dependent on in order to perform should be suspect. You’re in a much better state emotionally if you can be a normal person and go into your performance relaxed, rather than in a panic because you couldn’t find the right brand of herbal tea.

Helping Your Voice Heal

The voice can be damaged, but, on the other hand, it can be remarkably resilient. It needs moisture, rest and time.

  • Hydration with fluids is doubly important when on the mend, but you may also want to inhale some steam. Don’t burn yourself!
  • If your sinuses are dry or irritated you could try using a neti pot. It looks like a tiny tea pot. Put salt water in it and flush your nasal passages by putting the spout to your nose and leaning over a sink. (Breathe through your mouth, or you’ll drown!) If the water is lukewarm you won’t even feel it. Look up instructions online and you’ll see pictures to help you figure it out.
  • When you have laryngitis the time element is crucial. If you speak very little for 3 to 4 days you will get your voice back sooner. But don’t whisper! That’s harder on the vocal folds. So speak gently and minimally.
  • Sleep is necessary for your body to heal. Make it a priority.

Water and sleep are essential for a healthy voice!

What is GERD?

GERD is the acronym for gastroesophageal reflux disorder, sometimes called reflux. It is essentially a chronic heartburn problem. There is a valve at the top of the stomach that prevents stomach acids from going into the esophagus. This is especially important when lying down, as gravity can not help to contain the acids in the stomach. If the valve is weak, acid will creep up, particularly at night when lying in bed. This is what causes the feeling of burning at the level of the heart and higher. Symptoms of GERD include heartburn, cough, interrupted sleep and vocal problems that are worse in the morning.

The acid rising through the esophagus will eventually reach the region of the voice box, which can result in irritation of the vocal cords. Left untreated, reflux can cause long-term or permanent damage to the voice.There are a variety of treatments for the condition, some of which are simple enough to try at home if you suspect you have reflux.

  • Raise the head of your bed so you are not lying perfectly flat. You could prop yourself up with pillows, but since this will cause you to bend at the waist, it may not be the best solution.
  • Avoid food and alcohol for several hours before bedtime. (Spicy foods are the worst offenders.)
  • Over-the-counter antacids may help, but it’s best not to take them regularly. There are other (prescription) drugs used for difficult cases.

Be sure to talk to your doctor about your symptoms, especially if these measures do not alleviate them.

TMJ Syndrome and the Singer

How many of these sound familiar: Your jaw is clicking, popping and getting stuck again. It hurts to open your mouth. Headaches. Neck and shoulder stiffness or pain. Ringing in your ears. Back pain. Vertigo. Tingling in your fingers.All of these symptoms can be related to a problem in the TMJ, or temporomandibular joint, the hinge between your cheekbone and your lower jaw. Headaches are probably the most common complaint, but you may not think of your clicking jaw as a related problem. It may not even bother most people, although they might notice it from time to time. Singers are probably aware of more degrees of jaw difficulty than most people, just  because of the demands of the singing process.

What’s going on? Normally the upper and lower teeth fit together like meshed gears, but sometimes the gearing gets off, causing the muscles around the mandible (jaw) joint to tense and spasm. Many people report their first symptoms after receiving a blow to the head, such as might occur in a car accident, because the jaw becomes misaligned, which makes the teeth line up incorrectly, which begins the cycle of excess tension at the joint.
Good old-fashioned stress also makes for spasms in the chewing muscles.

Things that make it worse: Any activity that causes you to “grit” your teeth. For example, some people bite down while running or weightlifting, as well as when under stress. Biting down on the mouth appliances used in some sports, including football and scuba diving, can be problematic, and grinding your teeth at night is both an indicator and an  aggravator of TMJ Syndrome. (You may also see the terms TMJ Disorder or TMJ Disease. They all refer to the same set of problems.)

What can I do? Try keeping your teeth separated whenever possible, especially when stressed. Also be aware of opening the mouth too far, something we as singers have to learn to work around. Many sufferers open their mouths crookedly. Moist heat may also help relieve the tension.

Medical options: If you think you may have a problem with your jaw joint, the person to see is your dentist. TMJ treatment usually starts out with a particular kind of mouth appliance that helps realign the upper and lower jaws. Your dentist can probably
determine if this is right for you.

Clearly, a singer needs the jaw to be working freely and easily, with as little tension as possible. In addition to relief from constant headaches, getting help could mean the difference between making no progress in your lessons and having the beautiful, easy tone you’ve always wanted.

See also: www.tmj.org