Vocal Hygiene: a good choice for a healthy voice
Were you yelling for “defence” on the sidelines of the soccer field all weekend? Or was it karaoke at the bar, singing at top volume? A stressful work presentation?
Maybe you are a teacher, and had to use your BIG voice during last week’s assembly… or a spin instructor yelling in a noisy environment most days. For any of these scenarios, the outcome is the same: a hoarse, tense feeling in the throat later, discomfort or pain while speaking, and feeling frustrated while your voice is temporarily out of commission - until next weekend, or until that next school assembly, right?
There are ways to take care of your voice by practicing what we call vocal hygiene. We have all been focusing intently on hand hygiene throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Vocal hygiene is all about making and maintaining healthy voice habits for taking care of your vocal folds and keeping them in good condition.
Vocal abuse, misuse, or strain can contribute to damage of the vocal folds. Although there are conditions (such as cancer, nerve damage, specific neurological conditions, and more) that can be associated with voice disorders, many of our actions and behaviours can damage the voice.
This can include:
shouting or screaming too much, for too long
reflux
exposure to vocal irritants, such as smoke, dust, or too much caffeine or alcohol
common illness (sore throat)
even stress and patterns of muscle tension/strain
While vocal hygiene can help to restore function and balance to an irritated voice, practicing good habits of vocal hygiene is often the base for maintenance of a healthy voice - it’s important to try and prevent damage and reduce risk to your vocal tract whenever possible.
PROTECT YOUR VOICE:
Breathe. No, really. Good breath support with diaphragmatic breathing (think big belly breaths) helps you to project your voice without straining the muscles in your throat to overcompensate.
Stay hydrated. Research suggests that surface hydration and systemic hydration both contribute to healthy vocal folds. Surface = hydrating the vocal folds, such as with the use of a humidifier (no, gargling water won’t reach down far enough to the surface of your folds). Systemic = overall hydration of your body via drinking water. Hydrated vocal folds move more efficiently - so drink up!
Warm up your voice before making big demands on it. You would warm up the muscles in your legs and the rest of your body before a soccer game - the same goes for exercising your voice. If you have a speech or presentation coming up at work, you need to warm up those vocal folds.
THINGS TO AVOID:
Throat-clearing and coughing can be damaging for your voice, especially if these have become frequent habits. These habits bring the vocal folds crashing together and can cause vocal injury over time. Although sometimes needed to clear an irritant from the throat, the more you cough and clear, the more irritated you feel and then develop the habit. Instead, try swallowing, taking slow sips of water, and a gentle throat clear (sometimes a hum can do the trick!).
Avoid screaming and yelling. Get closer to your communication partner so that you can speak at a normal volume and hear each other, and face them so that they can see your mouth for visual cues - this can help support when trying to hear in a noisy environment.
Stay away from vocal irritants. Coffee and alcohol can further dehydrate and irritate your voice. Inhaling smoke of any kind, or dust, should also be avoided. As for diet, spicy foods and fried/fatty foods can further irritate a hoarse, tired voice - these things can also lead to increase in reflux, which can irritate and damage the vocal folds.
Basic vocal hygiene is one part of maintaining a strong and healthy voice. If you find that you are often losing your voice and/or experience pain and discomfort during or after speaking, it would be worthwhile to consult with a doctor, ENT, and/or speech-language pathologist to improve vocal hygiene, vocal function and strength, and to find the healthiest version of your voice.
**As always, this blog post does not replace an assessment or individualized recommendations for speech-language therapy by a certified SLP. Contact a speech-language pathologist to ensure that your family member is receiving the right supports to help them grow. In the case of vocal pain/discomfort, loss of voice altogether, and other voice concerns, consult a doctor, ENT, and/or SLP for individualized assessment and treatment.