Singing
With a Sore
Throat
-by Brett
Manning
Q:
Is it OK for me to sing when I
have a sore throat?
Singing
with a Sore Throat
The
following article presents the
very latest information on
singing with a sore throat. If
you have a particular interest in
vocal tips, then this informative
article is required reading.
A:
Depending on what's causing it,
singing with a sore throat can be
catastrophic.
I tell my
clients, "if it hurts to swallow,
don't sing!"
Conversely,
if it's a mildly soar throat,
consult your doctor (it's a good
idea to find a good ear, nose,
throat specialist in your area
and build a relationship with
him) and then use your best
judgment.
Dry air,
singing abusively, and
viral/bacterial infection are
some of the more common causes of
a sore throat.
Some people
just wake up with a sore throat
every day of their life. I've
found that the majority of those
people have acid-reflux, which
means they are burping up stomach
acids while they are sleeping or
sometimes even while they are
awake.
Knowledge
can give you a real advantage. To
make sure you're fully informed
about whether or not to sing with
a sore throat, keep reading.
For most,
however, this happens in the
night, so they may be completely
unaware of the problem. They then
wake up with a scratchy, raspy
voice and a sore throat. There
are numerous web sites directed
to the problem of reflux. Let me
recommend a couple:
Texas
Voice Center
Wake
Forest University Baptist Medical
Center
Because a
dry throat is often a sore
throat, consume two to three
quarts of water every day.
I actually
drink up to a gallon or more a
day. If you live in an arid
climate, sleep with a humidifier
next to your bed and try to warm
up your voice in the shower.
The
moisture is an incredible help
for your voice. Also, learn to
breathe in through your nose as
much as possible. This will help
moisten the air before it reaches
your cords.
The next
concern is vocal abuse. Some of
the causes are singing too high
and too loud for too long,
screaming, yelling at a football
game or concert, talking at the
top of your voice in a noisy
crowd, breathing cigarette smoke
(first- for second-hand), doing
voice impersonations that are
extreme or that cause strain and
talking or singing with a raspy,
manufactured sound.
Whenever my
throat is sore from vocal abuse I
try to get some vocal rest, drink
plenty of liquids, and then
rehabilitate my voice with gentle
exercises like humming, lip
bubbles, and tongue trills.
If you get
laryngitis and your tone starts
to 'skip' or 'cut out' in the
middle of a sustained note, you
really want to get serious vocal
rest.
Most of
all, ALWAYS consult your
physician if things don't clear
up rapidly.
By this, I
mean, if you get a sore throat in
the morning and it clears up by
noon and doesn't come back (this
occasionally happens to me) then
there's usually nothing to worry
about.
Otherwise,
call the doctor, because if this
condition is medical and you
don't get help, no amount of
vocal rest will help. I
personally prefer herbal immune
system remedies, but do what
works best for you.
There's no
doubt that the topic of singing
with a sore throat can be
fascinating. If you still have
unanswered questions in regards
to how a sore throat affects your
singing voice, you may find what
you're looking for in the next
article.
Happy
singing!
-Brett
Manning
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