Many of us loose our voices after a night at a concert, a club, or singing too much karaoke. This is usually temporary and lasts a few days. But many of us that over use our voices because we sing for a living, or our job involves a lot of talking may not get the time, or the chance to recover. So here a few tips in looking after your voice…

Sings that your voice may not be healthy…

• Has your voice become hoarse or raspy?
• Have you lost your ability to hit some high notes when singing?
• Does your voice suddenly sound deeper?
• Does your throat often feel strained or achy?
• Is it painful to talk, or sing?
• Do you find yourself constantly having to clear your throat?

If you have any of the above and the symptoms last more than just a few days and you haven’t got a cold, its recommended that you contact a Dr (ENT) who specialises in problems with the ears, nose and throat.

Try not to panic, most voice problems can be reversed by treating the underlying cause or through a range of behavioural changes. More often than not, it does not require surgery.

I am not Dr, but being a singer myself and having suffered temporary laryngitis and vocal haemorrhage from over using and straining my voice, I had to learn how to look after my instrument. I must stress, if you are a singer, how important it is to warm up everyday. It’s a little like exercise, once you stop exercising, you become unfit. If you sing for a living you must spend ten minutes warming up everyday. I am no professional, so the best place to turn too for warm up videos is youtube or any other professional. If you want to turn to YouTube, I would recommend https://www.youtube.com/user/EricArceneaux

I can, however, give you a few tips on how to keep your voice healthy with everyday habits and lifestyle changes. They have definitely worked for me!

1. Rest your voice for as long as possible during recovery.
2. Gargle salt water if your throat is feeling sore, there are also many other mouthwashes that reduce inflammation and pain. Avoid mouthwashes that contain alcohol or other irritating chemicals.
3. Utilize the power of steam to keep your vocal cords from getting dry. I personally also add a few drops of peppermint oil to the steaming bowl of hot water as this really helps clear your nose and your throat, helping you to regain your voice. Remember to close your eyes though, peppermint oil is strong!
4. Drink plenty of water. It sounds cliche, but it works! You must keep your body and vocal cords hydrated.
5. Avoid acidic food and drinks. They do not have a direct affect on your vocal cords, but they do promote acid reflux, which in turn can damage your voice. (if you suffer from heart burn regularly, this may be the reason you are experiencing issues with your voice).
6. When you are not drinking water, keep your liquids warm. Not hot, and not cold, warm. Cold drinks only close your throat and hot drinks may irritate it.
7. Drinking peppermint oil reduces inflammatory and clears the throat, this can also aid in digestion and at the same time calm the spasms associated with reflux.
8. Other natural remedies like honey, ginger and echinacea all help with inflammatory and clearing bacteria. Consult your Dr before using Echinacea if you have any issues with your bowls.
9. Avoid using the extremes of your vocal range, such as screaming or whispering. Talking too loudly can stress your voice and to softly can dry it out.
10. Stop smoking. Again it sounds cliche. Smoking is bad for many things, but the main things are your lungs and your throat which both take a part in singing.

Remember these are just tips on keeping your voice healthy from what I have learnt over-time. Even if your voice isn’t damaged or you are not having issues, these tips may help you to avoid future issues. For voice training, problems or before using any substances listed in this article (regardless of them being natural). it is always advisable that you speak to a Dr first.

Good luck!