Home  Singing Singing With A Sore Throat
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Singing With A Sore Throat |
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Q: Is it OK for me to sing when I have a sore throat?
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. 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:
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.
- by Brett Manning
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