Sunday, September 14, 2014
It's Football Season - Remember to Protect Your Voice
2:12 PM | 
Posted by
Kaplan Center for Health and Wellness
Have you ever lost your voice
after cheering a little to loudly for your favorite football team? Did you ever wake up with a sore throat and
wonder why? Vocal health is something that
most people take for granted until they have a problem. Just as we eat a well-balanced diet and
exercise to stay healthy, maintaining proper vocal fitness is essential to
overall well-being.
When used properly, vocal chords
(technically called vocal “folds”) are muscles that vibrate together in a
rhythmic pattern to produce sound. If an
injury occurs to the vocal folds, they are not able to vibrate normally, which
results in hoarseness, reduced volume, or complete loss of voice.
Maintaining vocal fitness is
something that everyone can do! It only
takes a minute or two to drink an extra glass of water or turn on a
humidifier. Prolonged irritation of the
vocal folds can result in permanent damage.
Although this is rare, if you experience vocal hoarseness or other
abnormalities that last longer than two weeks, it is best to consult your
primary physician.
What promotes a healthy
voice? Here are some quick and easy tips
that everyone can easily do:
·
Maintain proper hydration:
·
Drink water to keep the vocal chords moist and
limit substances that cause dehydration, such as caffeine. It is important to note that drinking small
amounts of water throughout the day is more effective than drinking large
quantities all at once.
·
Certain medications, such as antihistamines, can
also result in dehydration, so drink extra water if you take any of these
medications on a regular basis.
·
Use a humidifier at night if you run the heater
or air conditioning, or if you live in a dry climate.
·
Avoid smoky environments; do not smoke.
·
Use your
voice responsibly:
·
Do not whisper.
When you whisper, you force your vocal chords to nearly close, which can
cause muscle strain.
·
If you must project, use an amplification
system.
·
Avoid clearing your throat. Constant throat clearing can cause irritation
or inflammation of the vocal chords. The
need to clear your throat is usually a symptom of something, so it might be
wise to consult your doctor.
·
Do not shout or cough roughly, if possible. Shouting and rough coughing is the same as slamming
your vocal chords together. This can
result in irritation.
If you are interested in more
information about vocal fitness, here are a few wonderful resources:
American Speech and Hearing
Association:
National Institution on Deafness
and Other Communication Disorders:
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