HOW TO CARE FOR YOUR VOICE
Your voice is your way of communication with other people, and a very important component of some people’s livelihood. It is important to care for your voice to avoid long term problems. Consult with an voice doctor /ENT doctor (Palawan) immediately if you have voice problems that do not go away
A lot of teachers, sales persons, trainers come to my clinic complaining of voice problems. Among the most common complaints for voice doctors/ ENT doctors are:
“I cant reach high notes anymore”
“I easily get tired when talking”
“My voice can’t reach the end of the room anymore”
When I ask them how they have been taking care of their voice, they usually reply that they have been over-using or abusing their voice, and are unaware of some bad vocal practices.
Listed below are ways in which you can care for your voice:
Voice Doctor: Voice Care tips
1. Make sure you have adequate hydration. Think of your vocal cords as a car engine. There are hundreds of moving parts whirring away in your car engine.
As your engine needs oil, so does your vocal cords. Imagine the thousands of times your cords vibrate in a single day. If you don’t drink enough water, your voice will suffer and this can lead to problems such as vocal cord nodules.
Every one of these things rub against something else as it moves, causing friction. You need oil as lubrication to prevent surface tear
One way to check if you are adequately hydrated is to check for the color of urine. Ideally, it should be almost clear like water. Avoid drinking diuretics such as coffee as this can make you lose water content
2. Maintain good posture. Think of the best musical instruments such as a violin. The shape of the instrument is painstakingly created to give it a beautiful sound. As a singer or voice professional, your body is your musical instrument. When you have good posture, it helps your breathing support and helps you relax and overall, it helps you use your voice properly.
Be aware of how you speak
4. Always be conscious of the quality of your voice.
When speaking, you can opt to not yse a shrill or high pitch as this causes more tension in your cords. Think of a violin or a guitar string. When it is strung tightly, it produces a higher pitch compared to when it has less tension. However, the use of an unnaturally low speaking pitch is also discouraged.
4. Also be conscious of the frequency of your speech. Learn to speak using force from your diaphragm instead of just your voicebox. Harness your abdominal muscles to produce a more powerful voice.
5. Conserve your voice.
Do not talk when unnecessary. Avoid speaking over loud environments, or if you have to, go near the person you are addressing and face the person. Do not scream, this produces a lot of tension on your voicebox. When able, use a lapel microphone to increase the volume of your voice especially when talking to a large audience.
Medical Conditions Your Voice Doctor Will Treat
6. Treat underlying medical conditions like gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) or laryngo-pharyngeal reflux.
This happens when acid from the stomach goes up to the esophagus or the voicebox. Such conditions can irritate the vocal cords and contribute to the formation of vocal cord nodules and other problems. Check with your ENT doctor or voice doctor if you have these
7. Always keep a healthy lifestyle.
Your voice is affected by the condition of the rest of your body. Eat a balanced diet. Sleep well as fatigue has a negative effect on voice. Exercise regularly as this helps with posture and breathing. Stop bad habits like smoking.
Say goodbye to ear, nose, and throat discomfort with our expert ENT care.
Book now to schedule your appointment with our experienced ENT doctor and start feeling better today.
Your health is our priority.
