Help: curing/treating singer's throat problem

Subject: curing/treating singer's throat problems
From: sed
Date: 03 Oct 01 - 12:11 PM

Fall and Spring bring pollen, working outdoors and with moldy, dusty songbooks and other papers brings problems, straining one's voice in various ways: all these lead to throat problems and for a singer as well as for many other folks such problems can lead to more problems. What has worked for you in treating and curing throat and voice problems? Also how do you know when it's time to seek professional help? From successful folk remedies to scientific facts I would like to hear about your experiences.

Subject: RE: Help: curing/treating singer's throat problem
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 03 Oct 01 - 02:11 PM

The best overall treatment is still lots of rest and plenty of water to keep the vocal chords (and the rest of you) as hydrated as possible. No matter what your voice problem is caused by. Still don't know what to do about allergies except avoid the allergans. (Medications seem to compound the problem, for me at least.) Used to work in a building where I must have been allergic to mold and fungus in the ventilation system. Got laryngitis every May for 3-4 weeks. Haven't had that problem since I left there 11 years ago. (Except for a brief, weird brush with it a few weeks ago.)

Bat Goddess

Subject: RE: Help: curing/treating singer's throat problem
From: Mrrzy
Date: 03 Oct 01 - 02:12 PM

See thread on "disgusting singing problems" for more info on phlegm, in particular - blicky forthcoming.

Subject: RE: Help: curing/treating singer's throat problem
From: Mrrzy
Date: 03 Oct 01 - 02:16 PM

Que voici: Gross Out

Subject: RE: Help: curing/treating singer's throat problem
From: GUEST,Dead Horse
Date: 03 Oct 01 - 03:13 PM

As a very LOUD and much miss-used shanty singer, I find Sloe Gin eases my throat no end. Lots of sloe gin does have unwanted side effects however: Slurred speech, forgetting words, using wrong tune, etc. This can also be very good for the throat, 'cos then you get asked to "Sit this one please" Hope this of help ;-)

Subject: RE: Help: curing/treating singer's throat problem
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 03 Oct 01 - 03:15 PM

Here's a thread on homeopathic treatments for the voice.

Subject: RE: Help: curing/treating singer's throat problem
From: Dead Horse
Date: 03 Oct 01 - 03:17 PM

Cookie reset, ain't guestin' no more.

Subject: RE: Help: curing/treating singer's throat problem
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 03 Oct 01 - 03:22 PM

And Here's a thread on threads on singing!

Subject: RE: Help: curing/treating singer's throat problem
From: Alice
Date: 03 Oct 01 - 04:15 PM

sed, here are links directly to sites that I've posted within other threads on singing:

Center for Voice Disorders of Wake Forest University, Singers and Singing

University of Pittsburgh Voice Center, Specialized Care for the Voice Professional and Individuals with Voice Problems
The University of Pittsburgh site includes a survey you can download to analyze the health of your voice.
It also includes Taking Herbal Medicines: What Singers Should Know
and The Effects of Medications on Singers

Go to the homepage of each of those sites, and you will find many informative articles, studies, photos of the larynx, and much more.

Alice

Subject: RE: Help: curing/treating singer's throat problem
From: sophocleese
Date: 03 Oct 01 - 10:44 PM

A few years ago I moved. Before moving I had the chance to remove the old wallpaper and repaint. Removing seven layers of paper from the north wall meant that I was exposed to an awful lot of moldy guck. I coughed up black gunk for a week, I just kept drinking gallons of water and breathing deeply when I was outside. I got rid of it. Read the threads that others have linked too and you'll get some great ideas.

Subject: RE: Help: curing/treating singer's throat problem
From: MAG
Date: 03 Oct 01 - 11:30 PM

I have discovered that when shredding leaves, cotton up the nose works much better than those useless little masks they sell you in hardware. -- MA

Subject: RE: Help: curing/treating singer's throat problem
From: wysiwyg
Date: 03 Oct 01 - 11:55 PM

(S'cuse me butting in....)

Sed is a *friend* of mine whose online access is sporadic... so please, everyone, don't take it personally if there's no reply from Sed for a stretch. I know that when he is able to get back online he will appreciate everyone's helpful kindness. Hopefully, that will be sooner rather than later-- but in any case Sed's a lifer and a born Mudcatter... he looked me up after I had not written for MONTHS and remembered everything we had talked about! *G* Anyway, I don't speak for Sed, but I know he'd be saying thanks for himself if he could.

~Susan

(butting back out)

Subject: RE: Help: curing/treating singer's throat problem
From: sed
Date: 04 Oct 01 - 02:47 PM

T***H***A***N***K***S

Finally was able to begin reading your energetic posts. Thanks alot! Interacting with mudcat.org is more than a full-time job!!!! I wanted to ask if anyone had used the juice of the green hulls of black walnuts for throat and mouth problems? I have been experimenting with extracting and using that. Here in GA/AL the green hulls are almost spent for the year, turning brown soon after hitting the ground. But farther north and west they may be just coming in. **steve**

Subject: RE: Help: curing/treating singer's throat problem
From: GUEST,Celtic Soul
Date: 04 Oct 01 - 03:55 PM

The time to seek professional help is when you begin to strain your voice to the point of losing it.

My allergies make me hoarse sometimes. Right now, as a fer instance. What I have found that works is lots and lots of hot tea (with honey and lemon) and water, trying to keep from clearing my throat too often, and licorice root. You can buy the raw root (it looks just like a little twig, tastes not all that great, and feels like you're chewing in a tree) at many health food places that specialize in raw herbs. There's one around here called "Smile Herb Shop" in College Park, MD.

One of my voice teachers used to swear by certain allergy medicines, and when the worst came to the worst, she had a Doc who would prescribe a steroid spray she would spray down the back of her throat. I personally would not do this except if in an extreme situation, but she said it worked for her those times when "the show had to go on" and she was not able to sing.

Lastly, talk and sing as little as you can between one gig and the next, and warm up before actually going on.