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Singing With A Sore Throat
 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:
www.texasvoicecenter.com
www1.wfubmc.edu/voice/reflux/
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.
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