Vocal Health

Learning to sing can be difficult, and you need to be ready for some of the things that could happen. You are going to catch that cold or sore throat and you have to know how to deal with it. Use this advice for when your throat feels scratchy.

Most nasal sprays will be a problem

Nasal sprays that contain antihistimines or decongestants are habit forming and can cause symptoms to worsen when you stop. These types of sprays should only be used in emergencies.

Drink plenty of water with your medications.

Most of the over-the-counter medications cause you to dry out. As long as you’re prepared for that and compensate with extra fluids, you won’t be shocked.

Use Nasal Saline Spray

As your body tries to wash out the germs (runny nose), you can use a nasal saline solution to help fight against the infection. Using the spray when you’re sick means you need to be careful not to get all your germs on the nozzle of the bottle and then put the lid on only to have the germs welcome you back the next time you use the spray. Make sure that you don’t put the bottle too close to your nose, otherwise you will end up with more cold germs.

Steam it up with a humidifier

During the winter you might find that the heater dries out your home. That being the case, keep a humidifier running. To keep it from growing mold, rinse it out every day. The water condensation on the windows will dry, but feel free to turn off the humidifier if it looks like it’s raining on the inside of the house.

Thin out your mucus

You need to thin out your mucus if you find that you have a postnasal drip. To dry out your mucus, you should seek saline, or other medications from your doctor.

If you use throat lozenges, use the non sweetened variety

A dry throat can lead to painful coughs, and throat lozenges will help to reduce that. Most lozenges are just comforting candy on the same aisle with cold medicines. You may find that drops without sugar prevent that sugary film from attaching to your teeth and having a big party at the expense of your dental work. Beware of lozenges with menthol, which can dry out your throat.

For more singing vocal health tips, check out Sing With Freedom.