How to Take Care of Your Voice

In an earlier blog about vocal damage, we talked about how you can prevent damaging your voice by using the right vocal technique. But, besides using the wrong technique, vocal damage can also be caused by external factors. In this blog edition, we look at what those factors might be and how you can avoid vocal issues. In short, this blog is all about how to keep your voice healthy.

This blog includes the words of Alfons Verreijt, the developer of the VocalFeedback method and author of the book The Essentials of the Voice.

It’s a Gradual Thing

As we also mentioned in our previous blog, vocal damage is a gradual thing that can vary from a light swelling of the vocal cords; the development of a small lump or polyp on the surface of vocal cords; vocal cord paralysis; the development of a tumour and everything in between. Vocal damage can also be divided into two kinds: damage caused by actual singing (using the incorrect technique) and damage caused by external factors. In the previous edition, we explained that singing at a high volume with compression is the most common cause of vocal damage and that, very often, vocal damage can also be caused by a combination of different factors. For example: the combination of the wrong technique with an external factor such as fatigue. Even if you are using the correct vocal technique, you are still not 100% immune to vocal damage if you don’t have those external factors in hand. As such, maintaining good vocal hygiene is very literally essential for all vocalists.

Mucus

It might sound disgusting, but it’s also really crucial: your vocal cords are coated in a layer of mucus and this mucus is essential since it protects the mucus membrane that lies beneath, which is just a few cells thick. If you want to take care of your voice, then you need to take care of that mucus membrane and avoid anything that might be bad for it, because whatever’s bad for the mucus membrane is basically bad for your voice. Chemical stimulation is a big one, which includes smoking, the smoke from incense, any particles in the air (for example if you live near an industrial complex or motorway) and any other forms of unclean air. Even something as seemingly innocent as spicy food is a chemical stimulant for the mucus membrane. It doesn’t mean that you’ll suffer from vocal damage immediately after a curry, but because the chemical that makes chilis and other spices hot can irritate the mucus membrane, it does leave it more vulnerable than normal.

Dehydration is another thing that can make your voice more vulnerable. The number one cause of dehydration is alcohol. You might think that there’s so much water in a pint of lager that this fully compensates for the alcohol, but unfortunately, that’s not how it works. To process the alcohol in one pint of beer, you need to take on more water than the beer actually contains. The same applies to any other alcoholic drink and to the potentially damaging substances in tea and coffee. To clear up one more misunderstanding: milk is not a drink, it’s food. If you need to hydrate, just drink some water.

Drink Enough

As well as drinking the wrong thing, dehydration of the vocal cords can also happen because you’re drinking too little. This is something that needs to be monitored, especially on a hot day. However, there’s no need to drink more than necessary (as some people do) since this will have no extra positive effect and will just result in more trips to the toilet. You can actually tell if you’re drinking enough by looking at the colour of your urine: if it’s light yellow, then you’re nicely hydrated. Colourless urine indicates that you’re drinking too much and dark yellow urine means you need to drink more.

“You see people that wander around all day with a bottle of water in one hand,” vocal coach Alfons Verreijt adds. “Often, these people are drinking too much and there’s another danger there. If you keep refilling a plastic mineral water bottle, a lot of them are only designed for one use because they contain the chemical substance bisphenol-a, which is basically synthetic oestrogen. This chemical can affect your hormonal balance. It’s also a suspected carcinogen and the EU has actually banned it from use in baby bottles. As the plastic warms, maybe in sunlight or in your car, the substance breaks away from the plastic and leaks into the water. I personally prefer to stay on the safe side and use a glass or stainless steel bottle.”

Acid Reflux

Another thing that’s pretty bad for the mucus membrane of your vocal cords is stomach acid. For various possible reasons, stomach acid can flow back up to the oesophagus. The technical term for this is gastroesophageal reflux, which is more commonly known as acid reflux or heartburn. If you regularly suffer from it, then you need to take extra care of your voice. Also, it’s not only a good idea to visit your GP, but it’s worth being aware that acid reflux can be a silent killer for your voice. Some people even suffer from acid reflux while sleeping and have no idea that it’s happening. Meanwhile, the mucus membrane that coats their vocal cords is slowly being damaged, leading to vocal problems without any noticeable cause. A sign that you’re experiencing nocturnal reflux is a cracking, scratchy voice in the morning. Some possible solutions are to avoid eating after dinner, not drinking any alcohol in the evenings and, if possible, raising the head of your bed a little. It won’t hurt to try and, if it helps, then it may be an indication that you have been suffering from nocturnal reflux.

“There are some medicines and even off the shelf tablets that can help, but the question is whether they’re likely to be a long term solution,” says Alfons. “There’s a risk of getting dependent on these medications and, if you stop, the symptoms might return and be even worse. I think the best possible solution is to adjust your lifestyle – your diet and drinking habits in particular. Basically maintaining good vocal hygiene. But, of course, there may be something deeper going on physically, so seeking medical advice can also be necessary.” Feeling like you always have a lump in your throat can also be an indication of nocturnal reflux, but can also indicate other things. If you experience this regularly or for a long period of time, then visit your doctor.

Reinke’s Edema

There are also vocal disorders that can lead to vocal damage, like Reinke’s edema. This is where fluid (or edema) collects in Reinke space in the vocal folds. This ‘space’ was first discovered and documented by the German anatomist Friedrich B. Reinke. Reinke’s edema is a disorder that arises due to long-term smoking combined with the hormonal changes experienced by women undergoing menopause, making women more susceptible. One of the most noticeable effects of this disorder is a lowering of the voice due to the increased mass of the vocal cords. You can only overcome Reinke’s edema by stopping smoking. While an operation can be performed to solve the problem, it will only be successful if you also stop smoking. If not, the problem will only return and be even worse. For this reason, a lot of doctors will delay operating. Of course, there are some more extreme cases where an operation is necessary, where the edema becomes so large that it starts to limit your breathing.

Because the mucus membrane of the vocal cords is irritated so much and for so long by smoking, vocal cord cancer can also develop. This brings us to other diseases that can damage the voice: vocal cord cancer and other forms of throat and esophageal cancer. Anyone confronted with diseases such as this has far more concerns than just their vocal health, and smoking remains a big risk factor. Prolonged hoarseness can be a sign of these types of cancer, but can also have other causes. In any case, it’s always best to seek medical help.

Vocal Cord Paralysis

Another possible issue is vocal cord paralysis, a condition where one or both vocal cords are no longer able to move. This stops the vocal cords from closing properly and, when you speak, means that a lot of air escapes. This condition causes hoarseness, shortness of breath and sometimes dizziness due to hyperventilation. The most common cause of vocal cord paralysis is a viral infection, thyroid surgery or cancer in the chest cavity, larynx or throat. Depending on the cause, treatments such as surgery combined with speech therapy can solve the issue. However, when the vocal cords are not able to close properly, this isn’t always caused by a disease or infection. Sometimes, it appears innate or something that is developed over time. “In that case, you can do something about it through training,” Alfons adds. “You can actually learn to actively close your vocal cords. This is often successful among my students. You can also get the help of a speech therapist. I recommend seeking out a speech therapist who has experience working with vocalists.”

Sleep & Rest

Last but not least, if you’re a singer and want to prevent vocal problems then always make sure you’re getting enough rest and enough sleep. This is because fatigue is just as big an enemy to your voice as everything we’ve mentioned so far. “In fact, fatigue is the biggest enemy for any singer,” Alfons admits. “If you have a string of performances one after the other, then avoid staying up with the other musicians into the wee small hours. Go to bed instead. It might be more boring, but it’s vitally important when it comes to maintaining your voice.”

Good to Know

‘I Want a Lived-In Voice!’

There is something special about a really lived-in voice à la someone like Joe Cocker. If you want that kind of voice, are drinking, smoking and doing drugs an essential ingredient? “That’s just nonsense,” Alfons responds flatly. “In the case of someone like Joe Cocker, you can’t say that the sound of his voice is because of his lifestyle. If his voice was the result of his lifestyle, how was he able to go on singing for so long? Suppose you do change your lifestyle in order to develop a more ‘lived-in’ voice, you have no idea what effect it’s actually going to have on your voice. Maybe your voice will remain exactly the same, or you just get a load of physical problems because of all the alcohol and cigarettes, or you end up going too far and killing yourself before you can even find out what it does to your voice.”

According to Alfons, you can actually create that ‘lived-in’ sound using specific singing techniques. “It’s not easy but it is possible. However, the question is: why do you want that? Do you want to sound like someone else? Why be a different singer than the one that you actually are? On the other hand, there are singers like Tom Waits who made a conscious decision to sound more raw. He does it by applying a lot of effect to his voice. On his first album, his voice actually sounded as clean as Frank Sinatra.”

It might be that you just think your voice is too smooth and want to give it a more raw edge every now and then. According to Alfons: “You can learn to do that using the right singing technique. You also have to realise that a rough or raw voice is different from singing loudly. And, actually, if you’re singing with a raw edge, you’re doing it by applying compression, which means your volume shouldn’t rise above 7, otherwise you risk damaging your voice. If you sing with distortion, then your volume shouldn’t go up any higher than 5. Any pain or even just a tickle in your throat can indicate that you’re doing something wrong and that you’re at risk of damaging your voice.”

Tom Waits in 1973:

Tom Waits two years later:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7xBkJaTLwg

Tips for Good Vocal Hygiene

Steam is always good, even if you don’t have a cold. A hot shower or steam bath will always be good for your voice. Even just filling a big bowl with hot water, maybe with a little camomile added or even just a bag of chamomile tea, and draping a towel over your head while you hang over the bowl works. Saunas are also great. Steam helps hydrate the mucus membrane of your vocal cords and helps clean out any excess mucus. However, don’t take a steam right before singing, because your vocal cords often swell up a little immediately afterwards.
Steam is always good, even if you don’t have a cold. A hot shower or steam bath will always be good for your voice. Even just filling a big bowl with hot water, maybe with a little camomile added or even just a bag of chamomile tea, and draping a towel over your head while you hang over the bowl works. Saunas are also great. Steam helps hydrate the mucus membrane of your vocal cords and helps clean out any excess mucus. However, don’t take a steam right before singing, because your vocal cords often swell up a little immediately afterwards.
Avoid sour sweets, even if they taste and feel great in your mouth. The sourness is actually a chemical stimulant that can damage the mucus membrane of your vocal cords.
Mild sweets are fine, like bay licorice. Isla-Moos lozenges are particularly good. They’re made from a specific kind of moss and have been softened to help with tickly coughs and short-term hoarseness. The most important thing that happens when you eat these kinds of sweets is that they activate the saliva glands.
Honey is brilliant for your voice. For example, when added to tea. Just make sure the temperature is below 70 degrees Celsius. Honey contains propolis which has medicinal properties that are negated when heated to too high a temperature.
Water with lemon works as a cleanser and is very good for your voice.
Drink enough water, but not more than necessary.
Smoking is bad for your voice. Also avoid any other forms of smoke. According to recent research, passive smoking might be more damaging than actually smoking.
Alcohol dehydrates the mucus membrane of your vocal cords and is therefore bad for your voice.
Always get enough sleep and rest. Fatigue is your voice’s biggest enemy.

Take Microphone Hygiene Seriously

There’s maybe nothing more grubby than an overused microphone. The grille as well as the pop shield beneath it is a breeding ground for germs. As such, it’s always a good idea to not only have your own microphone, but to regularly remove the grille and give it a soak in some soapy water. You’ll be amazed at how grubby the water gets. See our other blog about how to keep your microphone clean.