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Andy Broad
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2/16/2009 7:38:16 AM
Two weeks and still no singing voice!
Well it's been two weeks an my voice still isn't back!
I can just about talk. The sore throat, and just about all the virus symptoms are gone, but I left with no strength in my voice at all. I had a gig last night which I played instrumntally, it suityed the vemue, but I can't do that everywhere.
Any one lse had experience of Lyringitus? What do I do now? Do I continue to rest it, (trying not to speak at all ...) Or do I start to excecise it? When I went to the doctors the nurse saif one to two weeks, it's over two weeks now so maybe I should go back and see what they say....
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Hugh Hamilton
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2/16/2009 7:42:46 AM
Gee, sorry you've been ill, Andy - no tips from Hugo, but I'll gladly send along some GET WELL SOON vibes!
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Black Velvet Lace
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2/17/2009 4:20:08 PM
Ouch Andy, hope you're up to snuff soon. I'd go back to the doc if you're still having problems this long after. Best for him to say whether you should start up again. last thing you'd need is a node on top of everything else.
xox
~Lace~
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Kevin White
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2/17/2009 4:40:29 PM
I'd echo Lace's comments, A. Get back to the doctor. A two week loss of voice isn't normal, and probably needs further attention.
OTOH, there are those that might argue that should I have lost my voice that long, it would be of direct benefit to humanity.
:^D
Kev-
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The Man With No Band
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2/17/2009 7:56:16 PM
Maybe this is just a good thing Andy ... Some "quiet time" for the thinking man ...
I'm sure it will come around ... it's one of those things that are supposed to happen to blues men ... otherwise your stuff might stink ... :)
That being said ... I hope it's about done with you my friend ... I'm sure it's a pain ...
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Beth Fridinger
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2/18/2009 4:17:48 AM
---- Updated 2/18/2009 4:35:15 AM
Hi Andy I had laryngitis for about 11 days...what I suggest...drink a lot of water, DON"T TALK, DON'T try to sing....laryngitis is INFLAMMATION of the vocal chords and you can damage them if you talk or sing...REST the voice....go get some fish oil, take at least 3 or 4 one thousand milligram capsules a day....it helps lower inflammation in the body...(when my cat had inflamed tissues fish oil cured it in 4 days after regular hospital/doctors sent her home with same problem and $5200 bill...holistic vet gave her fish oil and the problem went away fast). You might try a steam humidifier in your bedroom when you sleep...so you aren't breathing cold dry air....you might also try inhaling steam...you need to stay hydrated.(water)..very important for vocal chords. When you sing or even talk if you are not hydrated damage to vocal chords occurs faster...I always drink water when I sing, even in the subway...and I find that taking fish oil everyday is helping my voice...I can sing a little longer without feeling any signs of hoarseness but after singing I have to be quiet. Get a lot of rest and eat as healthy as you can...but lots of water...remember alcohol and coffee or caffeine is dehydrating, and I sure hope you don't smoke...
Do not try to sing and try not to talk...REST...HYDRATE...hopefully it will go away.
I think cold air irritates it...I got laryngitis once when singing in a very very cold subway station...and I mean it was down around 32 degrees...someone spilt coffee on the floor and it froze...after 4 hours I lost my voice and had laryngitis for about 11 days...but it was the beginning of a cold which I didn't know I had except for a slight runny nose...turned into laryngitis and a cold and I could not sing all that time. I googled laryngitis on the internet to find out it is inflammation and if you are a singer it's very important to rest until it is gone...you don't want to permanently damage your vocal chords...they are very delicate.
Adequate sleep, hand washing, healthy diet with fruits and veggies, and green tea are supposed to help avoid these illnesses.
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Conversation Suicide
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2/18/2009 6:03:36 AM
Beth has some GREAT ideas here, since she dealt with similar issues for over-worked vocal chords not too long ago.
STILL -- if it's been 2 weeks, and you can't even talk -- DEFINITELY go to a critically-acclaimed & trustworthy Doctor.
I had a friend in another band, who pushed his vocals to the limit, and one time got what is called NODES on his vocal chords, or somesuch.... it took him over a month to start back with singing again.... Perhaps It could be something like that?
I wish you ALL the best for QUICK recovery.... since I'm not an absolutely AMAZING Bass player, like you are guitarist, I RELY on my own vocal chords A LOT. SO I feel your pain during this downtime.
HECK -- I use my v. chords for my DAY job too.... They are my money maker from ALL angles...
Get well soon, my talented IAC Acquaintence !
-luv, pHLeGMie
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Beth Fridinger
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2/18/2009 5:39:14 PM
---- Updated 2/18/2009 6:01:59 PM
If you sing with a hoarse voice you can get nodules on vocal chords so be careful. When you are hoarse you need to rest the voice and that's it.
Andy another thing...talking in a bar over noise is the worst thing for vocal chords and it will make you hoarse. If I sing for the day and am fine and go to a bar and try to talk I get hoarse. This will ruin your voice. So either stay out of noisy bars or do NOT talk in a noisy bar with this condition it will only keep you from getting better. Also stay away from smoky environments.
Yes you might want go to the doctor or at least talk to one...but they don't always know what to do either...but a doctor that treats singers would be the best thing...but this should go away soon UNLESS something else is wrong or if you are doing things to prolong it...if you limit talking as much as you can, absolutely do NOT sing now, drink a lot of water, fish oil, do not smoke or drink alcohol...steam...rest, nutritious diet....you might also try some anti-inflammatories like Ibuprofen but beware they can cause problems too...usually laryngitis is caused by a virus and often they cannot help you. My thought is a holistic practitioner might be able to help...but unless there is something wrong this condition should go away...if you have been doing things to stress vocal chords it will only prolong it though. If you smoke stop smoking... Good luck and I hope you get rid of this soon.
Be aware that antihistimines are also drying on the vocal chords...cold medicines, anything that dries you up might stress vocal chords...drink at least 8 to 10 glasses of water...
Also, omega 6 oils increase inflammation (most vegetable oils like corn, safflower, etc. except for olive oil which is good for you) in the body so you might want to limit those...they are often in salad dressings, packaged foods...fish oils with omega 3s limit inflammation, omega 6s increase it...so be careful what you are eating...doctors probably won't tell you that unless you have a holistic practitioner.
Every night when I come home from singing I cannot talk...can't talk on the phone or anything...I have to shut up...drink water, take fish oil, and go to bed...because I am singing the limit every day, about 4 to 4 1/2 hrs (with mini breaks in between trains etc.). I am going to work on my lead guitar and start playing to pr-recorded tracks which will help save my voice and my hands in this busking business...but I gotta get comfortable with my lead first.
Regular doctors will never prescribe fish oil for inflammation but they will prescribe steroids which have other side effects like slowing wound healing bone loss and other things. I don't know what they can do for stubborn laryngitis but there are different schools out there and I always like the alternative health stuff and wish regular medicine incorporated it more, but they are strapped by the drug industry which wants to control everything.
Another thing that lowers inflammation is turmeric...that is in curry powder...you can buy turmeric at the health food store in capsules...I often put curry on my food for this reason as well but regular curry doesn't have as much turmeric it usually has other stuff so getting some plain turmeric capsules might help.
If you google larygnitis you can find a lot of information.
Oh Andy you got a lot of gigs scheduled...try my suggestions but talk to your doctor or see if you can locate a doctor familiar with singers if you think you need the doctor again...I sure hope you can get rid of this in time for your next gig.
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Beth Fridinger
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2/18/2009 6:54:22 PM
http://www.doctoryourself.com
My Dad used to say that I learned to talk early and haven't shut up since. Not exactly: I've had laryngitis enough times to look into and find some simple and reliable cures. Here they are:
1. Saturation, or bowel tolerance, of vitamin C will stop laryngitis in a matter of hours. If you take as much "C" as you can hold, as often as humanly possible, your voice will be back promptly. People who take multi-gram doses of vitamin C every day preventively are unlikely to ever lose their voice in the first place. When I do weekend seminars, I am speaking for six consecutive hours on two consecutive days. I take about three grams (3,000 milligrams) every hour, and don't lose my voice anymore.
2. The homeopathic remedy Ferrum Phos 6X works for loss of voice due either to overstraining or simple inflammation. This remedy works best taken promptly, preferably as soon as you notice the slightest huskiness or hoarseness. A homeopathic remedy is taken until the symptoms begin to improve. Then Mother Nature takes over and you body heals itself.
3. An ounce or two of cider vinegar, straight, will do wonders for a simple sore throat and laryngitis. When I do this, I get the impression that the vinegar is absorbed into the throat on the way down and never even reaches the stomach. If you immediately, and I mean immediately follow the vinegar with a chaser of a cola soft drink, you will barely taste the vinegar at all. Be sure to rinse your mouth with water afterwards, to remove any lingering acidity from either the vinegar or the cola. If your stomach is delicate, taking a calcium
4. Avoid dairy products. Dad liked to sing Barbershop harmony. Years ago, the men's chorus director (who was also one of my favorite music teachers in elementary school, by the way) told him not to drink milk or eat ice cream before a choral concert. This cannot be just an old wives' tale, because men know of it! Try and see: leave out the dairy if you are going to give us a speech or break into song.
Andrew Saul is the author of the books FIRE YOUR DOCTOR! How to be Independently Healthy (reader reviews at http://www.doctoryourself.com/review.html ) and DOCTOR YOURSELF: Natural Healing that Works. (reviewed at http://www.doctoryourself.com/saulbooks.html )
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Beth Fridinger
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2/18/2009 6:55:04 PM
MayoClinic.com reprints
Laryngitis
Definition
Laryngitis is an inflammation of your voice box (larynx) due to overuse, irritation or infection. Inside the larynx are your vocal cords — two folds of mucous membrane covering muscle and cartilage.
Normally your vocal cords open and close smoothly, forming sounds through their movement and vibration. But in laryngitis, your vocal cords become inflamed or irritated. This swelling causes distortion of the sounds produced by air passing over them. As a result, your voice sounds hoarse. In some cases of laryngitis, your voice can become so faint as to be undetectable.
Laryngitis may be short-lived (acute) or long lasting (chronic). Most cases of laryngitis are triggered by temporary viral infection or vocal strain and are not serious. But persistent hoarseness can sometimes signal a more serious underlying medical condition.
Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of laryngitis can include:
Hoarseness
Weak voice or voice loss
Tickling sensation and rawness of your throat
Sore throat
Dry throat
Dry cough
Difficulty breathing (in children)
Causes
Most cases of laryngitis last less than a few weeks and are caused by something minor, such as a cold. Less often, laryngitis is caused by something more serious or long lasting.
Acute laryngitis
Most cases of laryngitis are temporary and improve after the underlying cause gets better. Causes of acute laryngitis include:
Viral infections such as those that cause a cold
Vocal strain, caused by yelling or overusing your voice
Viruses such as measles or mumps
Bacterial infections such as diphtheria — this is rare
Chronic laryngitis
Laryngitis that lasts more than three weeks is known as chronic laryngitis. This type of laryngitis is generally caused by irritants over time. It can cause vocal cord strain, injuries or growths on the vocal cord (polyps or nodules). These injuries can be caused by:
Inhaled irritants, such as chemical fumes, allergens or smoking
Acid reflux, also called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
Chronic sinusitis
Excessive alcohol use
Habitual overuse of your voice (such as with singers or cheerleaders)
Smoking
Less common causes of chronic laryngitis include:
Bacterial or fungal infections
Infections with certain parasites
Cancer
Vocal cord paralysis, which can result from injury, stroke or a lung tumor, or other health conditions
Risk factors
Risk factors for laryngitis include:
Having a respiratory infection, such as a cold, bronchitis or sinusitis
Exposure to irritating substances, such as cigarette smoke, excessive alcohol, stomach acid or workplace chemicals
Overusing your voice, by speaking too much, speaking too loudly, shouting or singing
When to seek medical advice
You can manage most acute cases of laryngitis with self-care steps, such as resting your voice, drinking plenty of fluids and sucking on lozenges, and breathing humidified air.
Make an appointment with a doctor if hoarseness lasts for more than two weeks.
See a doctor right away if your child appears to have severe symptoms caused by croup. While croup — inflammation of the larynx and the airway just beneath it — can usually be treated at home, seek immediate medical attention if your child:
Makes noisy, high-pitched breathing sounds when inhaling
Drools more than usual
Has trouble swallowing
Has difficulty breathing
Has a fever higher than 103 F (39 C)
Tests and diagnosis
The most common sign of laryngitis is hoarseness. Changes in your voice can vary with the degree of infection or irritation, ranging from mild hoarseness to almost total loss of your voice. Your doctor may ask whether you smoke or if you have any health conditions — such as a cold or allergies — that may be causing vocal irritation. Your doctor may also ask you whether any overuse of your vocal cords — such as singing or shouting — may have irritated your vocal cords.
If you have chronic hoarseness, your doctor may want to listen to your voice and to examine your vocal cords and may refer you to an ear, nose and throat specialist. These techniques are sometimes used to help diagnose laryngitis:
Laryngoscopy. Your doctor can visually examine your vocal cords in a procedure called laryngoscopy, by using a light and a tiny mirror to look into the back of your throat. Or your doctor may use fiber-optic laryngoscopy. This involves inserting a thin, flexible tube (endoscope) with a tiny camera and light through your nose or mouth and into the back of your throat. Then your doctor can watch the motion of your vocal cords as you speak.
Biopsy. If your doctor sees a suspicious area, your doctor may do a biopsy — taking a sample of tissue for examination under a microscope.
Treatments and drugs
Treatment for laryngitis depends on the underlying cause. Acute laryngitis caused by a virus often gets better on its own within a week or so.
Home treatment can help with symptoms:
Breathe moist air: Inhale steam from a bowl of hot water or a hot shower.
Rest your voice as much as possible.
Drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration (avoid alcohol and caffeine).
Treat the underlying cause of laryngitis, such as heartburn, smoking or alcoholism.
Suck lozenges, gargle salt water or chew a piece of gum — this won't help your vocal cords, but can ease throat irritation.
Medications used in some cases include:
Antibiotics. In almost all cases of laryngitis, an antibiotic won't do any good because the cause is viral. But, if you have a bacterial infection (a very rare cause of laryngitis), your doctor may recommend an antibiotic.
Corticosteroids. In some cases, corticosteroids can help reduce vocal cord inflammation. However, this treatment is only used when there's an urgent need to treat laryngitis — for example, when you need to use your voice to sing or give a speech or oral presentation, or in some cases when a toddler has laryngitis associated with croup.
Acid reflux medications, if gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is the cause of your laryngitis.
Prevention
To prevent dryness or irritation to your vocal cords:
Don't smoke, and avoid secondhand smoke. Smoke dries your throat and irritates your vocal cords.
Drink plenty of water. Fluids help keep the mucus in your throat thin and easy to clear.
Avoid clearing your throat. This does more harm than good, because it causes an abnormal vibration of your vocal cords and can increase swelling. Clearing your throat also causes your throat to secrete more mucus and feel more irritated, making you want to clear your throat again.
Avoid upper respiratory infections. Make sure to get your annual flu shot if your doctor recommends it. Wash your hands often and avoid contact with people who have upper respiratory infections such as colds.
Lifestyle and home remedies
The following self-care steps may relieve the symptoms of laryngitis and reduce strain on your voice:
Use a humidifier. Keep the air throughout your home moist.
Inhale steam. Breathe in steam from a bowl of hot water or a hot shower.
Avoid talking or singing too loudly or for too long. If you need to speak before large groups, try to use a microphone or megaphone.
Give your voice a break. Rest your voice when possible.
Avoid decongestants. These medications can dry out the throat.
Avoid whispering. This puts even more strain on your voice than normal speech does.
Moisten your throat. Try sucking on lozenges, gargling with salt water or chewing a piece of gum
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Andy Broad
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2/19/2009 3:13:57 PM
Hello all,
Thanks for the kind words and advice, and particularly to Bethh for going the extra mile and digging up all that info. Thansk for sending it by email too.
The voice is a little stronger today. I have a gig tonight, which is rather frustrating as it's a so close but so far situation, if I can avoid singing tonight (which will make the band work hard as we don't usually do instrumantals!) I hope to be good for the next gig where really can't avoid singing in a weeks time!
I tried to go to the doctor but the earlist appointment available was next tuesday! (they have a daily emergency system but I no longer fall into that catagory it seams!) The receptionist offered me a telphone appointment, but seemed unawre of the irony of that!
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Conversation Suicide
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2/20/2009 8:26:29 AM
"telephone appointment" -- haah ahha haaa.... oh that made me LAUGH, man!
Hang in there buddy, you've got the drive and this time of rest for the voice will be a blessing in the long run. Kill 'em with your Guitar! -pHLeGm
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Andy Broad
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2/20/2009 2:45:08 PM
Well the gig went okay. I tried singing the first song, just to see, it was a total no go, so we played instrumentally from then on, with the harmonica player singing his usual one song. I did a bit too much talking, but it doen't seem to have made me any worse this morning. I've teken a vow of silence :-) And am going to try an keep to it for the next few days. Fingers crossed it'll clear up!
Thanks again for your support.
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Auset
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2/20/2009 4:03:02 PM
sending you warm loving throat vibes Andy...
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Heidi and The El Cats
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2/20/2009 10:54:24 PM
Hope you feel better soon!
heidi
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