[Ax]

This thread is for tips for the sick singer. What I have to offer in this thread is mostly herbal, homeopathic, and home recipes as well as advice.

No-nos:
Alcohol -Dries you out
Smoking - Worst thing you could POSSIBLY do
Mucinex - dries you out, weakens vocal chords
Cloraseptic Spray - numbs your chords rather than sooths and can actually cause damage if you are belting out the high notes because you don't feel your chords ripping to shreds
Anything ingested that has menthol. -Dries you out.
Carbonated beverages - irritates chords.


Good things to try:
Roxalia: Not sure if this is a technical name but it's something I use when I have a sore throat. The stuff I get is made by Boiron.

Herbal vocal spray: GOOD STUFF, I use one called Singers Saving Grace. REALLY helps.

Halls without menthol: contains pectin, it helps coat and keep your throat moist. The worst thing you can do for your voice is dry yourself out.

Tea with honey or lemon... Honey is good for coating your throat and healing, Lemon is good if you're congested and have a lot of mucous, together they're kind of counter intuitive and the lemon cuts the honey and the honey neutralizes the lemon. But they're for different situations.

Vicks Vapor rub. Menthol is bad if you put it directly in your throat, however, as a salve (put on chest and around nostrils) it will clear you up, and open up your chest, so that you can breathe easier and as we all know, breathing is ESSENTIAL to tone and hitting notes.

WATER WATER WATER! Sugar free sports drinks are also good, replenish those electrolytes, gives you energy. The benefits are obvious.

Only sing when you have to: if your voice is even moderately sore, for goodness sake rest it!


Anybody wanna add?

[MrCrabby]

Saline nasal spray (plain, without preservatives) is good. By moisturizing your nasal passages, you will help moisten your throat. A few squirts combined with a steamy shower works wonders before a performance.

In addition to menthol, mint/peppermint are also not good.

Acidic foods/drinks are not the best. Olive oil is good.

Caffeine restricts blood flow, and is a diuretic, so it will dry you out.

The whole debate about cold water is also interesting. I have heard conflicting "facts" from different college professors. Many claim that the cold water "shocks your chords" and makes singing difficult, while the vocal pegagogy professor claimed that since the water does not touch your chords, there is very little direct temperature change.
The jury's still out on that one....just stick with room-temperature water to be safe.

[Ax]

Originally Posted by MrCrabby

Saline nasal spray (plain, without preservatives) is good. By moisturizing your nasal passages, you will help moisten your throat. A few squirts combined with a steamy shower works wonders before a performance.

In addition to menthol, mint/peppermint are also not good.

Acidic foods/drinks are not the best. Olive oil is good.

Caffeine restricts blood flow, and is a diuretic, so it will dry you out.

The whole debate about cold water is also interesting. I have heard conflicting "facts" from different college professors. Many claim that the cold water "shocks your chords" and makes singing difficult, while the vocal pegagogy professor claimed that since the water does not touch your chords, there is very little direct temperature change.
The jury's still out on that one....just stick with room-temperature water to be safe.

Actually certain nasal sprays are great for your throat. I use Nasonex, it's prescribed to me, and it helps clear me up REAL well as well as keeps my nasal passage open for good air flow and it does nothing to negatively affect the moisture of my throat.

As far as acidic food/drinks go, if you're bogged down with mucous, you wanna drink lots of it because it will cut the mucous .

I've always had trouble singing after cold water so IMO, room temp or slightly below is best.

[OiBoyz]

Stay home and not infect everyone else.