Sore throat/No voice?

[DeenyB]

Is there anything that helps. A df of mine is so sick. She has tried lemon and honey, and some tea. Anyone have any good remedies? Thanks!!

[Tengokujin]

Time. There really aren't any quick fixes. The soreness/loss of voice is the symptom that lets you know that healing is needed.

Rest the voice as much as possible. Whispering is NOT a rest to the voice--the vocal folds are still coming together so if communication has to be done at length, a chalkboard/dryboard might help.

Lots of liquid. Tea,honey,lemon may all feel nice and may soothe a sore throat. But almost any liquid will help to speed along healing.

I have had great results(I am a professional singer so I know) with doing the above remedies combined with breathing in steam. Either in a hot shower or putting a towelover my head over a sink full of hot water. Many times a day.

Menthol cough drops are often soothing to the throat and help you feel more comfortable breathing. However, the menthol is quite drying too,so if you are trying to jumpstart your voice, it might be better to just avoid it.

Obviously medications that dry up runny noses, congestion are going to have a drying effect systemically, including the vocal folds, so you might weigh your comfort now with your voice needs in the short term.

I am afraid that there aren't any magic answers....

[milkmommy]

:giggle I posted this very message I've had horrible laryntits for over a week now its getting super annoying and nothing is helping. I'm doing my best not to talk but with a toddler thats just not possible :giggle. My throat has actually become "sore again" but its deep like the muscles are sore I'm kinda hoping it means my voice will be returning soon. Send you friend my silient :hug

Deanna

[Tengokujin]

Deanna,
I saw your other message and wondered.... :)I can tell thatyou are frustrated by having this linger on and on.

Is all of your voice range gone?? Usually when your voice goes it "sinks" lower and people talk really raspy and low. But often there is some range higher than you would usually speak. It would rest your voice more if you could access a higher speaking voice rather than "talking in the basement".

IKWYM about no talking with a toddler. Impossible. If you can try to at least "speak well" meaning not tensing your throat to make sound but really breathing well and low ( you have asthma,right? That's hard) and speaking usingyour body. The same muscles you use to cough and clear your throat--in the abdomen-- those muscles in a more gentle manner need to fuel your voice.

In the morning and throughout the day,try to humthrough whatever range you have---hum around in your voice. This can help as you are healing to lessen some of the swelling in the vocal folds that is causing this. The steam I talked about earlier is great to do before this if possible.

I read what you said about clearing the throat. Productive coughing is a good thing. If you are needing to cough,cough. But do try to power your cough with your abdominal muscles with as little neck involvement as possible. Instead of clearing your throat, try the humming that I described above. Often what we perceive as "phlegm" in the larynx is actually the swelling. clearing the throat will only make it worse. If there is gunk in there, the gentle humming will be a better means to "vibrate" off the goo without traumatizing your voice further.

If you have more questions I can babble on some more.

[milkmommy]

:yes Yea I'm using my "higher" voice though it sounds lower than if I didn't have this issue :giggle but I've had enough voice lessons to know what can damage me further. I also do the vibrations VS 'clearing my throat" Its those annoying totally involentary tickles I'm refering too its goten better but for a while OYI :hunh
My voice seems a lot better in the mornings probaly because its had a long rest, the hardest is bedtime and trying to rad to my DD. Some sounds don't come out at all Like my C's which makes calling my DD a bit difficult. :giggle

Deanna

[cobluegirl]

mine got this way this week...vit c on the hour helped a lot...

[hbmamma]

Warm liquids (tea is great!) will be better than cold (although all good). The warmth will bring blood (& white blood cells) to the area which will helping healing faster :grin

[Tengokujin]

Warm liquids (tea is great!) will be better than cold (although all good). The warmth will bring blood (& white blood cells) to the area which will helping healing faster :grin


I agree with the abovel in general, but remember that essentially with laryngitis, especially ongoing, you are dealing with an inflammation/swelling. In the same way that alternating ice and heat helps with a muscle, tendon or ligament injury, there is certainly a role for chilling the area. It would, howeer, make your voice even more inelastic for a time.

[Aerynne]

I don't know about the no voice thing, but grapefruit seed extract cures my sore throats within a minute, literally.

[milkmommy]

Okay well I'm starting to worry its been weeks I can't swollow with out constantly being on "pain killers" its not like a 'sore throat' is like the muscles are swollen and painfull. I've done everything nothings working iits a bit better but still extremly horse. :/


I don't know about the no voice thing, but grapefruit seed extract cures my sore throats within a minute, literally.

going back to real sore throats I've heard this and I tried it when I had strep (towards the start) and have in the past and its never helped but maybe I've done it wrong :shrug can you tell me how..
Deanna

[Aerynne]

I just put 15 drops in a glass of water and drink it. I suppose it might work even better if you gargled with it. It may be that it works on some types of sore throats and not others. Or it may be one of those things that works better in some people than in others. Hope you're feeling better soon.