Laryngitis: A singer’s worst nightmare. When Hairspray’s Link Larkin claims that “getting [his] big break and laryngitis” is comparable to life without love, one may see this as a comedic exaggeration. However, I am here to tell you that for the serious singer, laryngitis can genuinely be that terrible. Granted, a life without love will certainly outlast a spot of laryngitis but in the short term, the effects can be just as devastating.
My experience with laryngitis was a pain. It was the opening night of my high school musical and I was stoked to finally show off the solos that I had been working on for months. Then during rehearsal, my voice gradually became deeper and raspier until it was completely lost. It was horrendous. I couldn’t talk, couldn’t sing, and had no understudy. Fortunately, after trying every vocal remedy that exists and spending an entire day mute, I managed to scrounge up just enough of my voice to perform. Although you may never experience a sudden bout of laryngitis on the day of a big performance or audition, odds are that as a singer you will have days when your voice is in extreme need of quick and effective restoration. Luckily for you, my traumatic experience with laryngitis forced me to find the best and fastest remedies for the voice. Here are some pro tips for repairing your voice fast:
- Fisherman’s Friend
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Fisherman’s Friend is a brand of lozenges for sore throats and coughs. They look terrible and taste worse but these extra strength lozenges will cure any vocal impairment, and they work incredibly fast. Whether you are struggling with a cold, strained vocal cords, or something more serious like laryngitis, Fisherman’s Friends will soothe and clear your throat of any unwanted gunk for a perfect sounding performance.
- Throat Coat Tea
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Throat Coat Tea is what we singers swear by. Like Fisherman’s Friend, this product is not known for its excellent taste; however, its warm herbal contents will soothe your throat and relax your vocal cords for a silky-smooth sounding voice. I would recommend adding extra lemon and honey to this tea to improve the taste and strengthen its powers of healing.
- Utilize Your Vocal Fry
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Vocal fry is the lowest register of your voice. Slightly lower than your normal singing range, vocal fry is the gravelly sound that your throat makes when you try to sing notes too low for your natural range. A common misconception is that vocal fry is harmful to the voice, however, according to John Hopkins University, the vocal anatomy is not damaged by speaking in vocal fry. Singers can utilize this technique to relax their vocal cords and thereby improve their head voice. Personally, I use the vocal fry immediately before singing higher notes because it loosens the vocal cords and allows me to sing in my higher register with extra clarity and precision. The vocal fry is a great technique to use when your voice is strained or sore because of its ability to relax the vocal cords. To learn more about how to utilize your vocal fry as a singer, click here.
- Hydration
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As a singer, one of the first things you are taught is to drink lots of water. Water is the best and most natural way to improve and maintain your voice. As you probably know, water is crucial for keeping the vocal folds hydrated and lubricated when singing or speaking. What you may not know is that certain ways of drinking water are more beneficial for the voice than others. For example, drinking cold water can cause your vocal cords to become tense and tight, so you should drink room-temperature water if possible. Furthermore, drinking tons of water an hour or two before a performance isn’t going to help your voice much. To hydrate your voice properly, it is essential that you drink copious amounts of water throughout the entire day leading up to a performance. This way, your body has sufficient time to make use of the water that you put into it.
For last-minute hydration, I recommend steaming your voice. Steam is great because it allows water vapor to go directly to your vocal folds and therefore hydrates your voice faster than drinking water can. A great steam inhaler to try is the Vicks Personal Sinus Steam Inhaler.
Hopefully, you never have to experience an ordeal like laryngitis–but if you’re a serious singer, there is a good chance you will at some point! Stay tuned in to your vocal cords and give them the proper care they need to both prevent and help treat any possible vocal cord malfunctions!