It’s no surprise that speakers and singers are particularly dependent on a healthy, melodious, reliable voice. Anyone who has ever prepared a speech or a song will know the fear of hoarseness. This strikes as soon as their voice suddenly starts to sound unusually raspy or otherwise off. But people in a wide range of other professions are also more dependent on the "voice as an instrument" than most people realize. Hoarseness is therefore something that can considerably restrict or burden not only professionals. In addition to professional concerns, of course, a solid and intelligible voice is an important basis not only for communication, but also for presenting a competent and trustworthy charisma. It is therefore worth taking good care of your voice and using it conscientiously. But what if your voice does go hoarse? Mistakes – such as constantly clearing your throat or speaking with tension – are easy to make and what appears to be simple hoarseness can develop into chronic dysfunction. All good reasons why it’s important to take hoarseness seriously and help remedy your voice quickly.
Here are 5 tips to treat hoarseness:
Tip 1
Do a nasal rinse with a saline solution several times a day. A simple, reusable nasal rinsing bottle or kettle is inexpensive and we can recommend it from our own experience. You can make the saline solution yourself. Here’s a simple recipe for nasal rinsing: Boil 1.5 teaspoons salt in 4.25 cups water and then use lukewarm.
Tip 2
Place a humidifier next to your bed. The moisture it produces during the hours of sleep is balm for your airways. For extra care, you can add a few drops of herbal oil.
Tip 3
Give your voice a rest and remember that even whispering is stressful for your voice. Inform the people around you that you’re going quiet and try preparing notes with the most important answers. Or consciously celebrate the silence! A longer silence like this can be a wonderfully clarifying experience.
Tip 4
Open your mouth, let your lower jaw hang down loosely and hum with an NG. The vibrations help your mucous membranes regenerate.
Tip 5
Train your soft palate – the soft part of your palate at the back of your mouth. Practice stretching and lifting the soft palate several times a day and then relax your throat by stretching it. In the Rooted Singing program you’ll find guided exercises for training the soft palate.
Get well soon!
