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World Voice Day Interview with Louise Bale

Louise Bale

In the lead up to this year’s World Voice Day, the Australian Voice Association sat down with Louise Bale to find out what is in store for 2018 and how her own journey with dysphonia has influenced her life.

How and why did World Voice Day start?

WVD began in Brazil in 1999. It was the brainchild of a group of scientists who believed the voice was an amazing, yet under-recognised aspect of the human existence…and that it needed and deserved a day of recognition.

Since it’s inception, WVD has expanded well beyond the scientific community, to become a global celebration of the role our voices play in every aspect of daily life.

What is your role with World Voice Day and what got you interested in the event?

I have been the National Coordinator of WVD in Australia since 2013.

In my ‘real’ world, I work as a Health Promotion professional. While most aspects of health and wellbeing fascinate me – I had never really given much thought to the voice, until I lost mine.  In 2006 I developed a neurological voice disorder called spasmodic dysphonia, and life as I knew it has never been the same.

When I first became aware of WVD I embraced the idea of getting involved and raising awareness of the voice and celebrating its uniqueness, magic and beauty.

Over the years the event’s focus has broadened to include voice care initiatives for teachers, performers and the general population; voice screening clinics for vocal performers, professional development events for voice health practitioners and vocal variety concerts. Since the establishment of the Australian Dysphonia Network in 2016, the various concerts have also been used to draw closer attention to dysphonia and raise funds for research.

Can you tell us a little bit about your journey with spasmodic dysphonia (SD)?

It’s been a very strange experience.  Like so many others, my story began as a mysterious hiccup in an otherwise fairly unremarkable period of my life…that was twelve years ago.

After noticing some voice breaks and feeling like my voice was letting me down, I made a quick trip to see an Ear Nose and Throat Doctor, who ruled out anything like nodules.  It was then off to the speech pathologist to look for bad habits / poor vocal technique.  But, after a few months of correcting the minor technical problems came the crunch, “you have spasmodic dysphonia”.

I was happy to have a diagnosis and thought “OK – Let’s just fix it and get on with life”. But, as we all know, nothing is ever simple.

The ‘gold standard treatment’ is Botox injections into the muscles that control the vocal folds. But I resisted Botox for about a year, trying all things alternate instead. You know the stuff, hypnotherapy, nutritional medicine, acupuncture, massage, mindfulness, kinesiology. etc etc etc. I FELT fantastic, but my voice remained an issue.

After about a year, I finally ‘succumbed’ to Botox and found my voice. A slightly different voice, but smooth, sultry and without spasms, I was in heaven…initially.

Since then the results of Botox have been mixed for me. It’s been a rollercoaster while my brain has adapted, adapted and adapted again (almost saying… ‘bring it on… I will NOT be silenced’). We’ve stopped the Botox, pumped up the vocal folds, restarted the Botox, retrained my brain, and I’ve even been to vocal boot camp.

My diagnosis has changed…from adductor SD to abductor SD…to “is this really SD?” and then back to abductor SD…I started to wonder ‘what’s in a name?’ (Funny really, after having been so keen to have one back at the beginning.)

What led you to seek treatment?

At first, I noticed that my voice was dropping out, kind of like a bad mobile phone signal really. Bits were missing, and it felt like my voice was tripping over itself in otherwise easy and robust conversations. Of course, I imagined that it was all in my head until people started to complain about the “poor mobile reception” (when I was on a landline – now that was a hint).

I had been asked to be MC at a 2-day conference, and needed to do something fast – the rest (and the conference) as they say…”is history”

Has it influenced your day-to-day life and professional life?

Absolutely! I was born to talk, and for many years I had been the public face of my workplace in Health Promotion. The conference facilitator, the presenter and the media spokesperson for all things sex, drugs…. interesting and fun.

BUT that all changed.

I became withdrawn and felt that I was no longer useful. My ability to speak up at meetings, contribute to decision-making discussions, join in lunchtime conversations with the team or even answer phones…had gone. I felt like people thought I was unintelligent because I couldn’t speak up and contribute opinions…I wanted to quit.  But I am fortunate to have a very supportive Director and team who were willing to accommodate whatever I needed.

I saw a psychologist to help me grieve the life I had lost and to regain a sense of self-worth. Since then I have been able to change the way I do my work – carve out new ways of doing old tasks, and also take on some new and exciting roles using social media and web-based technology – I have a unique role in the same workplace and have again found my passion for the work I do.

At home, there are many daily challenges too. A simple thing like going out to dinner is problematic because restaurants and bars are such noisy places. Talking to friends or my husband in the car is extremely hard work. TV or any background noise just creates a wall between others and me in the room BUT…thank goodness for text messaging because the telephone is IMPOSSIBLE for most of us who live with dysphonia.

One of my biggest losses is the ability for natural and spontaneous conversation…the stuff of easy relationships, where conversations just flow.

What are some of your favourite World Voice Day memories from years gone by?

From the outset, I was keen to ensure that the focus was not ONLY on professional/performing voice users but that EVERYBODY’S voice was seen as valued and important. As a result, our annual concerts have seen acclaimed celebrities sharing the stage with members of the community from all walks of life.

Without a doubt, the sentimental favourites have been: the Sydney Street Choir; an inspiring group of homeless and disadvantaged people from our community who embrace the pure joy of singing…the Nordoff Robbins Children’s Signing Choir who express their own unique voice through key-word sign language…and the Newcastle Stroke Choir who demonstrate such determination and tenacity while they celebrate the ability to perform and be heard.

In 2017 the Australian Dysphonia Network team joined forces with a similar organization in the United States to host a 6-day long online symposium which focused on all aspects of dysphonia management. It was an enormous feat bringing together over 3,500 people across the globe; something we hope will become a bi-annual event into the future.

None of the activities or events of the past 5 years would have been possible without the amazing generosity of people who share a passion for giving a voice to EVERYONE. I have also been enormously grateful for the ongoing trust and financial support from the Australian Voice Association, both as an organization and the individuals who represent the AVA.

How is World Voice Day different this year and what are some of the upcoming events you are most excited about?

This year we have decided to extend the opportunity to get involved by expanding from a single day of celebration to an entire month of raising awareness and events.

April this year will become Voice Awareness Month – with the tagline “Value your Voice – Love your Larynx – Be alert for changes”. This will allow people in clinical settings like hospitals and private practices to get involved by utilizing promotional material, organizing events, offering screening clinics, and taking advantage of local internal/external media opportunities…or just getting the platform to TALK about the importance of voice with colleagues and clients.

A master class “Care of the Performing Voice” will be held for tutors, teachers and senior students of the Conservatorium of Performing Arts – Penrith.  This is a first and signifies the beginning of a partnership with the Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre which we hope will continue to grow.

We will have the support of celebrity ambassadors: singer/songwriter Melinda Schneider, comedian Anthony Ackroyd, and country music artist Drew McAllister. These amazing people have loaned their voices to our cause and will perform at 2 fundraising events on behalf of dysphonia research.

What would be your advice to someone wanting to get involved this year and/or put on an event for World Voice Day?

Don’t be scared – have fun, be creative and do what feels good. It does not need to be huge to make a difference and raise awareness. Remember (almost) everyone has a voice so it makes it easy to talk about!

If appropriate, you can consider using your event/activity as a charity fundraising opportunity. The Australian Dysphonia Network is currently fundraising for a number of exciting voice initiatives. For further details on how to donate you can find us here.

Feel free to also email me with details of your event, or for ideas at loubale@gmail.com

Where can we find information on events?

Thanks so much to Louise Bale for her time and dedication.

“Unless stated otherwise, this article represents only the views of the author and not the views of the AVA”

Lou Bale is the National World Voice Day Coordinator, President of the Australian Dysphonia Network and is recognised by her work and contribution to the field of Health Promotion with NSW Health for the past 28 years.

woman texting
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Posture and how it affects your speech

How many times has someone advised you to stand up/sit up straight, so that you sound better?

Or received some comment about your posture?

This article is not about body language, or how to stand when you are speaking per se.

I will be discussing how our posture affects us all overall and how our daily habits interfere with our voice! Strange isn’t it. You will be thinking, how does my habit affect my speaking?

Habit by definition, as quoted by F.M Alexander, “A habit is composed of a sequence of acts that follow upon some cue. It is a chain of neural events, with response in all our tissues.”

The way you hold your body, the way you hold your shoulders, your knees, and the way you hold your jaw…all of them impact how you are able to vocally express yourself. My favourite example is the way all of us use our phones or IT gadget. In today’s society, we are plugged in more often than not and get caught up with that task. Have you ever wondered what that posture does for your voice?

Often, we get so engrossed in reading/replying sot our head falls right forwards and we don’t even realize how much strain we are putting on our neck and shoulders! When the head is pushed forwards for constant periods of time, either when sitting or standing, the larynx (voice box area) is not free to move as it can, and the voice cannot function smoothly.

woman texting

When we stand or sit without stiffening our muscles, we are well balanced and coordinated, and send out a clear strong signal. Below are some habitual patterns people have when standing. Which one are you?

  1. Over-arching back: Most of us have been advised to sit up straight/stand up straight or to stand properly. As a response, we subconsciously lift our sternum/chest, and throw our shoulders back and tilt pelvis forwards. This ‘straightness’ will be followed by overly tense muscles of the torso

  2. Stiffening of neck and throat: One of the biggest tendencies for singers and speakers is to stiffen the neck and throat muscles. Have you ever seen someone’s neck with their muscles bulging out when they speak? The breathing airway is affected when we constrict muscles in hour head/neck region.

  3. TMJ problems: TMJ joint simply refers to the joint where your jaw is fixed.  There is a close relationship between stiff necks and tense TMJ joints. Do you speak with minimal jaw movement, and hardly open your mouth? Do you have pain at your TMJ joints? Pay attention to your jaw

  4. Knee-lockers: Sometimes when you try to stand up straight, and ground yourself, you inadvertently lock your knees. Now, why is that a problem? Locked knees mean excess tension in hip joints, which interferes with range of arm movements, which tightens neck and throat muscles and makes your voice work harder than it needs to!

  5. Stiffening of the rib cage: This happens when the ribs are held very still, with no lateral expansion. In this position, the person holds the rib cage up and out after practising deep inhalation. The diaphragm moves, however the ribs do not move laterally ( sideways)

  6. Overworking the facial muscles: Singers, actors and public speakers often consciously or subconsciously over work the facial muscles, when they try to articulate the specific vowel or consonant sounds. Overdoing articulation means you are holding some part of your face too effortfully. Be it your: lips, tongue, eyebrows etc

A great way to start noticing your posture, and where you hold excessive tension, is to lie down comfortably, in a safe space with your knees up. Choose any sound, and make that sound. Notice which part of your body stiffens/tenses or simply works too hard when you make that sound. You can even practice with a few simple sentences or if you are really stuck, sing “ Happy Birthday” when you are lying down.

“Unless stated otherwise, this article represents only the views of the author and not the views of the AVA”

Thila Raja is a Speech Pathologist, who specializes in voice training. She helps people recognize their vocal skills and express themselves clearly. Thila loves helping professionals communicate to their best. Find more from Thila here: www.speakforlife.com.au

Loud Noise
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Anxiety and its Affects on the Auditory and Vocal Apparatus

Anxiety is such a fascinating topic and one that with each passing year I get more and more passionate about.

As a Somatic Educator working with dancers at The Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (and in the professional arena) for over 15 years it was only recently that I began working across the voice and music departments as well. When I made that shift I was immediately struck with how my knowledge slipped even more perfectly into this area, particularly for the voice students.

Evolutionarily the voice is one of our most precious assets for communication and, in times of need, protection. We whisper, laugh, cry, sing, gasp, shout and scream in relation to the needs of the moment.

As a singer, teacher or performer we use our voice to communicate each day and yet at times, our voice can fail us, particularly when the stakes are high, or when we’re so frightened or overwhelmed we literally cannot speak.

Everyone has a unique response to stress, anxiety and fright, which is essentially our response to danger or perceived danger. While speaking or singing may be one of our greatest loves, performing in front of a group of strangers can initially be an anxiety-inducing experience – biologically strangers are a threat!

Our physiological response to danger goes back to a primitive reflex called the Moro Reflex, which becomes our Adult Startle Reflex. This reflex goes on to underpin our fight, flight and freeze responses.

The Startle Reflex is elicited by 2 very specific stimuli:

  1. A sudden loss of support (falling) and, interestingly for musicians

  2. A sudden noise over 80 decibels (like speaker feedback!)

In response to danger, or perceived danger, our autonomic nervous system orchestrates a whole series of changes to our breathing, heart rate, muscle activation and vocalisation to meet the challenge of the moment and we experience our personal variations of the flight, fight and freeze responses.

One of the major nerves to control these changes is the Vagus nerve or 10th Cranial nerve. It travels the longest distance of any nerve of the autonomic nervous system and extends to include the mouth, tongue, larynx, heart, lungs and digestive organs.

Major Nerves

Just looking at that list you can see clearly how stress, anxiety and fright would have a profound affect on vocal performance.

The saying “I have a frog in my throat” relates to these physiological changes and while our biology may be assisting us to be ultra quiet (or ultra loud) in times of danger this is not helpful when the perceived danger is our joy – singing and speaking.

You may recognise some of these common experiences

  • Dry mouth

  • Rising pitch

  • Quickening speech/song

  • Tension or constriction of the vocal cords

  • Tension in the jaw and tongue

  • Lump/Frog in the throat

  • Raspy voice

  • Loss of breath

  • Quietening voice

  • Loss of voice entirely

Each one of these changes can be traced back to a biological purpose, but when it comes to singing and speaking, most of these do not assist!

To compound matters, unless you have developed your skills for optimizing performance under pressure, awareness of these physical changes can perpetuate the experience – your physiology confirming your anxiety – and an awful anxiety loop begins.

So having cast our attention briefly over the biology and physiology what are some simple things we can do to prepare for a great performance.

CONSIDER THE NOISES

  • Take time to listen and get familiar with the unique noises of the venue
  • Eliminate unnecessary noise where possible
  • Make sure you are happy with your earpiece if you’re wearing one
  • Check the volume and placement of the fallback speakers
  • Take time out in a quiet place before the show
  • Resist talking/listening to people who make you anxious
  • If you notice a problem with sound ask the sound desk to adjust asap

SOOTH THE VOCAL APPARATUS

  • Sip lukewarm drinks like herbal tea. (Some people prefer a cool drink but lukewarm drinks are more gentle on the cords. Alcohol is a natural relaxant but this is not always a good long-term choice.)
  • Place a hand on your throat. Feel the warmth and softness of your hand. Take a few breaths like this.
  • Place a pen lengthways in your mouth to stimulate the smile reflex, particularly if you now reflect on how silly you now look J
  • Use the tongue to gently feel the inside of your gums, teeth and lips, as if tasting the remanent sweetness of a past dessert. Lick right around to the back of the teeth and over the lips too.
  • Yawn, even if you fake it to start, to release the jaw and quieten the nervous system.
  • Do a gentle lions tongue pose or hakka face, with the tongue hanging out fat and full.
  • Make gentle soothing sounds like sighing, ahhhhing, hmmmming

Anxiety is a whole body/brain/mind experience and when we create change in one area we see changes in the whole experience. Pick one or two of the ideas above and see how they work for you.

If this kind of work interests you there are many wonderful Somatic Educators. Consider methods like Feldenkrais, Alexander Technique and Linklater and seek help from a practitioner who can give you specific homework. Practicing in the comfort of your home, without stress or anxiety, makes it much easier to access when you need it most! And if you feel that your experience of anxiety is particularly challenging seek out a Somatic Educator who specialises in anxiety.

If you would like to work specifically with me I have a private practice in West Perth and I provide Skype sessions for clients outside of Perth, WA.

And be sure to look out for my follow up article “Anxiety, Posture and Your Ability to Stay Grounded” in the coming months.

“Unless stated otherwise, this article represents only the views of the author and not the views of the AVA”

Molly Tipping is a Somatic Educator, Feldenkrais Practitioner and Pilates Instructor specialising in performance and anxiety. Molly has been working with performing artists for the over 15 years and currently runs a private practice in West Perth and lecturers at the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts (in the Dance and Music Departments). Molly also runs trainings for the Feldenkrais Guild of Australia, The Pilates Method Association and The Royal Academy of Dance and is the co-producer of Move Over Anxiety, an audio program currently on sale in Australia and The United States.

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BodyMinded: Alexander Technique for Voice Professionals

The Alexander technique is known as a useful adjunct to training in vocal circles, however, while many people have heard about it, there is a lot of misconception. Today I hope to introduce how it works and how powerful it is when effectively applied.

To begin: Tasmanian actor overcomes his ‘hoarse voice sore throat’ problem.

F.M Alexander was a Tasmanian and an actor at a time when there was no amplification available.  After suffering a regular loss of voice while performing, he started a process of rigorous self-observation to find out what was going on.  He knew that the hoarseness and pain got worse when he performed, so it must have been related to HOW he was performing… but what was he doing?

Alexander’s solution came after a long process of experimentation, and he was surprised to discover that not only had he overcome his voice problem, he had developed a process that led to profound improvement in health and well-being.

Now 100+ years after his birth there are Alexander Technique teachers around the world, teaching people from all walks of life to find their optimal coordination.

So what did he discover?

Alexander found that natural good posture, essential to the good use of the voice, is dynamic and responsive, constantly moving, providing support against the force of gravity and organising the timing, sequencing and rhythm of the parts. While that cannot be ‘made to happen’ through effort, it can be ‘directed to happen’ naturally via conscious direction of your spatial sense…

Unfortunately for many, this dynamically balanced poise, ease and power are easily disturbed by habits of tension or collapse. Especially after years of training, or in response to stress, habits of interference can lead to a frustrating and ongoing struggle with vocal performance, as it did for Alexander.

Alexander said…
“You translate everything, whether physical, mental or spiritual, into muscular tension”

The Alexander Technique teaches people how to think about how they move, in the service of natural coordination, ease power and grace, especially while using the voice.

Try these activities:

  1. The Spatial Sense

Make a vocal sound of some kind, perhaps you are a singer and make an open sound or a non-singer and you just make an ‘AH’ sound for a second or two. Notice how it feels to make that sound… and what you are drawn to notice in your body.

Now consciously shift your attention to your head… that’s right, above your jaw, above your ear-level… up to your skull. Did you want to move it? You don’t have to move it, but you do want your head to be able to move easily… We are talking about ‘knowing where your head is in relation to your body’, that is, accessing your spatial sense consciously. Note that this is different from any direct idea of effort or movement per se. Now, while thinking of your head above your jaw, make your sound again. How was it different from the first time? What happens if you try this experiment while walking?

So, with this as the beginning let’s do the next experiment.

  1. The Direction of the Air

Alexander demonstrated that the sense we have of our own bodies and how we are moving is often inaccurate. We habituate to the way we normally feel, so changes are likely to feel strange, even wrong. With the voice, for example, it is not unusual to see people compressing down in their torso to make a sound, and it feels right to them to do so. In BodyMinded we teach people ‘conscious cooperation’ with their human design and with the physics of actions. You are probably familiar with how sound is made in the voice-box (larynx), by the movement of air up the windpipe (trachea). Have you ever consciously thought about this movement as you use your voice? Let’s combine the first exercise with the second… as you create your sound, think of the air going up to produce that sound. What happens to your voice as you do this? How does it feel?

  1. The Action Plan

Now we are going to add something about your desired sound. Perhaps you just made a sound at a volume that seemed easy and natural to you. What happens if you decide to double the volume? In Alexander’s case, he would immediately notice an increase in tension, a stiffening of his head on his neck, perhaps you even lifted your chin a little?

The way we carry out our actions is largely pre-determined by habits gained over our lifetime so far. When you add to your action plan… “I want it to be louder”, the changes that occur will depend on the idea you have of what you want and feeling of how it happens. In the BodyMinded process, we help you identify clearly, what you want, which sounds simple but can be surprising to explore.

Now we will build a ‘BodyMinded Instruction’ from these three parts… “I know I have a head, it moves easily over my spine, so I can think of air going up as I decide to make a louder sound”. Did the way you made the louder sound change?

The BodyMinded process teaches you how to generate instructions for yourself and others that are built from the relation between general or overall coordination; cooperation with human design; and a constructive action plan. Each part of this triumvirate can be ‘unpacked’ and explored over time, leading to a wonderful and effective set of dynamic tools for your own performance and your teaching.

“Unless stated otherwise, this article represents only the views of the author and not the views of the AVA”

Greg Holdaway is Director of BodyMinded: Sydney Alexander Technique, where he trains Alexander Technique teachers.  Greg has developed a unique professional training, BodyMinded which integrates up-to-date science and Alexander Technique principles for actionable practical skills for use with clients and students. www.alexandertechnique.com.au

7 habits that affect your voice
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7 Habits that affect your Voice

What is the definition of a habit? It simply means a repetitive behaviour that occurs regularly, based on your subconscious mind. All of us have habits, and some of them can be classified as good or bad habits. Whatever the case, changing a habit requires conscious thought and a conscious choice. And, changing habits is never easy. How many times have we thought we need to stand up straighter, only to slump a few minutes later?

I often teach vocal hygiene habits, which include: adequate sleep, warmups, hydration, reduction in caffeine etc. However, I had hardly considered the impact of postural habits till I learnt Body Mindedness, which follows the principles of the  Alexander Technique. Sure, I was aware of the usual stand up straight, reduced tension in larynx etc, however, I discovered loads more.  In this article, I will discuss the habits we use when we speak or sing, and how they can be detrimental to the human voice. These are based on the principles of the Alexander Technique, and research is quoted from, “Voice and the Alexander Technique”, Jane R Heirich, 2005.

1) Habits from too little muscular effort: The postural slump

This is the most common form of posture seen, especially when people work at computers, head forward, shoulders slumped and rounded back. This collapsing of physical structure results in low muscle tone and in turn, downward direction of the voice.

2) Over-arched back

Most of us have been taught to stand up straight in order to sing or speak well. Best intentions aside, that may result in an exaggerated lumbar curve, lifting of the sternum, shoulders back, as well as pelvis forward.

3) Stiffened neck and throat

One of the most prevalent tendencies when singing or speaking is when the neck muscles are overused and stiffened.  When the head neck muscles are stiffened, they result in TMJ problems. A habitually clenched jaw usually results from a habitual clenching of the head neck muscles.

4) Knee-locking habit – which results from a stiffened torso.

Sometimes, singers and speakers have been advised to ground themselves and grip the floor, and hence grip the floor with their toes, which invariably lock their knees and disallows a free voice. When not on stage or performing, this overused pattern of knee locking may start off as lower back pain.

5) Rib reserve

Any stiffening of the rib cage muscles alters our breathing. Classically trained singers are usually trained on rib reserve, where they hold their rib cage up and out after a deep inhalation, and maintaining that posture whilst singing. The diaphragm moves up, however rib cage hardly moves laterally. Rib cage flexibility is required for the singer to utilise his full vocal range.

6) Facial muscles

Speakers and singers usually learn to over-articulate vowels and consonants, in order to be articulate. The problem occurs when the singer puts in too much muscular energy in saying consonants which interferes with their vocal range. Vowels carry the element of sound and tone, hence it is worth practising saying vowels effortlessly, rather than too much energy on articulating consonants. Some teachers request their students to sing with a smile, which distorts the intended vowel sound. A good way to instruct would be to use their inner smile, or smile with their eyes when singing.

7) Talking with the whole body

In addition to using all of the excess work described above, some speakers/singers use other parts of their body when talking. Eg:  tightening shoulder girdle, holding elbows tightly when making a sound.

In conclusion, each and every one of us has different habitual ways of standing, sitting, walking, when we are not performing ( Singing or public speaking). These habitual patterns of posture then creep in, when we are singing or speaking. Habits are subconscious and we hardly notice them, till something affects our performance.

The best way to check your posture would be to stand in front of the mirror and go through those pointers. If you are unsure, you are most welcome to drop me a line or speak to an Alexander Technique practitioner, who can steer you in the correct direction.

“Unless stated otherwise, this article represents only the views of the author and not the views of the AVA”

Thila Raja is a Speech Pathologist, who specializes in voice training. She helps people recognize their vocal skills and express themselves clearly. Thila loves helping professionals communicate to their best.

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Top ten tips to a healthy voice

  • Use your voice well!  Learn to optimize healthy voice  production.  If you do a lot of talking  or singing, learn to produce voice well – without strain or damage.
  • Keep your voice hydrated! Adequate  hydration is very important for healthy voice and vocal folds.  Drink at least 2 – 3 litres of water per day. Steaming helps vocal wellness.
  • Warm up your voice! (As you  would the rest of your body) if you’re going to embark on prolonged talking or  singing – e.g. Teacher, Minister of Religion or Call Centre Operator.
  • Be wary talking or singing above background  noise!  This can strain your voice so you need to recognize and avoid high voice risk situations.
  • Don’t smoke and avoid smoky environments!
  • Don’t repeatedly clear your throat and avoid coughing excessively! These activities damage your voice.
  • Consider using amplification (microphone or megaphone) where loud voice is necessary.
  • Certain medications and drinks can dehydrate your voice. These include antihistamines, cold and flu medications,  coffee and alcohol. Take these into account when talking or singing.
  • Don’t scream or shout! Using loud voice without damage requires special skills. If you have to use loud voice, get specialist training from a Voice Teacher or Speech Pathologist.
  • Especially look after your voice during  allergies and upper respiratory tract infections!  Your voice is more  susceptible to damage at these times.

Remember  it’s important to seek evaluation and advice from an Ear, Nose and Throat  Specialist if your voice is hoarse or  husky for more than a few weeks, particularly if you smoke or don’t have cold  symptoms.