My voice is scratchy & fading, now what?

Laryngitis (this is my voice during a recent bout) doesn’t have to completely take you out. 👆🏻 Here’s some of my favorite ways to soothe the scratch!

🗣️ Delegate. Strategically look at your day and week: where can you reduce talking? Email/text instead of call? Cut out any talking over noise?

🤐 Rest. Yes, this is the time that rest will actually be beneficial to your voice. The more silence, the less friction on fragile swollen tissue. (If you don’t observe silence and let others know you’re on voice rest—It’d be like having a blister from your favorite pair of shoes yet continuing to wear them until the blister worsens…ouch!)

💨 Steam and humidify: steaming with boiling water or VocalMist, is very soothing. Ensure your environment isn’t too dry, as that will increase the likelihood of thicker mucus production, which may set coughing or throat clearing in motion, which is like having a blister on your hand and then clapping loudly over and over.

💦 Sip water, hot water with lemon & honey, or warm herbal teas (some folks love Throat Coat. No it won’t “cure” your laryngitis nor does the liquid even touch your vocal folds, yet the surrounding tissues of the throat can feel some relief). Especially if you have that raw, scratchy feeling as an associated symptom. *Please skip the Hot Toddy’s or shot of [your preferred liquor here]. That will only mask symptoms and too much will be irritating to the tissues.

🧣 Gentle self massage of the neck, especially on and around the larynx and using a heat wrap (warmed with water or in the microwave) around the neck can feel quite exquisite. The ache, swelling, and fatigue of the neck muscles can also take a toll around the larynx(voice box), so self-massage is a great start!

What have you tried before?  What has worked for you?  Reply and share with me!💜

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