Stressing your voice on a regular
basis can damage the vocal cords, leading to permanent hoarseness. Furthermore,
when the rest of your body is stressed, your voice can suffer.
Stress can be thought of in two
ways. Firstly, the emotional response to a situation can manifest itself in
stress if there is a feeling of lack of control. This is the “fight-or-flight”
response, which prepares your body for action. Whichever you choose, your voice
may come into play. Shouting may increase the aggression, which is helping you
fight, or tell that you are going to flee. Second, you can consciously choose
to place your body under stress in order to maximize its response, for example
when running a race or when singing an opera.
These are both examples of
physiological stress, a condition that occurs when the body is asked to perform
activities far outside of its regular functioning capacity. This is a situation
that is often demanded of the voice—just think of the number of times in the
past week that you have raised your voice louder than necessary in speech or in
song—and it is harmful to the vocal cords.
Instant damage
Your vocal cords are highly
sensitive in order to produce the range of sounds they do, and extreme stress
can have an instant, and sometimes prolonged, effect on them.
Shouting down the house
When you shout with too much
force, it is possible to damage the lining of your vocal cords, causing
hoarseness. The muscles in your throat tighten, and breathing becomes shallower
in reaction to the excessive tension. This results in more effort being exerted
to recover your voice, which can make it worse. If the voice isn’t given time
to recover from stress—if you shout while your voice is still hoarse and your
throat is still sore—you risk damaging the vocal cords still further. If you find
yourself regularly shouting in anger or frustration, getting help to figure out
what is stressing you makes more sense than risking your voice. People who
regularly stress their voices may need speech therapy to train them away form
voice habits.
Clearing your throat
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A lot of people cough and clear
their throats when they are stressed. If this is done too aggressively, it can
also result in vocal cord damage. It is much better to try and relax your
throat by swallowing and having sips of water instead.
Reflux
Stress can also result in acid
reflux, in which stomach acid flows up towards the larynx, causing discomfort
and sometimes a voice disorder. To reduce reflux, give your body enough time to
digest food properly before rushing around, try not to eat hurriedly, and don’t
eat immediately before going to bed.
Sounding stressed
A stressed voice may sound more
aggressive, inviting negative reactions from others, and breathing may become
shallower as the pace of speaking gets quicker. If you can take the tension out
of your voice, you’re more likely to breathe better, produce more efficient
speech, and get a better response.
Long-term damage
Sometimes voice damage is the
result of continuing an action without observing signals telling you to relax.
These include hoarseness and sore throats, as well as tension in your body.
Be career wise
Certain jobs carry greater risks
for the voice than others. The traditional regimental sergeant major obviously
stresses his voice on a daily basis, but singers, teachers, lawyers, aerobics
instructors, and politicians also regularly risk voice damage.
The problem is compounded in some
cases by environmental factors: the atmosphere is many classrooms, for example,
is dry, which is bad for the throat. In addition, many public buildings are
built without the advice of an acoustician, so professional may have to fill a
space that was not designed for a single human voice. Noise, too, makes matters
worse. Studies have shown that we tend to raise our voices by about three
decibels for every 10-decibel increase in ambient noise level. Because the
noise level in a kindergarten class can be as high as 80 decibels, it is not
surprising that teachers suffer from voice problems.
If you belong to one of these
at-risk groups, it’s important to be especially kind to your larynx.
Careful karaoke
Singers are prone to voice
problems because of the extra effort they use in the throat when singing.
Professional singers are taught to warm their voices before rehearsing or
performing, singing mid-range notes before gradually working toward those at
the top and bottom of their ranges, and practicing scales and arpeggios, as
well as breathing exercises to help in efficient, unrestrained sound
production.
Amateurs, however, may not take
such care with their voices. Vocal difficulties often arise from a poorly
produced loud voice, intended to fill a bar or concert hall. Such sounds can
easily result in bruised vocal cords. It is wise not to sing without warming
the voice as described above, especially if you have a sore throat, because you
will be vulnerable to inflammation of the vocal cords.
To club or not to club
If you are going out to a club or
concert where the music is loud, accept that you are not going to be able to
chat, too. Average noise levels are too loud to shout over. In venues where
smoking is not banned, be aware that the smokiness will also affect your throat
and voice.
Unclench that jaw
If you are overly tense, you may
grind your teeth at night, resulting in a clenched jaw. This is another very common
cause of vocal tension, making the voice sound “held back” or muffled. If you
find yourself swallowing sounds and having to make an extra effort to
compensate for not being heard, you may need to take steps to undo the tension.
Be socially wise
Two of the most common “social
stress relievers” —smoking and alcohol—dry out the voice and irritate the
larynx, resulting in deepening hoarseness, and other changes. In the long run,
this ages the voice.
Keep lubricated
Stress can result in neglecting
to eat when you need to or not drinking enough fluids throughout the day, which
results in dehydration and a dry throat. (Take care of yourself with these
natural remedies for a sore throat.)
How to look after your voice
• If
your job involves talking a lot, make sure you have quiet periods in the day.
• Don’t
talk above loud background noise if you don’t have to.
• If you find you are often shouting as a
way of dealing with anger, consider counselling or assertiveness training.
• Don’t
overdo spicy foods; they can cause laryngeal irritation.
• Steer clear of chemicals that might
irritate your throat, such as aerosol sprays and household cleaning products.
• Avoid
smoking and excessive drinking.
• Don’t sit hunched over your computer
keyboard or desk. This puts a strain on your neck muscles, which are important
in voice production.
• Don’t spend too long in cold, dry air.
The larynx likes to be wet and warm. Steam inhalation will thin out mucus
trapped in the nose and throat.
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