How to Avoid Losing Your Voice

Taking Care of Your Voice

Speak from your diaphragm instead of from your throat. Your diaphragm is located just below your rib cage—breathe in and out deeply and watch it go up and down. Speak and sing by slightly flexing your abdominals to push air from that area. Try placing your hands over your belly button and feel your stomach expand like a balloon when you inhale. As you exhale and speak, you should notice your belly going inward as air is released from the “balloon” (your diaphragm). When you’re speaking from your diaphragm, your voice may sound clearer and more sonorous. When you're breathing into your diaphragm before you speak, your shoulders shouldn't rise up like they would if you were taking shallow breaths.

Drink at least 64 fluid ounces (1,900 mL) of water every day. Be sure to stay hydrated because your vocal cords need the moisture to function at their best (and to heal, if they’re in bad shape). Avoid caffeinated drinks like coffee and black tea and alcoholic beverages because these can dry up your vocal cords and make any existing inflammation worse. When your body is well-hydrated, it produces more mucus which lubricates your vocal cords. If you can't go without your morning coffee, make sure to drink an additional 8 fluid ounces (240 mL) of water to make up for the dehydrating effects of the caffeine.

Set up a humidifier in your home or office. Use a small humidifier in your bedroom or living room (wherever you spend the most time) or set one up in your office at work if possible. The moist air will help lubricate and soothe your inflamed vocal cords. You can also take a hot shower or boil some water over the stove and breathe in the steam. If you live in a dry environment and frequently have throat issues, you may want to get a hygrometer to measure the humidity in your home—it should be around 50%. If it's nice outside, open a door or window—air conditioning and central heating dry out the air and won't help your vocal cords.

Warm-up your voice and use a microphone if necessary. If you're about to spend a lot of time talking, take 5 minutes to do some basic vocal warm-ups to avoid stressing your vocal cords. If your job requires you to do a lot of public speaking, use a microphone so you don't have to shout to be heard. Humming, making siren sounds, and sighing are all simple ways to warm up your voice.

Avoid screaming or whispering. Both extremes can cause your vocal cords to swell up. When you're out having fun at a sporting event or a concert, try to avoid shouting or keep it to a minimum. And try to resist the urge to whisper because it actually requires more effort (and puts heavier strain on our vocal cords) than talking normally. If you have to say something in a quiet setting, speak from your diaphragm and use a very low volume.

Stay away from acidic foods if you have GERD or acid reflux. The foods won't actually come in contact with your vocal cords, but they can trigger acid reflux. Avoid citrus fruits like tomatoes, grapefruit, oranges, lemons, limes until your throat is feeling better and your hoarseness is gone. Fatty or fried foods, dairy, dark chocolate, garlic, onion, and mint are also common trigger-foods to avoid if you have acid reflux or GERD. Stomach acids that climb up your throat when you have heartburn can corrode the lining of your esophagus and your vocal cords over time.

Don't smoke cigarettes if you smoke. Kick the habit right away because smoking irritates your larynx (voice box) and thickens your vocal cords, making your voice sound raspy and croaky. Try sucking on nicotine lozenges or chewing nicotine gum to help wean your body off of tobacco. Note that nicotine lozenges and gum can cause a sore throat in some people or if you use too much. If that's the case, try keeping your mouth busy by chewing on flavored toothpicks or glycerin throat lozenges. Additionally, stay away from secondhand smoke.

Soothing a Hoarse Voice

Rest your voice if you’re sick. Try not to talk at all if you’re recovering from some illness—especially if talking hurts. Use a notepad if you need to and stick to text messages and emails instead of voice calls. Resting your voice (and your body!) as much as possible will help you bounce back sooner. If you’re sick, focus on getting well because your hoarseness will probably clear up when you’re feeling back to normal.

Resist the urge to cough or clear your throat. If you’re sick with laryngitis or an upper respiratory infection, you may be tempted to cough or clear your throat to make that itchy feeling go away. However, don’t do this because the blunt burst of air running across your vocal cords can inflame them even more. If you have a cough or a scratchy feeling in your throat, try drinking some hot tea or gargling with salt water instead.

Gargle with warm salt water 3 to 4 times a day. Heat 6 fluid ounces (180 mL) of water over the stove or in the microwave until it's lukewarm (not hot or boiling!). Pour in 1 tbsp (15 g) of regular table salt or sea salt and stir it around. Sip from the water and gargle for at least 15 seconds then spit it out. Keep gargling for at least 15 seconds at a time until all the salt water is gone.

Sip on slippery elm tea with honey 2 to 3 times a day. Steep 1 bag of slippery elm tea in 8 fluid ounces (240 mL) of near-boiling water for 3 to 5 minutes. Add a dime-sized amount of honey (or however much you like) and drink it a few times a day. The tea itself won't come in contact with your vocal cords but it will lubricate your throat, making it less likely you'll need to cough or clear your throat (two things that can strain your vocal cords). You can also suck on slippery elm lozenges or swallow 1 tbsp (15 grams) of slippery elm bark powder mixed with 8 fluid ounces (240 mL) of water. While adding a squeeze of lemon has been touted as a sore-throat remedy, the acidity of the juice can actually do more harm than good. Licorice and marshmallow teas (or blends containing these herbs) are also good options to soothe your throat.

Suck on glycerin-based throat lozenges. If you’re fighting off a cough or just need some relief from that dry, scratchy feeling in your throat, lozenges can help. Check the back of the package to make sure glycerin is one of the first few ingredients on the ingredients list. It’s best to not have more than 6 a day, but read the directions on the package to see what the manufacturer recommends. Avoid using menthol or eucalyptus-based lozenges because these can actually irritate your throat even more. Try to find a sugar-free kind if possible—if you have an infection, sugar can feed the bacteria in your throat.

Don't take decongestants or cough suppressants. While cold medicine may seem like a good idea to relieve your symptoms, medications for sinusitis or upper respiratory infections can dry out your throat. If you have a headache or other pain, you can take 1 or 2 tablets of an OTC painkiller like acetaminophen or ibuprofen every 4 to 6 hours. Ibuprofen is ideal because it’s an anti-inflammatory, which can help quell any inflamed tissues in your throat and around your vocal cords. Don’t take acetaminophen or ibuprofen if you have or have had liver problems.

Avoid eating spicy foods until your hoarseness has gone away. Lay off the hot sauce, spicy peppers, and peppery herbs until your voice has come back in full. Not only will the compounds in spicy foods irritate your throat, but they may promote acid reflux, which can dry up your vocal cords. Use mild, savory herbs like basil, rosemary, and thyme to flavor your food instead.

Knowing When to See a Doctor

Visit a doctor if your hoarseness doesn’t clear up after 2 weeks. Be prepared to talk about your medical history and how long you've been hoarse. Expect them to examine your throat and, if necessary, swab it with a cotton ball to take a sample of the bacteria. A throat swab can tell your doctor if your hoarseness is caused by a bacterial infection like strep, tonsillitis, whooping cough, or meningitis. If your doctor diagnoses you with laryngitis, they can prescribe antibiotics or steroids to clear it up within 5 to 7 days. Depending on your symptoms, your doctor might refer you to another doctor who specializes in ears, nose, and throat issues (an otolaryngologist or ENT doctor for short).

See a throat specialist if your doctor recommended you do so. Book an appointment with an ENT (Ear, Nose, and Throat) doctor—they can examine your throat and vocal cords to figure out what's causing the persistent hoarseness. Allow them to examine your throat and feel around your neck for signs of lumps or anything unusual. They can also prescribe you antibiotics or steroids to help deal with laryngitis, if that's the case.

Take any medications according to your doctor’s instructions. If you’ve been prescribed antibiotics or corticosteroids for bacterial laryngitis or an inflamed esophagus, take 1 capsule per day on a full stomach. Usually, the issue will get better or clear up after 7 to 14 days of taking antibiotics or corticosteroids, but your doctor will be able to tell you exactly how many days you should take them. Don’t stop taking the medication just because you feel better—complete the entire course as your doctor has told you to do. If you want to stop taking them sooner, book another appointment to check in with your doctor before stopping on your own. Don’t take probiotic supplements when you’re taking antibiotics because it can weaken the effect of the medicine.