VOCALS
AHEM … DO YOU CLEAR YOUR THROAT ? | Sheri Gould
In this season of colds , allergies , flu and even … gasp … Covid-19 , we typically see an uptick in throat clearing . As a singer is this something to be concerned about ? Is clearing your throat actually bad for your voice ? The answer is unequivocally yes ! Throat clearing is extremely traumatic to your vocal cords causing , among other things , excess wear and tear .
WHY DO WE CLEAR OUR THROATS ? In simple , non-scientific terms , there is phlegm ( or mucous ) sitting on the vocal cords and the sensation is often uncomfortable . It is also annoying to hear or feel the phlegm rattling around as you speak or try to sing . So , the quickest , most “ efficient ” way to eliminate the problem appears to be simply clearing the phlegm away . But is it ?
WHY DO WE GET PHLEGM ? There are many reasons why someone might develop mucous on the vocal cords . There are some specific medical conditions such as LPR / GERD ( Laryngophrayngeal Reflux / Gastroesophageal Reflux ) and if you are a chronic throat clearer you might want to get checked out . In my experience however , many ENTs will suggest these maladies when they don ’ t have any other specific cause to attribute the mucous to . They , of course , want to at least give the patient something that will help them to feel better , but overall , it appears to be over diagnosed . There are likely other culprits such as allergies , poor breathing habits , lack of hydration and humidity as well as stress to the vocal cords . I would tend to err on the naturalist side and say try to affect these things first before taking some type of medication . I will elaborate on some specific things you can do a little later in this article .
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE CLEAR OUR THROATS ? I liken clearing one ’ s throat to scraping off the mucous with sandpaper . Yes , it removes the phlegm , but at what cost ? I had an ENT ( Dr . of Otolaryngology ) tell me one time that it ’ s possible to clear your throat so roughly as to cause the vocal cords to bleed ! Additionally , once you ’ ve cleared your throat , you ’ ve likely caused some damage to the tissue itself and so your body will react to this by send more mucous . I use the illustration of ripping off a scab . A scab forms in response to an injury , much the way phlegm forms on the vocal cords after the tissue has been irritated or damaged . When you clear the phlegm away , you also take away the protection / healing it was providing . Much like a scab , if left alone , the phlegm will dissolve on its own after its job is done , but removed “ unnaturally ” and prematurely , it will only prolong the healing process and can eventually lead to scarring .
Additionally , once you ’ ve started the cycle of clearing , getting more phlegm , clearing again , getting more phlegm … it can literally become an almost mindless habit . I have seen many chronic throat clearers that are not even aware of what they are doing . Unfortunately , those who live with them often are very aware as this can be as irritating to those around you as it is to your vocal cords !
HOW DO I STOP ? The best thing to do is get to the source of the problem . Start with these suggestions and if they don ’ t solve your problem , a trip to the ENT might be in order .
1 . Stay hydrated . 2 . Breathe through your nose .
3 . Moisturize the air you breather ( a warm air vaporizer is best but a cool one can work ).
4 . Resist the urge to clear . This may be the most important point . Just because you have phlegm does not mean you need to get rid of it . Let it do its job and it should go away on its own . Remember , the more you clear , the more you have to .
5 . If you must clear , do it gently , with air not noise . Use a light “ huh ”. And resist for as long as you can in between to give the cords a chance to heal .
6 . When you feel the urge to clear , suck on a non-mentholated ( pectin ) throat lozenge . ( Like a Hall ’ s Breezers ) Or try a healthy throat spray ( I offer a wonderful organic one on my website that melts phlegm in seconds !).
7 . Treat any allergies you may have to see if that reduces your phlegm .
A WORD ABOUT COUGHING Coughing is just as harmful as clearing your throat and often doubles as throat clearing . Try to avoid coughing whenever possible and don ’ t cough to clear your throat … only cough to clear your lungs .
I pray you have a healthy , happy , singing filled season ! God Bless you as you sing for Him !
Sheri Gould Sheri is an internationally acclaimed vocal coach . She ’ s been helping artists and worshipers find their voice for over 40 years . For help and resources visit her site . www . SheriGould . com