If you are experiencing vocal problems, such as hoarse voice, sore, and voice changes, you need to keep your vocal cords at rest, especially if you are doing a job that requires you to speak or sing a lot. Remember to check with your doctor before attempting any home remedies; in general, if the situation is not particularly severe, he may order you to keep your vocal cords at rest, hydrate and sleep, but in severe cases he may recommend voice therapy, filler injections, or even surgery.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Rest and Moisturize the Vocal Cords
Step 1. See your doctor
Make sure you get examined before using any home remedies to treat the malaise; the otolaryngologist is able to diagnose the problem and prescribe treatment for your specific situation.
- In mild cases, he can simply prescribe the rest of the voice;
- In moderate or mild cases, she may recommend antibiotics or cough suppressants in addition to vocal rest;
- In really severe situations, surgery is usually done to fix the problem, especially if there are nodules on these structures.
Step 2. Rest your voice
Depending on the severity of the damage, you should rest your vocal cords for 1 to 5 days; to do this, you should avoid in any way talking and doing those activities that can put them under strain, such as strenuous exercise or lifting heavy loads. If you need to communicate with other people, write your messages on paper.
- If you need to talk, take a 10 minute break for every 20 minutes of conversation.
- However, avoid whispering, as it actually involves more strain on the vocal cords than normal speech.
- While resting your voice, you can consider reading, breathing exercises, sleeping, and watching movies or television.
Step 3. Drink water
Moisturizing the throat helps lubricate the vocal cords, promoting healing; always keep a bottle of water with you, so that you can refresh your throat when it feels dry.
At the same time, you should avoid other liquids that can potentially slow recovery, such as alcohol, caffeine, and sugary drinks
Step 4. Get plenty of sleep
Even sleep is able to soothe and regenerate the vocal cords; therefore, ensure that you sleep at least seven hours each night during the recovery period.
If you have been away from work or school for a day or two to keep from straining your voice, try not to go to bed too late
Method 2 of 4: Gargle with Water, Honey and Aromatic Plants
Step 1. Heat 250ml of water
Use the stove or microwave oven and bring a cup of water to about 32-37 ° C; make sure it's not too hot (or boiling hot), otherwise you could irritate your vocal cords.
For best results use filtered or bottled water
Step 2. Pour in two tablespoons (30ml) of honey
Add it to the hot water until it dissolves. At this point, you can also incorporate a mixed herb extract that has been recommended to you by your doctor; put 3-5 drops of extract in the water while stirring.
The aromatic plants suitable for soothing and relieving throat and vocal cords are: cayenne pepper, licorice, marshmallow, propolis, sage, red elm and turmeric
Step 3. Gargle for 20 seconds
Put a sip of liquid in your mouth and tilt your head back; let it reach the deepest portion of the throat but do not swallow it. To start gargling, gently expel the air from your throat; at the end of the procedure be sure to spit out the mixture.
- Gargle three per session and repeat every 2-3 hours throughout the day.
- Do not forget the treatment even before going to bed, so that the herbs and honey can soothe the vocal cords while you sleep.
Method 3 of 4: Inhale the Steam
Step 1. Take 1.5 liters of water
Pour them into a saucepan and place it on the stove setting the flame to medium-high. When the steam develops or the water begins to evaporate (after about 8-10 minutes), turn off the heat and take the pot away from the heat.
- When the water reaches 65 ° C it produces enough steam.
- If it comes to a boil, it means it is too hot for treatment; let it cool for a minute or two before inhaling the steam.
Step 2. Pour the hot water into a bowl
Put a container on the table and pour in the water you have heated; at this point, you can add 5-8 drops of herbal extract.
To get even more benefits, you can also incorporate others, such as chamomile, thyme, mint, lemon, oregano and cloves
Step 3. Cover your head and shoulders with a towel
Sit with your face over the bowl at a suitable distance, far enough away from the steam, and wrap your head, shoulders and bowl with a towel to create an enclosed space.
By doing so, you trap the vapor and you can breathe it easily
Step 4. Inhale the steam
You simply have to stay over the bowl for 8-10 minutes and breathe in the beneficial steam; set a timer to keep track of time. Once the procedure is finished, do not speak for the next half hour; this remedy helps to rest and heal the vocal cords.
Method 4 of 4: Recovering from Severe Trauma
Step 1. Make an appointment with your speech therapist
This professional helps you strengthen your vocal cords through various exercises and vocal activities. Depending on the severity of the damage, it can help you regulate your breathing as you speak, as well as regain control of the muscles surrounding the damaged cords, to avoid abnormal tension or to protect the airways while you swallow.
Step 2. Get a filler injection
It is performed by the otolaryngologist who injects collagen, fatty tissue or other approved substances into the damaged vocal cords to widen them and thus bring them closer together when you speak. This is a procedure that improves speech articulation and reduces pain when you swallow or cough.
Step 3. Undergo surgery
If speech therapy and / or filler injections do not improve the situation, your doctor may advise you to proceed with surgery, which may consist of a structural implant (thyroplasty), repositioning of the vocal cords, nerve replacement (reinnervation), or even a tracheostomy. Discuss options with your doctor to see which one is best for your situation and need.
- Thyroplasty involves inserting an implant to reposition the vocal cords.
- The repositioning of the vocal cords involves bringing them closer together through the movement of the tissues of the larynx from the outside to the inside.
- Reinnervation consists of replacing the damaged vocal cord nerve with a healthy one taken from a different area of the neck.
- A tracheostomy is an incision in the throat to access the trachea; a small tube is inserted to allow air to pass through the damaged vocal cords.
