Telehealthvictoria.org.au



Vocal Health for Professional Voice Users Our voice is created by a set of muscles and ligaments that control our vocal folds. As we breathe out, they work with the air to vibrate our vocal folds rapidly. Once shaped by movements of our mouth, these vibrations are the sounds we hear when speaking. Just like other muscles in our body, overuse or rapidly increased load can lead to injury. Vocal Health It is important to consider your voice use outside of work responsibilities. Social activities (eg. concerts, sporting events, loud restaurants) and family life can leave your voice feeling fatigued. In busy times or between consecutive shifts, be mindful of moderating your voice use and taking regular voice rest. Emotional factors, such as stress and anxiety, as well as other health and lifestyle factors, such as reflux, smoking, and viral infections, can also contribute to voice problems. Tips Ensure you are well hydrated with adequate water intake and avoid excessive amounts of caffeine. Avoid excessive coughing or throat clearing, as this can be damaging to the vocal folds. Avoid shouting, screaming or prolonged use of a loud voice as this can place strain on your voice – see voice projection strategies below.Avoid menthol-based lozenges to soothe the throat, as these have a drying effect on the vocal folds. Maintain a healthy lifestyle, with good sleep, a balanced diet and regular exercise.Strategies for Healthy Voice Use Try and rest your voice during breaks throughout your day. Incorporate short vocal exercises such as lip or tongue trills or vocal straw exercises to warm up or cool down your voice. Minimise any background noise while speaking, eg music, loud conversations, open windows to busy roads, etc. Be mindful of your breathing whilst talking. Ensure you take regular deep breaths from your diaphragm. This will help to slow down your talking and reduce time speaking on residual air.Move the voice around through different pitch ranges and use inflections where possible.Try to talk without straining your voice and throat. For healthy voice projection, ensure you have deep breathing to support and focus on the sound resonating in the front of your face, rather than back in your throat. For more information, see here.Avoid whispering as this is an unnatural position for your vocal folds.After a period of disuse (e.g. annual leave) we are susceptible to vocal strain. Try a series of vocal straw exercises in the days leading up to your return to work to help voice reconditioning.When using a headset, you should talk exactly the same as you would in a face to face conversation. Be mindful of your posture. Good posture is important for good voicing.Signs of a Voice DisorderVoice often feels strained or tiredFrequent voice loss Persistent hoarse/rough qualityFeeling of pain, tension or lump in throat Increased/decreased pitch or difficulty changing pitch Voice breaks when talking Difficulty controlling volume If these symptoms persist and do not improve with a period of 24 hours voice rest, consider seeing your GP for a referral to an Ear Nose & Throat (ENT) surgeon. ................
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