Vocal nodules, gone!
Sep. 8th, 2003 11:11 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
javasaurusAs I may have mentioned previously, I was diagnosed with vocal nodules (sometimes called vocal nodes). This was in late May/early June. Such nodules are essentially blisters/callouses that form on the vocal chords when they receive heavy abuse, such as extended periods of shouting/singing. Can you say Renaissance Festival?
The good news is that I went to the doc this morning, and was told that the nodes are gone!
I never thought I would get nodules. I've taken classes in singing and stage voice. I've had private voice lessons. I also played wind instruments for fifteen years. I know how to support my voice with proper posture and diaphragm support. I also know how to warm up my vocal chords before using them. But there was so much I didn't know. Vocal chords can be harmed by excess caffeine, insufficient sleep, insufficient water, excessive throat clearing, and whispering (yes, really!). Also, even with proper diaphragm support, you can still over-blow your voice by being too loud for extended periods of time. For the voice I've used at fest for several years, I intentionally add a bit of "gravel" or gruffness, which just added to the problem. I found that I was really hurting my vocal chords last year, losing my voice early every day of the festival, but I couldn't force myself to drop the volume, or lose the gravelly sound -- it was too infused into my character.
It didn't help that I like to sing in the car, or in the shower, which I continued doing even with my sore voice. I drank lots of coffee, got little sleep. Sigh.
So despite training, despite warming up, I abused myself into getting nodules.
The treatment is relatively simple. Stop abusing your voice, and if you must abuse it such as at the Ren Fest, give it sufficient rest between periods of abuse. And stop all non-necessary abuses. If these treatments don't work, surgery may be necessary, but I was able to lose the nodes without such drastic measures. Cutting back on caffeine (including most sodas), increasing water, and getting better sleep, and losing weight are all good things for the vocal chords, and led to my decision focus on losing weight.
The good news is that I went to the doc this morning, and was told that the nodes are gone!
I never thought I would get nodules. I've taken classes in singing and stage voice. I've had private voice lessons. I also played wind instruments for fifteen years. I know how to support my voice with proper posture and diaphragm support. I also know how to warm up my vocal chords before using them. But there was so much I didn't know. Vocal chords can be harmed by excess caffeine, insufficient sleep, insufficient water, excessive throat clearing, and whispering (yes, really!). Also, even with proper diaphragm support, you can still over-blow your voice by being too loud for extended periods of time. For the voice I've used at fest for several years, I intentionally add a bit of "gravel" or gruffness, which just added to the problem. I found that I was really hurting my vocal chords last year, losing my voice early every day of the festival, but I couldn't force myself to drop the volume, or lose the gravelly sound -- it was too infused into my character.
It didn't help that I like to sing in the car, or in the shower, which I continued doing even with my sore voice. I drank lots of coffee, got little sleep. Sigh.
So despite training, despite warming up, I abused myself into getting nodules.
The treatment is relatively simple. Stop abusing your voice, and if you must abuse it such as at the Ren Fest, give it sufficient rest between periods of abuse. And stop all non-necessary abuses. If these treatments don't work, surgery may be necessary, but I was able to lose the nodes without such drastic measures. Cutting back on caffeine (including most sodas), increasing water, and getting better sleep, and losing weight are all good things for the vocal chords, and led to my decision focus on losing weight.
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no subject
Date: 2003-09-08 08:59 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-09-08 03:44 pm (UTC)See ya at the faire!