Those who wish to sing always find a song - Anonymous
Students who aspire to become a singer should not take their music lessons lightly. And this means taking care of your voice more than anything else. The voice is the most important asset of a singer. You lose it, you lose your ability to sing. So, whether you are a celebrated Bollywood singer or a struggling rock artist, you must know how to keep your voice healthy. And for that your need the help of a professional singing teacher, one who can act as a guide and professional advisor. It is your vocal health that finally decides the outcome of your performance.
Vocal health for singers is not so difficult to look after. It only requires basic health and hygiene, along with some help from your singing class. Your vocal cords are the instruments that produce music through you. Its misuse or overuse can permanently ruin your career as a singer. But healthy vocal cords allow you to use your full range to produce a tuneful sound, whether you are singing to the tune of the piano or acoustic guitar. Or whether you are performing at a London music concert or the college band. Irrespective of your expertise and professional prowess, taking care of your voice should be your number one priority as a singer.
Common Health Problems of Singers
Singers and musicians suffer from different types of health disorders and injuries that are sustained during their musical careers. One of the most common injury types is the Repetitive Strain Injury or RSI. This is especially recurrent in singers who sing in a high-pitched voice. It affects the musculoskeletal system, especially the vocal cords that produce music in your voice. Other common musculoskeletal disorders in singers include the carpal tunnel syndrome and focal dystonia.
Non-Musculoskeletal Disorders in Singers
One important lesson that music teachers can help students learn is about the ill-effects of singing, if not done right. While the most common health problems in singers include effects on the vocal cords, there are some important and common non-musculoskeletal problems that cannot be overlooked.
Contact Dermatitis
This is a condition that leads to inflammation of the skin. And includes symptoms like itchy or dry skin, bumps and blisters, or swelling. Although not contagious, it can lead an unwanted break in your music career.
Tinnitus, Hearing Loss, and Diplacusis
Singers are often exposed to loud music, which may lead to temporary or permanent hearing loss or related disorders like diplacusis or hyperacusis.
Effects to the Stomatognathic System
Singers and musicians are at an increased risk of adversely affecting their moth and teeth, because of the high usage of these two body parts. These may often lead to injuries that are irreversible and prevent singers from ever singing again.
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Can COVID 19 Affect Professional Singing Ability?
The COVID-19 pandemic is of particular concern for singers and musicians as the effects can be devastating in many cases. Whether you are a professional performer or a singing teacher or pursue music as a hobby, you must carefully consider the adverse effects of the novel Corona virus on your vocal and respiratory health.
Breaking Down the Coronavirus & Its Effects on Singers
The most concerning elements to consider are the medium-sized particles that measure between 1 and 5 milli microns. These are produced in very high proportions when you sing or speak and tend to carry a high viral load. When they are spread in the air, their moisture evaporates and they are transformed into virally concentrated droplet nuclei, which are highly infective. They float through the air for long hours, before finding the lower airways to infect a susceptible host. The alveoli of lungs are responsible for producing small and medium-sized particles when there is a fluid film burst like when you sing or scream.
Your vocal folds also have a fluid film and when they vibrate, like when you sing, they tend to contribute to the generation of medium-sized particles. This is why singers are at a much higher risk of getting infected and even spreading the infection.
Post-viral Vocal Fold Paralysis
This is caused by short period of intubation and viral-related injuries sustained by the vagus nerve. The latter is one of the twelve cranial nerves and the one responsible for vocal fold muscle function that provides sensation to the larynx to produce voice. Symptoms include,
- vocal fatigue,
- strain on the voice, and
- range issues.
Do Singers Experience Mental Health Problems?
To be a singer who truly inspires, we must throw our ego out the door and show up to serve. That's when we truly change the world - Anonymous
A singing class does more than just train you to sing well. A good singing teacher will expand their teaching beyond cords and techniques. They will become your mentor and help you find peace through your singing. Singers and artists, in general, face some unique challenges when it comes to their mental well-being. And these can be handled and even prevented if you have access to the right channels and sources.
The Stress of Financial Instability
As a musician or singer, it is not easy to earn money readily. It is quite a long road before you become successful and start having a steady income. This can lead to a huge amount of stress, which may result in anxiety and even depression. And what happens next is that it starts affecting your ability to focus on your music lessons, thus impacting your ability to sing. So, it is like a vicious cycle and once can only break it by taking good care of their voice right from the start.
The Pressure to Always Perform Well
For a singer, it is always a test to please the audience every single time they perform. This can take a huge toll on their mental health. Most singers want to create their own niche of music to be able to resonate with a specific audience segment. And for them, it is a lifelong effort to keep doing this. So, the work pressure in professional singing is as high, if nor more, as any other profession.
The Volatility of the Music Industry
There is a unique culture of self-medication and drug abuse in the music industry across the whole world that throws its own set of mental health challenges. Owing to the huge pressure of money and performance, one in two singers are known to resort to self-medication to treat mental health problems.
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How to Look After Your Voice Effectively
It doesn't require a singing teacher to tell you that you need to take care of your voice as if it were national treasure, especially if you are a professional singer. Losing your voice can be heartbreaking and extremely frustrating for a singer. Unfortunately, the only people who seem to engage in regular voice health routines are professional singers. But, if you really like to sing, do not follow the masses and do not take your voice for granted.
5 Ways to Keep Your Vocal Cords Healthy
Music classes near me are your best bet to get professional hep to keep your vocal cords healthy. But you don't always need a singing class to keep your voice healthy. You can try these simple and effective ways to keep a healthy voice on your own -
- Never skip war-ups: You can use a variety of methods to warm up your vocal cords like breath relaxation, tongue drills, humming, and octave scales before going all out with your singing. It may feel a bit strange when you are starting out, but once you get in the habit of warming up, it will come to you involuntarily.
- Avoid sudden changes in volume: While singing, you may automatically switch to different pitches and volumes. But you must train your voice to avoid just this to avoid damage to your vocal cords. Suddenly switching from volume to another requires tightening of muscles, which means that they are putting in extra effort to recover your voice. This may lead to long-term damage to your voice.
- Go for regular voice check ups: Just like you take care of other parts of your body like your eyes or teeth, you must also check your voice regularly if you are into professional singing. You can visit an ENT or a laryngologist or even a speech pathologist, if required.
- Stop yourself from clearing your throat frequently: How often do you clear your throat in a day? Almost everyone does it, not realizing the damage it does to the vocal cords. Aggressive coughing or clearing the throat excessively can lead to vocal cord damage. A better way of clearing your throat is to hydrate it with a few sips of water instead of coughing it out.
- Do not ignore acid reflux: Acid reflux is a very common occurrence among many people. It is usually triggered by specific foods. But the problem arises when you ignore it. Excess stomach acid can damage your voice, if not treated on time.
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