Healthy Vocal Habits
- Elizabeth Ulreich-Moran
- Jul 22, 2019
- 5 min read
Last week, I created a poll on my Facebook page asking my followers what they wanted to learn about next!
The choice: healthy vocal habits. Here we will discuss voice basics and ways to keep your voice healthy!
BASICS
Let's start by briefly reviewing the basics of voice
Terms and structures
Vocal Folds: Two bands of tissue that come together to vibrate and stretch in order to produce sound and change pitch. They are located in your throat in the larynx (voice box) above the trachea (windpipe).
Respiration: We use our lungs and diaphragm in order to inhale and exhale. This allows us to move air up through the vocal folds in order to produce sound (phonation). The stronger the breath, the louder the volume of our voice.
Phonation: Phonation is the production of sound, which occurs when the vocal folds vibrate.
Resonance: How the sound we produce vibrates, or resonates, as it leaves the larynx (voice box) and travels up through the throat, and into the oral and nasal cavities.
Pitch: As air passes through, the vocal folds vibrate and stretch, which causes pitch to increase and decrease.
Diaphragm: A muscle located below the lungs that contracts and relaxes as you breathe.
Larynx: Commonly referred to as the voice box, this structure is where voice is produced. Our vocal folds are tucked away and protected by ligaments, muscles and cartilaginous structures.
Pharynx: Commonly referred to as the throat, this structure is the space between the oral and nasal cavities (upper area) and the esophagus and trachea (lower area).
Trachea: Commonly referred to as the windpipe, this structure is located below the level of the vocal folds and is the passage that allows air to flow in and out of the lungs.
In order to produce voice, we first take a breath. The air is then pushed out of the lungs with assistance from the diaphragm and travels up through the trachea towards the vocal folds.
Once the air is at the level of the vocal folds, phonation occurs. With the help of muscles, cartilages and nerves, the vocal folds come together to vibrate as the air passes through. To change the pitch, the vocal folds stretch and relax, like a rubber band. Then, they open as we either take a breath or produce a voiceless sound.
TRY THIS
Compare holding out "ssss" to holding out "zzzz."
The vocal folds are open during the /s/ and closed during the /z/.
The sound produced will next travel up and out of the larynx, while resonating in the pharynx, nasal and oral cavities. The voice is then further shaped by the movement of the tongue, soft palate, teeth, and lips (articulation or speech production).
VOICE DISORDERS
Now that you have a basic understanding of how we produce voice, let's talk about some common voice problems.
In order to produce voice, the vocal folds must come together, vibrate and stretch. Take a minute to think about how often and how quickly this process happens as you speak! Now think about if something is off in the process.
respiration >> phonation >> resonance
If there is something causing a disruption in this process, then it is likely that the voice will be affected. Some examples include:
Too little airflow can result in vocal fold straining.
Too little vocal fold closure can result in vocal fatigue.
Change in movement of the soft palate can result in hyper or hyponasal resonance.
Not enough hydration can result in dry vocal folds.
Smoking results in dry vocal folds and risk of developing laryngeal cancer.
Drinking and too much caffeine result in dry vocal folds.
Acid reflux can result in swollen vocal folds from the acid spilling over into the airway.
What might the signs and symptoms be?
Breathiness
Hoarseness
Raspiness
Strained vocalizations
Periods of not being able to produce voice
Vocal fatigue
Volume that is too loud or too soft
Pitch that is too low or too high
Loss of voice that has not resolved or returned to baseline/normal
What can happen as a result of not taking care of the voice?
Laryngitis
Reinke's edema
Vocal nodules
Vocal polyps
Granuloma
Vocal fold hyperfunction
Please note that this is not an exhaustive list of vocal pathologies. There are many other factors that can result in additional types of vocal pathologies.
In addition, an otolaryngologist will diagnose the vocal pathology and then you would participate in voice treatment with a speech-language pathologist.
You may be asking yourself, who does this really apply to? Those of us who use voice throughout the day would be considered to be Professional Voice Users. A Professional Voice User is anyone who uses the voice for work: teachers, professors, therapists, doctors, nurses, receptionists, lawyers, coaches, singers, actors, athletes, administrators, politicians, sales representatives, customer service representatives, telemarketers (don't they seem to have been replaced with robo-callers these days?), stage managers, directors, producers, religious professionals....the list goes on and on! Can you think of anyone else?
VOCAL HYGIENE
Please take note that these are general guidelines. For specific recommendations, please consult a speech-language pathologist in addition to an otolaryngologist.
We finally made it! Now that you know a little bit about how we produce voice and what can happen if there is a disruption in the process, let's talk about ways to keep our voices healthy! I like to refer to these as vocal hygiene strategies.
Hydrate: This is number one! Drink plenty of water. Remember that if you are exercising, or sweating from the hot weather, you will need to drink even more. Do not put citrus in your water if you have acid reflux as the acid may increase your reflux symptoms.
Control acid reflux: The preferred way to do this is to journal your diet in order to pinpoint foods and beverages that are causing acid reflux. If that is not enough, I recommend consulting with your doctor to discuss medication management.
Reduce caffeine intake: Similar to the above, think about how many caffeinated beverages you drink daily. Try to reduce the number to 1 per day. Remember, DECAF has caffeine in it.
Reduce drinking and smoking: I truly would recommend eliminating both, however, I understand that this is not always possible, and that's why I recommend reducing the amount. As part of your vocal hygiene program, you would work with me to determine a realistic goal that will work for you.
Get plenty of rest and exercise: By getting adequate rest and exercise, you will reduce stress, which will relieve tension in the larynx. Please consult with your doctor before starting a new exercise routine.
Reduce yelling, screaming and shouting: Use amplification as needed if you tend to speak to large audiences or if you often speak in noisy environments.
If you are a Professional Voice User, you may wish to follow these recommendations on a daily basis in order to prevent vocal fold injury.
Please also note that it is best practice for you to be evaluated by an otolaryngologist (Ear Nose and Throat doctor) prior to participating in voice therapy.
If you have questions or wish to schedule a consultation or an evaluation with me,
let's connect today!
FUN FACTS
Use these at your next trivia night
The thyroid cartilage has a notch at midline which is known as your Adam's apple.
The diaphragm contracts, causing a vacuum effect that allows air to flow into your lungs, then relaxes allowing you to exhale.
Pitch varies based on how quickly the vocal fold vibrate and how elongated they are. For example, pitch goes up as the vocal folds stretch and vibrate quickly and goes down as they relax and vibrate slower.
Volume increases with a bigger breath, or more airflow, through the vocal folds as they vibrate.
The larynx also plays a role in protecting the airway. There is a cartilage, called the epiglottis, that covers the airway as we swallow, allowing food and liquid to go down the esophagus instead of into the airway.
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