Need Help: My Voice Is Going Away...!

I've been told that laryngitis is caused by a virus (colds) and that only time will make it better. I've been told that straining the voice (talking, even whispering) can make the condition worse. I've had laryngitis a few times and I know first hand how frustrating it is. Try to gargle with warm salt water (1 cup warm water and 1/2 tea. of salt) and sip warm tea. I don't know of any fast homemade remedies, I'm sorry to say. Also, maybe some honey throat drops. It's worth trying if it helps.

Hot tea works wonders, especially lemon zinger. You can also add some honey to soothe your throat.

Hi Noelia,

I was a vocal major in college and my professional voice teacher once told me about this, which I tried and it worked. It does not taste good but it works. Mix 2 TBS of cidar vinegar and 2 TBS of lemon juice with 8 oz of almost boiling water (very hot but cool enough to drink - like hot coffee). Drink as quickly as possible. You can add more lemon juice to help cut the taste of the vinegar but NOT more vinegar. The combination of lemon juice and vinegar work together to strip the vocal chords of crud, which takes the stain off the vocal chords. I drank it before my sophmore recital when I had an upper respiratory infection and was able to sing through my recital with no problems.

Another very helpful treatment I use now is cough drops with tea tree oil. I purchase them from a wellness company call Melaleuca. You can only get them there. If you're interested in that let me know and I'll tell you how you can purchase whole sale.

Good luck!!

K. Woodlief
www.LiveTotalWellnessToday.com

Hi Noelia,

If you catch it early you can gargle warm water with a drop or two of high grade tea tree oil (melaleuca oil). It actually heals and kills bacteria on contact and will penetrate deep into the tissue to heal there as well. It may be too late at this point but it will stop it in its tracks if you do it when you first get sick....I agree with hot tea, honey and some say a dash of whiskey as well because it can go down the throat more often :)

Regards,

M.

Ohhh I know all about that. I worked in a call center AND am a singer (I actually went to school for voice performance.) Yes to the hot tea, but be careful of sugar if you have a sore throat. Sugar only irritates it. Honey is a good natural expectorant. I take a tablespoon if I have mucus issues. It also has antiviral properties and so does chicken noodle soup. If you must to a cold lozenge (sp?) stay away from ones with sugar or menthol because that will dry you out. I have also gargled with warm salt water or with a 3 part water 1 part peroxide solution- jury is still out on those 2 remedies. Save your voice for when you really need it, and avoid whispering. That actually puts more strain on your voice than talking. Laughing is also one of the worst things for a strained voice. Sit in a steam bath- When my daughter got her first really bad cold she had a hard time breathing. My pediatrician had me sit in a steamy bathroom with her and then go to the fridge and open the freezer door to inhale the cold air. It really opened her up. I've used it since- works like a charm.

Other than that, just stick with the old plenty of fluids and rest.
Feel better soon and God bless
H.

Use saline solution twice a day to keep your air passages moist. Also, the White House gives singers with problems a teaspoon of butter with honey to coat their throats. Stay away from cafeine and sugar.

A relative of mine had the same strain of cold about 10 days ago. Her voice slowly came back in about 5 days.
Fact- 1992 Hurricane local NBC weather man lost his voice and he revealed on air that his throat SPECIALST said to stay away from caffeine to help get his voice back.
Also try hot tea (decafinated)with honey.
Good luck!

I had the same thing happen about 5 years ago. I was front desk, so a lot of my job was answering phones. Luckily, I had a great team in my office and they picked up that duty for a few days while my voice was gone. In turn, I helped them with some of their busy work, filing, copying, etc. I went to the doctor and they told me there was nothing that could bring it back faster, only rest and try hard to not strain.
Would it be possible to get a friend to help you out? You could write or whisper and she/he could relay the words over a speakerphone.

teaspoon of honey sprinkled with cinnamon...
gargle with salt water and suck on zinc tablets...

ORGANIC APPLE CIDER VINEGAR! It works for me everytime. I take a tablespoon and put some water in the back of my throat and then swallow the ACV with the water. I do this about three times a day and take some extra vitamin C! You should feel better soon.

Have you tried hot tea and honey? Sometimes it works for me...

Try an 8 oz of ginger ale and 1 tablespoon of red cayenne pepper. That nips my bad throats all of the time. When you get home drink a glass every 1/2 hour for 2 hours (a total of 4) and when you wake up in the morning you will be feeling great (hopefully)!

I usually gargle with distilled water and peroxide (no swallowing- the peroxide is toxic due to additives to stabilize it). It really cleans out the phlegmy stuff in the back of my mouth/throat. Haven't been hoarse in years, so I don't know if will help with that, but I DO know that whispering can make it WORSE. Try to use your normal voice if you HAVE to speak.

Hot tea and honey are supposed to be great for sore throats. Don't know if they will help with overused vocal chords, though.

I got this same virus on Christmas Eve. It lasted about 7-10 days. I lost my voice for about 3 days and then it got better. Drink lots of fluids, get rest and let it take it's course...it's a virus, not much you can do.