Vocal hygiene takes daily effort: Experts

Nagpur: A person’s voice is a unique identification that remains with them all their life, and yet changes with them. Professionals like teachers, singers, actors, radio and theatre artists depend on a healthy voice for their profession. However, often their voice quality and health declines due to overuse or faulty vocal techniques, failing them professionally. On the occasion of World Voice Day which was observed on Saturday, some experts from the city gathered to talk about the ways of taking care of the voice for professionals in a seminar organized by city-based Neeti Clinics. Laryngologist Dr Gauri Kapre Vaidya, associate professors of Government Medical College Dr Bhagyashree Bokare and Dr Shraddha Singh spoke on the topic from a medical perspective. Noted theatre artist Vikash Khuarana spoke about the same from the artist’s perspective.
“Diction, articulation, tone and pitch are some of the important elements of a person’s voice. Every good actor uses them to enhance his performance, conveying the mood to the audiences and to keep them involved,” said Khurana. He also said that at every stage of their career, every actor needs to make use of certain exercises and techniques to reinvent their voice, and to use it to create the best possible effect.
“Abuse of vocal nodules and the voice can lead to a lot of problems, which are especially easy to acquire for professionals who need to use their voice more often. The good thing is most of these problems can be prevented by adopting the right diet and lifestyle,” said Dr Singh.
Talking about these habits, Dr Bokare said, “Maintaining a good vocal hygiene takes daily efforts. This involves including simple habits like having 6-8 glasses of water in a day.” She added that maintaining good health in general, taking care of one’s weight and resting ones voice regularly are important habits towards this end.
Diagnosis of voice-related problems and illness requires a special test using an equipment called stroboscope, informed Dr Vaidya. “This instrument gives the actual picture of the movement of vocal chords. Sometimes, illnesses like thyroid issues and asthma can also cause voice-related problems. These can be treated using medicines, voice therapy or surgery, as per the requirement,” she added.
Renowned ENT surgeon of the city and director of Neeti Clinics Dr Madan Kapre appealed to actors, musicians, teachers and other voice professionals of the city to come together on a common platform to raise awareness about voice-related problems.
BOX 1:
Tips for maintaining vocal hygiene
Have adequate rest, sufficient hydration and minimize exposure to noxious chemicals
Avoid using cigarettes or other tobacco substances
Reduce or eliminate caffeine and caffeinated drinks
Avoid excessive shouting, screaming or other non-essential loud voice use
Do not whisper when your throat is strained
Do not use recreational drugs
BOX 2:
Tips voice professionals
Avoid excessive vitamins, as they might damage the vocal folds by rupture
Avoid excessive need to clear throat
Avoid rehearsing or performing soon after a long aeroplane journey
Avoid singing when sick
After injury or illness, seek medical help to see if you have modified or changed your vocal techniques
Women need to select birth control medications with the help of a physician who understands the effect of hormones on voice
A hoarse voice, changes in the sound of voices, or noticeable voice fatigue for two weeks requires attention by a qualified voice care team