a few ways to look after your voice

It’s time. Time for some myth-busting, fam.

Something I’ve been hearing, reading, and seeing time and time again is that lozenges will help when your voice is tired or if you're sick.

Wanna know the truth?
That is just not the case.
I repeat, lozenges are not “it” when it comes to voice care.
(I know this may run counter to what you’ve been told, but stay with me here.)

More often than not, the ingredients in lozenges can be drying or irritating (worsening your symptoms), or they mask pain and provide a false sense of security (which can lead us to dangerous voice habits when we need to take it easy). Menthol and eucalyptus are super common ingredients and they’re just not a friend to the voice because they can actually hinder rather than help, exacerbating symptoms.

You might be wondering if lozenges marketed for singers specifically are an exception.
Sadly, no. Almost all of these contain ingredients like menthol that are not a friend to your voice.

Confession: The first time I was told this was by a Speech and Language Pathologist who was one of my main lectures during my graduate studies. I happened to have a handbag with an impressive assortment of menthol-laden lozenges that I’d brought home to Australia after a trip to the U.S… I was stunned and kinda sad (they were so delicious!), but can confirm my voice has been all the happier for removing these from my care routine.

One totally critical thing to remind ourselves of is that anything we eat or drink is not touching our vocal folds. So there is no topical benefit. And although it’s been researched there is very little out there to suggest teas, lozenges, or potions directly help the voice.

So, what can you do instead?

Rest your voice, rest your body, drink water, try steaming.

And if you're unsure or want to double-check anything in your voice care routine, have a chat with a professional who is well educated about vocal health. You can reach out to me right here.

Looking to become best friends with your voice and up your singing game? Let’s chat!