Home Remedies for a Lost Voice

Whether you’re watching the Super Bowl, screaming for your life on a roller coaster, or yelling at your significant other – you run the risk of losing your voice. Irritation, infection, or overuse is often a factor when you encounter a case of laryngitis, a condition characterized by inflammation of the voice box. Fortunately, you can soon restore your central means of communication by following home remedies for a lost voice.

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Causes and Symptoms of a Lost Voice

Inside of the larynx, you will find your vocal cords. It is here that two folds of mucous membrane cover muscle and cartilage. On a normal day, the vocal cords open and close in an uncomplicated manner – allowing sounds to form with the help of vibration and movement.

However, when the vocal cords become inflamed, your chances of losing your voice increase. Swollen vocal cords make it hard for you to produce sounds. As a result, your voice is barely heard. Depending on the cause, you may encounter a short-term loss of their voice (acute) or battle a long lasting problem (chronic). When you’ve lost your voice, it’s usually because you’ve suffered one of the following:

Strain or Overuse: Cheering at a sporting is a common cause.
Upper Respiratory Infection: A virus (like the common cold) is the culprit.
Allergens and Irritants: Secondhand smoke can contribute to a lost voice.
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD): Irritation and inflammation caused by acids originating from the stomach.

Symptoms include a voice that is hoarse, weak, and raspy. Some people are completely unable to talk. A sore throat, cough, or urge to clear your throat may also accompany a bout of laryngitis [1]. In children, they may experience difficulty breathing.

Lost Voice Home Remedies

Reducing the strain placed on the larynx is one of the best approaches to finding your voice once again. A handful of home remedies for a lost voice include:

a) Steam:

Soothe your vocal cords by inhaling steam. An easy remedy is to breathe the steam that comes from a bowl filled with hot water. A hot shower is also pretty relaxing.

b) Moisten Your Throat:

Keep your throat moist in an effort to combat your lost voice. Some people have found success by sucking on lozenges or chewing gum [2].

c) Limit Your Caffeine Intake:

Since the caffeine found in coffee, tea, and cola drinks causes dehydration, it is suggested to limit your intake when you’ve lost your voice.
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d) Pass on the Drink:

Alcohol brings dehydrating effects to your throat, which can contribute to a long-term issue with your vocal cords. Bad news for coffee drinkers – your favorite beverage also causes dryness in the throat.

e) Humidifier:

Since indoor heat removes moisture out of the air, using a humidifier or vaporizer can make room conditions much easier on the throat.

f) Dust:

Ask someone to keep your living spaces free of dust, as this causes a room to become dry, which can worsen your throat problems.

g) Tea:

Soothe throat irritation by drinking tea. An effective selection is ginger tea, as well as lemon selections. When it comes time to sweeten your tea, choose honey, which contains a natural antibacterial effect.

h) Water:

Drinking between eight and ten glasses of water per day will keep your larynx moist. It is important to make sure that the water is warm or about room temperature – not overly hot or cold.
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i) Quit Smoking and Avoid Smokers:

Your throat will take twice as long healing if you are a smoker. Kick the habit and enjoy the wealth of health improvements that follow. Even secondhand smoke can hinder your healing process, so if you live with a smoker, kindly ask that they smoke away from you to give your larynx time to recuperate.

j) Cough Drops:

Since keeping your throat moist can help with your healing process, people often suck on cough drops. Opt for honey or fruit-flavored selections instead of minty or methol brands that tend to dry out the throat.

k) Don’t Speak:

It’s important to stay quiet while you’ve lost your voice. Talking strains your vocal cords and prolongs your road to recovery. And, whatever you do – don’t whisper. You probably never thought that whispering causes more stress on the vocal cords than a soft voice, but it does.

Resources

[1] http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/laryngitis-symptoms
[2] http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/laryngitis/DS00366/DSECTION=lifestyle-and-home-remedies

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75 CommentsPosted in Physical Health

sumbal

drink lukewarm water add some honey in it.
message on neck with olive oil.
do gargles of salty water three times a day, especially after waking up, and before going to sleep.
crushed ginger and honey….. eat this mixture.
do! rest your voice.
George

I’ve been on a end of season Footy trip, drinking heavily for 4 days. Woke up this morning and can’t even get a single sound out, most tips I’ve seen are for over use of voice not being on the booze, any ideas?
Ninetales

Pineapple juice helps even though its acidic, i don’t know why.

I have been working in a haunted house, and my only job is to scream and shake (electric chair) and i have to do this until the customers leave, (why do you people just stand there? get out!!) and so i will scream for up to ten minutes at a time. I had two three hour shifts, and i couldn’t do it the second day because my voice was long gone and still is.

My friend, who is a professional screamer, told me the same cords you use to make a croaking sound should be the ones you scream with, because you almost never use them, so if it gets strained you simply talk a little higher than normal. wish she would have told me sooner…
TRISHA

voice has been gobe for 3 weeks, YES i said 3 weeks now. This happens every couple of months for the past 2 years. doctors say i am fine and I have finnaly gotten on the waiting list for a ENT. I think I have tryed everything. Any other suggestions ANYONE !!!! HELP
Lilly

I am freKimg out! For my drama class we did a story telling festival and I completely lost my voice! Today my drama teacher wants me to present my story to the clAss but whenever I try to talk it only comes out in a whisper. I am counting on your remedies to help me before fourth period………
Nina Cocoa Storm

My boyfriend is a doctor and I love giving him oral sex, since we’ve been dating I have given him fallacio about 3times a day for almost an hour each and I noticed that my voice gets raspy and weak since we’ve been dating. My throat is not soar and I have no other issues but stuffy nose sometimes my sinuses are congested but I spoke with him and he says that after I give him oral that I should always gargle with listerine or mouth wash and cough and spit to keep my throat clear of pre-cum…so honetly guys and girls…oral sex can also effect your throat especially for ladies, always wash, gargle and clear your throat after giving oral because it can cause a build up of mucus…trust me, I’m only trying to shine a light here that hasnt been lit yet. Enjoy ladies! *N*
Nina Cocoa Storm

Actually he is now my ex boyfriend but the same thing happens with my new boyfriend so ladies, giving oral can also effect your throat…it’s common sense, wash, gargle and spit to keep your throat clear of pre-cum which can cause a build up of mucus in your throat that can also contribute to losing your voice…, I’ve tried everything else, tea with honely/lemon, you name it…the best thing is to keep your throat clean for starters….

*N*
Me..

I had a really bad cold (still do kinda) and my voice is going! And I stupidly screamed and shouted around with my mates today at school, but I hardly spoke at home, and I drank hot tea with milk and I’m taking strepsils, (throat lozenges) and drinking a lot of water, and I gargeled salt with water right now before I go to sleep, I’m taking the day of school tomorrow, I’m not gonna talk at all and continue what I’m doing, will my voice be completely back by the day after tomorrow???
B.DIAMOND

I HAVE AN CONCERT SATURDAY AND I STARTED LOSING MY VOICE SO I STARTED DRINKING TEA WITH HONEY,WATER,7UP,SPRITE, AND EVEN HAD A TBS OF HONEY.I WOKE UP THE NEXT DAY I COULDN’T TALK AND I ONLY HAVE TWO DAYS FOR MY CONCERT I REALLY NEED MY VOICE BACK BESIDE’S MY THROAT REALLY HURTS AND I NEED SOME SERIOUS HELP
krystle

Ive been using stash lemon ginger tea with honey. You can also use the steam from the brewing tea, while your waiting for it. Plus it smells really good. Be not sure to not leave the bag in too long, it can make the tea too strong. Sleep and water also. Not cold but not hot. Avoid soda, smoking. Etc. milk irritates mine also. Gives it a flemmy gross fealing. But everyone is different.
Jasmine

Hey guys.. thank God i found this site..
I lost my voice 3days from ago.. and until now, I still don’t have my voice.. I’m a call center agent and I’ve been talking for 8hrs a day.. My doctor prescribed me some meds like corticosteroids, antibiotics, and anti-histamine.. also gargling bactidol.. but I’m not so sure about those meds.. I also tried gargling salty lukewarm water and drinking honey with water but it doesn’t seem to help.. I just want my voice back.. I’ve missed a lot of working days.. Seriously, I need the best remedy.. =( But thanks for the tips.
jay

WELL ITS THANKSGIVEN AND I CANT SPEAK I HAVE BEEN WITH OUT MY VOICE FOR 2 WEEKS AND I HAVE TRIED SOME OF EVERYTHING BUT NOW ALL I CAN DO IS WAITE ON THE LORD TO HEAL ME OF THIS LOST VOICE BUT I AM DRINKING TEA AND SUCKING ON HALL AND OTHER DROPS THEY SEEM TO WORK A LITTLE I THINK YOU JUST HAVE TO NOT BE STRESSED AND TAKE TIME TO HEAL BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER IS TO TRY NOT TO SPEAK AT ALL TILL YOU FEEL YOUR VOICE HAS RETURNED
RALPH

THE BEST THING I HAVE HEARD OF IS THAT YOU GARGLE YOUR MOUTH WITH SALT AND WARM WATER IT SHOULD HELP AFTER A FEW DAYS.
Caroline Thomas

I have currently lost my voice for 4 weeks now :/ every time I get a cough it goes straight away and lasts for weeks.
Anyway I notice noone else has mentioned the throat pastilles I use which are a bit of a miracle cure so here you go – Voclazones.
They are pretty good so check them out
Caroline Thomas

I meant Vocalzones!
Maiya

Heyy!! I’m a singer and besides warm liquids,i actually think massaging my throat helps the best!! like,make your voice deep so it vibrates and massage your throat,and work your voice up to as high as u can gradually,and go back to that low vibrating pitch. It actually does help! i was on this website cuz my voice went away and i couldnt sing but since i did that vibrating thing again,it worked (: back to my singing!! lol. Good luck to u guys
Amoh

try to in hail more air, that is intentionality breath in air and keep drinking water around you any time there is cold…
Amy

This is my first time experiencing a lost voice and I cleared my throat, DO NOT TRY TO CLEAR YOUR THROAT !!! It hurts and makes it even worse! And do not talk much, either. Unless you absolutely have to (like talking to the doctor, or maybe you could bring someone else with you that can talk for you)

I also reccomend taking a hot shower, inhaling the moist air.
Rooney

Guyz i’m facing de prob of cough in my throat from lat weak could anybody hlp me plz:(
FroGGy

Stick a pot of water on to boil wait for it to boil and then just tie your hair up or brush it aside(Steam can make your hair brittle if you expose it to too much.
Now stick your head in or as close to the pot as you possibly can and breathe in and out for a few minutes.
Then take a break so you can drink some slightly colder than room tempature water,drink about 3 cups of it and then go back to inhak=ling steam for a little while.
Im About to try this cause im going to the skate park today and i cant risk it getting worse by excercising.

Hope this helps!
Steam+Lost voice=
FroGGy
sonia

NEVER EVER GARGLE WITH SALT WATER COZ IT FURTHER DRIES THE LARYNX……..DRINK ORANGE /MOSAMI/PINEAPPLE JUICE AND INCREASE YOUR FLUID INTAKE .TEA SHOULD BE AVOIDED .OVERUSE OF GINGER AND HONEY SHOULD BE AVOIDED.
Dezy

My head got stopped up sunday Wednesday Night I lost my voice and I really need it back i have been told to whisper not try to talk. My nose is also stopped up. I want my voice back for Christmas . Can anyone help me? Or at least tell me what’s going on….mizzymaniac@yahoo.com. Please email me if you can help.
Connor Alyse

Help please!
I got a sinus infection about a week ago(annual thing or me) and have been on some strong meds for it since tuesday. Usually everything clears up after only two or three days of taking the medicine, however now I’ve got a sore throat and am starting to lose my voice. I’m looking for the healthiest and quickest way to get it back.

I have my first college audition in a week (Belmont!) and I currently can’t practice at all.

What I’m looking for is just a list of the best types and/or brand names of teas and other hot drinks to get. I’ve Been on voice rest for two days now and have been drinking lots of water. Please help me!

http://www.northaikencog.com/ jimmyp45679

Honey, lemon, and vinegar mixed up. Take a tablespoon a few times a day…This is similar to a hot totsie but w/o the alcohol ) I hope it works!!

http://www.northaikencog.com/ jimmyp45679

Honey, lemon, and vinegar mixed up. Take a tablespoon a few times a day…This is similar to a hot totsie but w/o the alcohol ) I hope it works!!

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