Yelling, screaming, and shouting can strain your voice and lead to damage. Now a new study shows that if you frequent sports events you are more likely to experience voice problems such as hoarseness, laryngitis, or vocal cord cysts. It should also be noted that attending such events often enough can also cause hearing loss. So does this mean you have to give up your favorite pass time? Not necessarily, there are a few things you can do to lower the risk of voice damage such as drinking plenty of water, and keeping your voice down, (the temptation to yell when your favorite player scores a touchdown is great but lets face it, your voice is lost in the crowd anyway). And remember, the more events you attend the more likely you are to develop problems.
You should also know that voice problems are common to people in certain professions, these include: teachers, singers, public speakers, clergy and just basically anyone who uses their voice a lot in their occupation. Racheal Ray developed a vocal cord cyst most likely as a result of her profession and after having it surgically removed had to take voice lessons. It's best to use a microphone so you don't have to strain your voice. Smoking can also damage your voice.
With World Voice Day coming up on April 16th it's a perfect time to review signs and symptoms of voice problems. These include: hoarseness, pain or discomfort when speaking, ear pain, throat pain, pain while swallowing, or a change in the pitch or loudness of your voice. If these symptoms occur and last more than a day or so after resting your voice it's best to see a doctor. Basically, as this years theme for World Voice Day says, love your voice!
Stay Up To Date: Subscribe to my free newsletter
and follow me on Twitter or Facebook.
Have Questions? Find out answers to your specific questions on my forum and get support from others.
