Voice problems? How to Take care

Well, I am an orthopedic surgeon and usually write on topics related to my subject! Then why write on something not related to my subject. Read on??

I recently had a problem where my voice just disappeared on fine morning. As you all know doctors are worst kind of patients so as usual I panicked and ran to my colleague who specializes in ?Voice? only. Mind you being in a city like Mumbai these superspecialities are available. Well my colleague is basically an ENT surgeon but now strictly treats voice disorders! I had to swallow some liquids to anesthetize my throat and in went a big tube i.e. Laryngoscope to visualize my vocal cords. I was diagnosed to have a bleed in the right vocal cord. I was advised strict voice rest for a week! I had to cancel al my appointments..Not something pleasant for my secretary?.aare doctor bimaar pad gaya (patients do not think a doctor can contract a disease).

Frustrated of being home most of the times apart from my surgical duties and a ward round with my assistant deciphering my written instructions. I did some study.

This article is about what I found. Voice specialists are very few. Nobody trains guys like me to use their voice properly. Did you guys know that there are vocal warm ups and cool downs as exercises for people like teachers, singers, call centre employees? So without raving about my problems here are some tips. All those who regularly use their voice in their profession here are the guidelines.

1. Drink plenty of water just keep sipping all throughout the day. Reason the vocal cords are well hydrated and thus protected from abuse.

2. Avoid talking in a hushed voice (A scientific paper I found suggested that voice problems are commoner in women because they talk in a hushed tone at the workplace?termed gossiping!)

3. Avoid smoking

4. If you drink alcohol make sure you rehydrate yourself. Since alcohol cause dehydration. Formula for 1 glass of beer 2 glasses of water.

5. Do not shout

6. Avoid talking at places with high background noise e.g. rail station.

7. Do not grunt while exercising. Formula Exhale when you exert in the Gymnasium. I found this very useful. I was barred from going to the gym for 15 days apart from my aerobic exercises.

8. Anxiety increases vocal cord tension and therefore relaxation exercises are useful.

9. Giving out the biggest yawn is a very good exercise! True.

10. At the first hint of hoarseness stop using your voice.

11. Use sms function on the phone more often. For every call I started to send a return sms saying ?I am not well sms your query if urgent?. Lo behold 99% were my patients asking trivial things and could easily be sorted out by smsing.

12. Corollary. Use your cell phone sparingly.

13. Avoid too much caffeine i.e. reduce your tea and coffee intake.

14. I realized that we talk a lot unnecessarily and abuse our voice.

15. I am going for a speech therapy session now and found it was a field which was ignored by a lot of young students.