Boston
Singers' Resource News Bulletin, September
13, 2006
Home and Over
the Counter Remedies for Singers
By Susan Larson
Is there anybody in the New England singer pool who isn’t a martyr
to sinus congestion these days? Anybody who is safe from reflux? Who
does not live in fear of the dread six-week cold/flu? The debilitating
effects of a too-frantic schedule? I thought not.
Medical science has provided us with all sorts of nifty recourses when
our health situations get out of hand– antibiotics, systemic and
topical steroids, decongestants, bronchodilators antihistamines, therapies,
surgeries. All of these fabulous items have their side effects of course,
and many of them can’t be used long-term. On the other other hand,for
maintaining one’s health and guarding against illness there are
several humble remedies that every singer should keep in his/her medicine
cabinet.
Saline Nasal Lavage. Irrigating your nose with a strong salt water solution
buffered with some baking soda will sweep allergens and caked mucus
out of your nasal passages and encourage proper draining of your sinuses.
You can administer this with a nasal syringe (60cc, looks big enough
to impregnate a herd of Holsteins) or a Neti Pot. This procedure can
help alleviate chronic sinus congestion in my experience.
Hot Pepper Juice. I am not kidding. This product, sold under the name
Sinus Buster, was recommended to me by a medical doctor, with the caveat
that it might be bogus. It worked for me and for several singers to
whom I have given the tip. SinusBuster is a nasal spray of about 5%
capsaicin, the stuff that makes jalapeno peppers hot. It’s a natural
decongestant with none of the horrific side effects of Afrin or Neo-Synephrine,
and has been used by migraine and cluster-headache suffers as well as
people with allergies and sinus issues. The spray still packs a tingle,
sort of like inhaling Ginger Ale. You can buy it online from SiCap Company.
Zinc. For Colds. Brand names Cold Eeze or ZiCam, Active ingredient zinc
gluconate, or ‘zincum gluconicum’ (the homeopathic handle).
Comes in the form pills, nose gel, mouth spray, swabs, etc. The stuff
will not stop or cure, but will weaken your cold and shorten its duration.
The stuff works!
Water. Hydration is key, both in your body and in the air. In the winter
months, maintain your indoor humidity at 40-45 percent, and your interior
humidity such that you pee pale. Prevents colds, dry chapped lips and
dry chapped vocal folds, and keeps every other system in your body in
working order.
Biting your tongue. Onstage you can gently but firmly bit your tongue
if your mouth has gone dry. In a few seconds you will salivate like
mad. Do not bear down hard, please.
Air. A HEPA or Ionic breeze filter in your bedroom will clean out the
dust, pollen, animal danders and other irritants/allergens. But not
the dust mites. To keep them from taking over your boudoir (I’m
not kidding– an old un-washed pillow can contain 10% of its weight
in dust mites. Eww.) Putting mite-proof covers on your bed and pillows
and washing your bedding in very hot water once a week will keep the
mite population in check.
Antacids. If you’re singing with flow phonation your abs are busy,
and you’re going to pump up stomach acid and get reflux. A voice
therapist told me it would be a good idea habitually to pop an antacid
right before practice or performance– should help minimize the
reflux.
Sleep. Really truly the most restorative thing a singer can do. A good’
night’s sleep, a nap on performance days keeps the bloom on the
mechanism.
Silence. Inhibit talking on planes trains and in noisy restaurants.
You’re yelling over big noise without realizing it. Get off the
phone and send an AIM or email. Shut up after a strenuous performance,
go home and get some nice sleep.
This Just In. If you have asthma and must use a bronchodilator, inhale
it through a SPACE, available at your doctor’s. This prevents the
Albuterol or whatever you are inhaling from binding to your mouth and
giving you a bad case of the shakes. You will not tremble if you use
the spacer. Thanks to Lynne B. Markinak, N.P., Harvard Vanguard Medical
Assoiates.
Need I say don’t do Drugs? Alcohol in excess? Surely you aren’t
smoking! Anyway, good health and good singing to all, sus
*****
Susan Larson,
soprano, is also a former music critic for the Boston Globe and a voice
teacher in the Boston area.
For more information about Susan and to contact her, please visit her
website at: http://www.susanlarson.net/