Weird Ways You Can Damage Your Vocal Cords

Do you have a sore throat after a long day of speeches or karaoke? Do you wake up with a hoarse voice after yelling at a ball game or concert all night long? and can damage the vocal cords.

Occasional vocal cord injuries usually heal on their own. However, chronic overuse or abuse of the voice risks permanent damage.

What Causes Vocal Cord Injury?

As you can imagine, screaming too much is bad for your vocal cords. Chronic screaming, like too many rock concerts or the frustration of wanting a healthier ending, can strain your vocal cords and damage them over time.

Lesser-known causes of vocal cord injuries include:

• Smoking

 "Smoking can increase the risk of laryngeal cancer," Milstein said. "The combination of tobacco and alcohol may increase that risk.

• The singing voice is too loud, or the technique is insufficient

"People try to imitate what they see on shows like American His Idol and The Voice," says Dr. Milstein. "But trying to sound those notes without knowing how to do it safely can damage your voice."

• Uncontrolled acid reflux

 Many people don't realize that uncontrolled chronic acid reflux can affect the vocal cords over time. Call out when you have a cold or bronchitis. If you have a medical condition that affects your voice, give your vocal cords a rest. Avoid excessive exercise during recovery.

Vocal cord injuries that these activities cause include:

• Rupture of vocal cord lining and subsequent bleeding.
• Nodules (callus-like growths).
• Fibrosis (thickening of the vocal fold lining)
• Polyps or cysts (fluid collecting in sac-like bumps).

How to protect your voice

If your voice is tired after a long day of talking or teaching (or you’re feeling the burn after a night of karaoke), try these tips:

• Give your voice a rest - If you need to speak, speak quietly and only briefly.
• Drink plenty of fluids -“Anything that’s soothing is fine,” says Dr. Milstein, whether that’s a cup of hot herbal tea or cooling water.
• Avoid alcohol and caffeine - These can dehydrate your vocal cords.
• Avoid the offending activity -If your voice problems are becoming chronic, the best way to avoid damage is to stop doing what you’ve been doing.