How Covid can affect the singing voice and what you can do about it
/Covid-19 has a wide range of symptoms and not everyone will experience vocal problems, but what happens if you do? Vocal Health First Aider Emily Garsin reflects on some ways we can look after our vocal health during the pandemic.
Please note: if you are experiencing severe pain or discomfort with your speaking or sung voice, your vocal issues persist 6-8 weeks after an infection with Covid-19 (or other illness), or if you are concerned about your breathing or pain, you should consult your GP. You may need to be referred to an Ear, Nose and Throat specialist for investigation and treatment.
Why does Covid-19 affect the spoken and singing voice?
The Covid-19 virus can impact many parts of the body, including your vocal tract and respiratory system.
Your vocal folds sit in the larynx (commonly known as the voice box) and can become inflamed by an infection or irritation. Covid can have a negative impact in a number of ways. For example, the coughing often associated with the Covid-19 virus is hard work on the vocal folds, causing swelling and inflammation that can exacerbate vocal issues. Alongside this, problems such as a sore throat and hoarse voice can come as part of the virus, again increasing strain on the larynx and threatening vocal fold health. As a consequence, resulting issues such as cysts and scarring can greatly affect our vocal production.
Swollen and inflamed vocal folds will not be able to come together as smoothly as they would under healthy conditions. As a result they become stiff and rigid and unable to vibrate freely, leading to a strained, deeper-than-usual or ‘husky’ sound.
Alongside this, Covid can have a lasting impact on our respiratory system, with breathlessness an infamous symptom. This can have an impact on the way we approach singing and speaking, and affect the way we support and fuel the sounds we make.
All of these factors can lead to issues in singers such as vocal fatigue, range issues and discomfort. This makes speaking and singing hard work, painful and - potentially - the cause of long term damage.
What can I do about it?
As with any vocal issue, the priority is to take care of the problem, not make the problem worse. Put in place some healthy habits, and avoid things that can cause more damage.
Things that may help:
Hydration! Drink lots of fluids, ideally water! Warm water can be soothing. Avoid caffeine and alcohol which can be drying on your vocal folds!
Steaming! Gently steam with hot water (no need to add anything else) to hydrate the vocal folds at source. The water shouldn’t be so hot it makes you cough.
Rest! Your body needs lots of sleep and rest to recover. Don’t overdo it and grab some early nights!
Aim to use your ‘normal’ voice whenever possible. Avoid overusing your voice when speaking in loud situations (such as over music), over background noise, during loud conversations, or raising your voice in public.
The same goes for avoiding whispering, as this can put even more strain on the vocal folds than shouting!
Rest your voice when it feels tired! This may mean pulling back from situations demanding heavy voice use, including loud social occasions!
Emotions count! Our voice is intimately connected to our emotions. The experience of being unwell with Covid-19 can affect our mental health as well as our bodies, which has a knock on effect to our voice. Take time to relax and acknowledge the stresses we experience. Try meditation, extra rest, or however you like to reboot!
You may choose to avoid singing or shouting until your voice has returned to normal. A reminder to seek medical help should symptoms be severe, or persist.
All the best for your recovery and getting back to singing in full health!
How has Covid-19 affected your voice? Is there anything that has helped? Share it below!
