Hi and welcome back!
Do you have that feeling of mucus stuck in your throat and you have a hard time getting
rid of the pesky phlegm from your throat?
When there is too much mucus in your throat or the mucus gets too thick, it may be challenging
to sing.
Therefore, in this video, I am sharing 9 tips on how to deal with such mucus problems.
Some of these tips are easy and quick, some of them will require time and help of a
professional.
So, keep on watching to find out more.
Hi, I am Katarina from How 2 Improve Singing and this is a second video on the topic of
mucus problems and mucus management.
In the first video, I shared 7 most common reasons of mucus problems.
If you haven’t seen that video, you can click here to watch it.
If you know the reason of your mucus problem, then you can eliminate it.
In this video, I am going to discuss mucus management in more detail.
So, let’s start.
The first few tips are common sense and may seem very basic.
But singers often overlook them because of their simplicity.
I would encourage you to give these first few tips some consideration.
Tip #1 Stay Healthy Obvious, right?
But if you eat well, sleep well and exercise, your body and your voice will be thankful.
Your immune system will be strong enough to fight common infections, such as colds and
flu, which are the most usual causes of increased mucus production.
Tip #2 Stay Hydrated Hydrate well both internally and externally.
Another obvious tip, right?
But there are several factors that you should consider when setting a daily hydration goal.
These include gender, age, the level of activity, health, medication, climate and weather.
You may be familiar with a common recommendation of 8 cups of water a day.
But that may not be enough for you if you take specific medication or live in a hot
climate.
Also, consider external methods of hydration such as humidification and steaming.
For some singers, the external methods solve mucus problems for good.
Tip #3 Keep an Eye on Your Diet In my first video, I said that foods are rarely
the cause of increased mucus production.
However, you can become allergic or sensitive to some foods over your lifespan.
If you feel that some foods worsen your mucus symptoms, journal your dietary intake as well
as your symptoms.
You may be able to find a relationship between them.
Then, avoid the foods that worsen your symptoms.
However, I don’t recommend eliminating big food groups from your diet completely without
consulting a health care professional.
Tip #4 Check Your Medication for Side Effects If you take medication, either regularly or
occasionally, take the time to check for their side effects.
Sometimes, it may be the most common medication, such as painkillers or allergy medication
that may cause your mucus problems.
If you suspect that your meds are the cause of increased mucus production or thick mucus,
consult your doctor or pharmacist.
Never change your medication without proper consultation!
You may ask your doctor, if there is a different type of drug that you can take instead to
decrease the side effects.
Tip #5 Check for Symptoms of Acid Reflux Acid reflux is a backward flow of stomach
juices into the digestive tube and further into the larynx and throat.
Singers are prone to developing acid reflux.
The problem with some types of acid reflux is that they can go unnoticed for some time
and the only symptoms are increased mucus production or hoarseness.
So if you suspect acid reflux, consult your doctor rather earlier than later.
If you intervene early, simple behavioural changes can solve your mucus problems, such
as not eating before going to bed, elevating your head at nigh when sleeping and other
examples.
Tip #6 Evaluate Your Voice Use You may not like this suggestion but it is
Other solutions may include more frequent voice rests, decreased voice use, scheduled
vocal breaks in your daily routines, good breathing and vocal habits, the use of amplification
systems, improved vocal technique and many more.
Tip #7 Mucolytics Ask your doctor if you can take mucolytics.
Mucolytics are medication that may be helpful in loosening and thinning thick mucus.
Mucolytics bring relieve to many people.
But because this is a drug you need to consult a health care professional who knows you personally.
Tip #8 Practice Good Nasal Hygiene Our bodies produce a huge amount of mucus
every day.
A great part of this amount is produced in your nose.
Therefore, it is important to practice good nasal hygiene.
Keep your nose clean or use saline nasal sprays to loosen up mucus and prevent it from thickening.
Some singers use so called Neti pots, which is a device to clear your nasal passages.
You can use Neti pots on a regular basis or occasionally when suffering from allergies
or infections.
Tip #9 Do It Gently If you feel the urge to clear mucus from your
throat, do it gently or have a sip of water instead.
Sometimes, sipping water throughout the day, will keep things moving in your throat.
If your throat clearing is very hard and violent, try to change it into a gentler form.
So instead of this (throat clearing), you can try this (throat clearing).
Or try humming, which will shake off the mucus from your vocal folds.
Bonus Tip Consult a Health Care Professional If your mucus problem has been lasting for
a long time, then it’s time to contact a health professional.
There may be several contributing factors or some causes may be only recognized by a
trained specialist.
If your problem has been lasting for a very long time, the solution may not be easy or
quick.
There are health care professionals who actually specialize in mucus management but also ear-nose-throat
doctors or voice specialists may be helpful in finding some solutions for you.
Ok.
That is all for today.
I hope you found this video helpful.
If so, please hit the like button and subscribe to this channel.
Click the red subscribe button and the bell icon so that you get notified every time I
post a new video for singers.
Thank you for watching and I hope to see you soon in my other videos.
Happy mucus free singing!
Bye!