Vocal nodules
are the dismal end result of magnificently thoughtless self-affliction. If some
singers treated their pets with as much casual neglect as they do their vocal
cords they'd be behind bars.
Even
a healthy voice will rebel if you strain it by over-singing. Tired vocal cords
become irritated and swollen. As you continue the abuse they lose their
elasticity and may refuse to press together to produce a clean sound.
If
you find yourself hoarse at the end of a long show, (or worse) you feel
you constantly need to clear your throat, or (this is the worst!) you are on the waiting list for an opening in
surgery to remove vocal nodules, it’s possible you are a Victim of Vocal Abuse.
Straining
your voice can lead to a condition called vocal nodules, or “throat nodes” -- a
serious problem, and one that plagues many fine singers like Keith Urban and
Adele for example. Throat nodes form like calluses. They’re a protective layer
of compacted, dead skin cells, caused by repeated friction and pressure --
something like the calluses you would get on your hands if you worked too long
with a shovel in the garden.
When
you use a shovel, after a while your hands build up a layer of calluses to
protect themselves from the friction. As long as you keep shoveling, the
calluses will keep building and they don’t begin to fade until you stop. Vocal
cords develop calluses in much the same way.
When
strain or friction irritate your throat, the first thing your body does is send
down a bit of mucous to lubricate it. That's why people feel they have to clear
their throats when they yell. It's like the body says, "Okay, I hurt,
so let's try a protective salve here." After a while, if you keep
straining your voice and clearing your throat, the body seems to say, “Okay,
I guess that’s not working. Let’s build a callus to protect this area."
The
problem now is this; the callus gets in the way and prevents your vocal cords
from fitting together cleanly. Your voice begins to sound hoarse and
unpredictable. You’re probably headed for throat nodes.
Clearing
your throat can actually contribute to vocal nodules because it puts a double
burden on your vocal cords. First, it wipes away your throat’s initial defense
mechanism, the lubricating fluid your body responds with. And then, the
pressure you apply to your cords to clear them, irritates and causes them to
swell. If you feel you must clear, please be gentle.
As
with calluses, throat nodes will shrink and go away, but complete vocal rest
over an extended period of time is required. Some people choose instead to have
them surgically removed. However, if you don’t correct the source of the
problem -- the abuse that put them there in the first place -- they’ll simply
re-form. Then you have to deal with the issue of scar tissue from the surgery
as well.
Click here to read part 2 Throat Nodes: How to Avoid Them
Nashville
vocal coach Renee Grant-Williams reveals the trade secrets that have already
helped hundreds of aspiring singers become celebrities: Tim McGraw, Martina
McBride, Dixie Chicks, Miley Cyrus, Huey Lewis, Kenny Chesney, Faith Hill,
Jason Aldean, Christina Aguilera...
Like
me on Facebook
at or follow me on Twitter @MyVoiceCoach. My blog can be found at MyVoiceCoachBlog.com.
Go
to CyberVoiceStudio.com and
sign up to receive my free weekly Video Voice Lessons.
No comments:
Post a Comment