<p>D is playing Dolly in her final school musical, came home saying a cold is coming on. Now she's Googling tons of potentially crazy remedies! Can you fine people help with some sure fire tips to keep her voice as ready as can be?</p>
<p>Steam, steam steam! Sleep, sleep, sleep! Go to a health food or Whole Market type store and get throat spray “Singer’s Saving Grace (non alcoholic)” and use it throughout the production. At the same store, ask if they have a “Yin Chao” formulation; herbal mix that really does make colds disappear faster! Take 6 of those 4 times a day ASAP for 1 day, than 5 four times a day the next 2 days. At the drugstore get Cold-eze zinc tablets and suck on one every 2 hours until cold is gone. Also, at the drugstore get regular (not DM) Mucinex and use it as directed to safely get rid of mucous. Also, if she can use a neti pot (in the shower with prepackaged saline mixes you can get at the drugstore,) that will help keep things ‘running’. Good luck!</p>
<p>I second the neti pot. and the zinc tabs.</p>
<p>if it gets full blown, my son used to swallow glycerine if he had a really raspy throat. grosses me out. any thoughts on that one?</p>
<p>As an alternative to a neti pot, there are also plastic “pods” of sterile saline you can use the same way. It’s a great idea to do it in the shower, Christie2, I never thought of that one! My doctor recommended the sterile saline, and she’s not at all an alternative kind of MD, and I’ve found it helps a whole lot.</p>
<p>You should also make your daughter a nice sign on an index card saying that she can’t talk. Not using her voice for anything except the show can make a big difference, I have read. (Patti LuPone never spoke on show days when she was starring in “Evita”!) But no whispering, apparently whispering is worse. She can use a pad of paper and be a total diva!</p>
<p>I also advocate the neti pot or if she can’t do that then a lot of nasal saline spray…we also found that a TBS of organic (raw) apple cider vinegar and a lot of raw honey in a “tea” helps TREMENDOUSLY. Sounds like hokum but I am here to tell you that it works. A little hard to get down, but a lot of honey helps!</p>
<p>As much rest as possible, and a humidifier at night. Good luck!</p>
<p>Zicam or Cold-Eze. Follow the directions/ Tastes awful, but it WORKS if you catch it early enough!</p>
<p>Send a PM to CoachC.</p>
<p>Most of these remedies, sadly, don’t actually do much. She should try to keep hydrated, get as much sleep as possible, and treat the symptoms with ibuprofen or naproxen.</p>
<p>And she might have to go for more of a Carol Channing vibe than she planned.</p>
<p>When I was 16, I got sick and nearly lost my voice opening night of our big school play. My drama teacher made me a hot toddy, liquor and all. It was the first drink I ever had and I sailed through the performance. I suppose that’s frowned on nowadays…</p>
<p>Emergen-C is the best stuff out there. Drink it 3 times a day. The orange flavor is actually very tasty. It is best to use to avoid a cold, but I have found it can get me through the cold much faster. That and flushing the sinuses, as noted above.</p>
<p>Large doses of vitamin C do not prevent colds, or lessen their severity. They may shorten their duration by an average of half a day or so, which might make it worth trying.</p>
<p>There is a product called Alkalol (non-prescription but behind pharmacist counter) that can be used for gargling and nasal rinse that my S has used. It is a bit strong and I don’t know that it is any better than a saline gargle and rinse, but I know of others who swear by it. If out of stock, a pharmacist can order it for you. I just noticed that you can also order on Amazon.</p>
<p>Gwen, that’s really funny. My grandmother’s answer to whatever ails ya was “tea with whiskey.” </p>
<p>The Carol Channing vibe isn’t such a bad thing, right? Just so she doesn’t end up with the Harvey Fierstein as Dolly vibe. I hope she feels better!</p>
<p>See if you can find an ENT with experience in arts medicine (yes, this exists!). We have a practice dedicated to this very problem in New Orleans, all the singers go there when we get ill before or during a show. If appropriate, he can give her a B12 shot and maybe a steroid shot to keep things moving along. It’s worked for me!</p>
<p>Also, as much VOCAL REST as possible if she’s starting to sound hoarse. Only essential talking and continued EASY humming (descending lip bubbles/trills are great) to keep her air moving. NOT holding back/talking softly - either TOTAL VOCAL REST or breath-driven, normal-volume talking. :)</p>
<p>IMPORTANT FOR ALL CCers READING THIS:
Vocal rest is NOT NOT NOT the answer for all hoarseness! I am talking specifically about resting when you know you are sick, b/c hoarseness is a “normal” part of having a cold. However, if you are hoarse and NOT sick, or sick and hoarse for more than 3 weeks, get yourself to a laryngologist ASAP and see what’s going on with your vocal folds! </p>
<p>Also, if your D is coughing, get cough suppressant RIGHT AWAY! Yes, these are drying, but repetitive, strong coughing is extremely rough on vocal folds, so stop the cough and steam/up water intake to make up for the drying effect of the cough suppressant.</p>
<p>Steroids may be an option if her vocal folds are swollen - again, this is NOT a solution for chronic hoarseness, but it is helpful for swelling caused by illness. HOWEVER, steroids often make people extremely anxious/jittery - so beware of that.</p>