<p>So D is in a show with a cold during tech week. This is not a crises and I expect a couple of days of hoarseness and she'll be fine by opening night but some of the older people in the cast are suggesting she try vocal steroids. I told her to stop coughing and she's trying but there's a bunch of coughing. We almost did this once before in a similar situation but it wasn't necessary and my impulse is always to avoid anything druggie if possible. So my question is how common is this with singers? Do you just go to a doctor and ask for them? Any concerns? She has a friend who apparently takes them all the time. What? Is it only for when you're sick? And what exactly do they do take down swelling? Or what? Thanks so much!</p>
<p>This is definitely something CoachC can answer! If you don’t hear from her soon (she is now a vocal therapist for a Broadway show so not on here as much) find one of her posts and private message her!</p>
<p>You may find this article from an MD certified in otolaryngology and laryngology interesting:</p>
<p>[Effects</a> of Steroids on Singers & the Voice](<a href=“http://www.ohniww.org/singers-and-steroids-voice-effects/]Effects”>Effects of Steroids on Singers & the Voice)</p>
<p>If you do a google search, you will find several/many articles on the subject, either by laryngologists or quoting them. They all advise caution when considering the use of steriods to solve vocal swelling.</p>
<p>I tried to PM you but you don’t have that option. Spoke with two friends who are professional singers. They both caution the use of steroids and say they should only be used if all other methods have failed. If she does use them she needs to be very careful and not belt. The injury is still there and can cause more damage. They said it’s like playing sports on heavy pain meds. You run the risk of harming the chords more.</p>
<p>Uneducated singers (even at the Bway level) often think steroids are the answer when you are sick. Different top laryngologists have different philosophies about this, but in my experience most top laryngologists will prescribe steroids only when a singer is acutely ill and has an important performance coming up. Dr. Gupta’s article is great and accurate - I know her as a physician and I’m not surprised. 
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<p>You’ll always find people, including physicians, who recommend steroids as “the answer”, but like Dr. Gupta says, they are not a magic pill, and if a singer has never taken them, she can have unexpected effects like feeling hyper. </p>
<p>For a cold with cough, steroids are likely not needed, but COUGH SUPPRESSANT definitely is!! Singers often avoid it b/c they are concerned about its drying effects, but coughing is extremely hard on vocal folds and drying can be mediated with upping water intake and steaming.</p>
<p>Just saw bisouu’s post above and need to correct 2 things:</p>
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<li><p>swelling from illness isn’t a vocal injury - edema, or generalized swelling is the reason steroids SHOULD be used, with caution and with knowledgeable and well-informed singers, not the localized swelling that comes from a vocal injury</p></li>
<li><p>it’s not true that belting should be avoided with steroids. ALL loud singing needs to be done with caution, whether it be belt or legit, when a singer has swollen vocal folds - but caution means really excellent vocal technique focusing on strong breath release (not too much air but really vigorously released air) and not holding back. Saying “don’t belt” often makes all but the most skilled singers sing with discoordinated technique.</p></li>
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