<p>Hi CoachC-we went to Walmart to get Mucinex for my D, she is constantly clearing her throat. I have shared with her all the infor I have learned on the thread about the dangers of this habit. But we found there are different kinds of Mucinex, DM and another one (can't remember the exact name of it). Which do you suggest?</p>
<p>You want the one which only has guaifenesin in it, which is the expectorant which thins the mucous. DM and PE designate the presence of decongestants and/or cough suppressants. There is a much cheaper version of guaifenesin available through Costco, comes in two packs of 220 pills each, but it is not in a time release formula. The price is so much less, it is worth taking it more often! I find it to be more effective because the results are more immediate. Good luck.</p>
<p>What if you don't have a Costco in your area, any other stores carry this?</p>
<p>why is clearing your throat often a bad habit?</p>
<p>I have been told by some of the smartest in the biz (the coaches on the board), that clearing the vocal cords causes them to rub together and eventually could lead to nodules or lesions.</p>
<p>Nodules are basically callouses, which start soft, but can harden. They happen when there is inadequate lubrication and/or bad habits of onset of the tone. Acid reflux can cause the problem, too. Coughing and throat clearing smack the cords at each other or explode them apart, and if they are not lubricated, i.e. the mucous is not thin and slippery, there will be damage. It is not an issue of too much mucous causing the need to clear the throat, but rather that the mucous is too thick. Nodules are healable, but it takes time and discipline, and normal vocal usage is not effective during the recovery and treatment time. Overuse is another problem and cause, and the general thinking is that overuse is misuse, no matter the healthy approach. I would advise a singer to limit actual singing time to no more than 45 minutes at a time, with at least two hours between sessions, and this can be repeated through the day. Marathon practice sessions, whether alone in the practice room or in extended ensemble rehearsals, cause engorgement of the vocal folds which then require more breath and pressure to produce tone. It becomes a vicious circle and bad habits are developed. Singers tend to be social creatures, but they must learn to protect their assets!</p>
<p>Oh my, I'm so glad I found this thread. I actually have a question to ask.</p>
<p>A few weeks ago, I overused my voice and damaged it. I stopped singing completely, and only talked when I had to. Now, I've started to talk and sing again, but I find that my voice starts to hurt after talking for only 10 mins, and I have to use more force to sing on pitch.</p>
<p>My parents figured the damage wasn't important enough to have to go see a voice doctor (and they really don't care, anyways) so I was wondering if anyone had the same experience, or know what happened to my voice, and if there were any remedies for it?</p>
<p>serfy - </p>
<p>You need to see a doctor. Any hoarseness or pain with voice use is NOT normal, esp. after such a short duration (10 min). I would be glad to speak with your parents from a medical perspective if you pm me. You say that you "damaged" your voice - and depending on that nature of that damage, you may need medical intervention, esp. if your vocal quality changed suddenly. GOOD FOR YOU for your self-imposed vocal rest - you have a good protective instinct about your voice. But NO ONE - not even a physician - can know what happened to your voice w/o looking at your vocal folds, so any advice you get is simply "maybe" going to help - and maybe going to hurt your voice further!! Bottom line - your vocal folds must be examined. You only have one voice and while it's resilient, it's fragile!</p>
<p>bestshot - </p>
<p>I don't know a great deal about endoscopy for GI issues, only nasendoscopy (which is one way of looking at the vocal folds but which stops above the level of the vf and therefore doesn't compromise them). As usual, I will ask the docs when I work on Monday - who, btw, have started to read this thread and enjoy passing along info for me to post! :)</p>
<p>CoachC</p>
<p>Well, I told my parents about the pain, and they didn't want to take me to a doctor because 1) they don't care about my voice, as long as I can talk and 2) they don't know any doctors who work near where we live. Actually, they don't want me to have anything to do with singing or musical theatre...it's a very complicated situation.</p>
<p>I'm sorry to hear that serfy. :( Let me know if I can be of any help - and there may be a good laryngologist in your area - this list may help:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.gbmc.org/voice/national.cfm%5B/url%5D">http://www.gbmc.org/voice/national.cfm</a></p>
<p>Oh, thank you so much, CoachC! There is a laryngologist only twenty minutes away from where I live! I'll see if I can get my parents to let me go see her.</p>
<p>My D would wake up with the same symptoms and her voice teacher (after weeks of hearing her clearing her voice!) sent her to a top-notch laryngologist who specializes in singers. He determined that it was caused by STOMACH ACID and put her on Prilosec! It had amazing results! She also uses Singuair but has to be careful on how often she uses it as she then dries out TOO much... and, by the way, the old addage about apples seems to be true and that awful throat-cote (sp?) tea really works. as does the regular Musinex. She also got a letter from the MD permitting her to carry a water bottle with her in school at all times (her school is really strict) and she keep well hydrated, especially at times like this when things are beginnning to bloom and she has a show opening next weekend!</p>
<p>D's voice would disappear randomly. Just wake up with laryngitis. Finally took her to voice specialist after regular doctor and allergist did not cure and same thing diagnosed, silent reflux disease. Since they never experience heartburn they call it silent. She had some real damage to larynx and has been on Nexium for repair. Made a huge difference.</p>
<p>Glad that they found out what was wrong. My D had exactly the same thing, no heartburn symptoms so the regular Doc didn't pick up on it......</p>
<p>I am getting some Musinex for DD - she is starting to clear her throat a lot. I also think the Neilmed kit will help but aren't there a couple of different kits? There is a nasal one and sinus one? Which is recommended? Also I got some zinc lozenges for her and they are particularly foul tasting ones. I thought she was exagerrating but I tried one last night and it was really bad. Are there brands that are better tasting than others. I put it at the back of my tongue where there are fewer tastebuds but it was nauseating as it dissolved.</p>
<p>cartera you might try Zicam swabs, quick, easy to use and no taste, but does the same thing. I didn't know they had more than one Neilmed kits, I don't know which one my S got. Sorry.</p>
<p>Coldeeze lozengers for throat issues, Zicam swabs for nasal/sinus issues. Coldeeze also has some tablets you can dissolve in mouth. Lots of fluids. If your youngster has allergies, get rid of stuffed critters (and live ones) in the bed, put protective (mite and dust proof) covers on pillows and mattresses, dust everything good, and if hair has been out in the pollens, wash it before bedtime. It is the balance of exposure over more time which causes the most allergic reactions. Sleeping on a dusty pillow with pollen in the hair flopping on the face is a big NO NO!</p>
<p>Just returned from the drugstore with a ridiculous amount of stuff - the clerk probably thinks I have 5 sick kids. The last cold my daughter had went to bronchitis and she couldn't sing for weeks - so she is panicked it will happen again. I got the personal steamer, Zicam lozenges and swabs and Musinex. If I had read Lorelei's post before I shopped, I'm sure I'd have the Coldeeze too - something for the next trip. Now I have to wash all the bedding and dust too?? Isn't there a detergent designed to kill dust mites or is that a clever marketiing ploy?</p>
<p>The adage about apples?</p>