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I had a cold about a week ago. I haven't had any apparent symptoms for at least five days and I figured I was over it. Then yesterday I tried to sing. I was awful. My range is completely shot; I can't hit even modestly high notes, especially when I sing my normal volume (doing it really softly helps me hit the notes, but it's not a natural volume and I couldn't perform that way). My throat got really scratchy and dry really fast, and after a few songs I had to clear my throat repeatedly just to get my normal speaking voice back.

When should I expect my old singing voice to return? Anybody had a similar experience?

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Reward: nine yen in drawer.

Depending on how you treated the cold & how severe it was, it could take up to a month to fully recover. Once you start feeling better you can start doig some songs that will loosen up your chords, but not strain them. Eventually the range comes back.

At least for me anyway.

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ok... I know I'm gonna sound like Gramma now but seriously. I get sick ALL the time..... pretty weak immune system I guess.... and I find good ol' chicken noodle soup works... I'm tellin' ya! Or tea. I'm a huge fan of tea. Guess u could call me a tea bag! ! anyways.... I think it has something to do with the warmth. Soothes the vocal chords. AND! Ever hear of "Alpine" gum? it's supposed to be a type of lozenge gum... I tell ya that stuff works like a CHARM!! 'Specially if ya got the kind of phlegm-rattling cough that just won't cough out?? (You know what I'm talkin about) I swear by these 3 things! Give it a try......

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I'll go with lonman on this one. I've had it take almost 2 months to get my voice back. That was a pretty extreme example, but it does happen. Just go easy for a little while. If you feel yourself straining, stop. That will only make it worse. The other thing I would say is try to stay away from any unnecessary talking as well. Just like any other injury the best thing to do is let it rest. If you sprain your ankle, you don't walk on it. Same thing. My wife loves it when i get a cold because I'll actually shut up for a few days. Hope you feel better.

WATER WATER WATER and more WATER. REST. Hot tea, lemon and honey.If your a metal singer try rock. If your a rock singer try mellow rock and if you sing country well thats just to bad...... BUTT seriously if you have to sing and your voice is wacked you need to ease up. As a vocalist and paid entertainer I need to be prepared for those times. I actually have a whole set list which I call my sick list. You would never know how bad my vox was. Of course I wont be hitting any high C's but I can pull off a gig and THAT is the name of the game.

I would have to agree with both Lonman and Crystal


We just took over karaoke for a bar that is extremly smoke and my throat was hurting, I was coughing and I thought it was the smoke was to blame. We bought some tea to help. Boy it did, but I soon realized that It wasn't the smoke but I had been sick earlier in the month.

For me it was close to a month for me to get better.

Yup- water, water, water, and maybe then try some water.

And if you're about to sing..... eat a whole lemon. ALL of it. I can't tolerate smoke in a bar, I get choked up time the night is over. But I've found if I have lemons at the table constantly it does help.

(this is gonna sound gross....) If you are at the point where you are actually able to hack up stuff- sing. People will say not to, "it'll damage your vocal chords", but no it wont. I have this straight from a doc who was a singer. He actually told me when I started loosening up, to crank my radio & SING- he didn't know I liked to sing, so it started a big discussion. You only go hoarse (when sick) from flem surrounding & attaching itself to your vocal chords. Waddya do when it's in your nose- you blow it out. Same as in vocal chords...... singing "vibrates" your vocal chords, helping to loosen the flem. But- like they said- NEVER strain it when your voice aint up to par, cause that's straining muscles that may never repair.

Now I gotta go spit or something- how gross is talking about flem.

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One of the things that really works for me if my throat is coated or if I have sinus congestion is Fishermen's Friend". I get them at Wally World in the pharmacy area where cough drops are sold. I used them often when I was a smoker....

Susie

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Water is great, but stay away from the tea, coffee & coke. Experts say that the cafene constricts the vocal cords. Chloraseptic helps a bunch. But if you over do the singing too soon, you will delay the healing.

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Thanks everybody. Guess I'll just have to wait and hope for the best. Trying to give up caffeinated beverages would be a lost cause, and I'm not eating a lemon or my face might pucker itself out of existence.

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Reward: nine yen in drawer.

Yep, Chloraseptic is great stuff, but be careful with it... it numbs the throat so well you can't tell the damage you're doing while you're singing!!!