Hot or Cold?
Uh-oh. You’ve got throat pain; either from overuse or sickness. Should you drink hot tea? Or should you “ice” your vocal folds with something cold? VB is here to help you decide!
Side note: I'm not a medical professional, but I do speak from years of experience and research!Heat Therapy
Heat therapy expands blood vessels (vasodilation) which increases blood flow to an affected area. The higher temperatures –– which should be warm, not hot –– can relieve muscle pain, soothe inflamed TA fibers, and improve range of motion in the folds. This is better for you if you’re looking for long-range healing and don’t need immediate use of your voice. Need to sing today? Steer away from heat. It will swell the tissues in your throat even more.
Myth busted: Heat from beverages does not kill bacteria in the larynx. It’s simply not getting hot enough for long enough.
One negative to hot drinks is the danger of scald injury. Have you ever tried to drink hot tea and burnt your tongue or throat in the process? Yikes. Also, don’t drink hot coffee in an attempt to soothe your throat. It strips the cells of their moisture, which is counteractive to your goal!
Cold Therapy
On the contrary, cold tends to decrease blood flow to areas where it has been applied. This will return folds back to their normal shape quicker and allow you to phonate, but be gentle. Watch out: Keeping body tissues cold for a long period of time can actually slow healing and increase the time needed for recovery. If you have a small amount of cold drinks however, this won’t affect your voice. Only if you chew ice/drink slushies repeatedly for more than a few hours.
Avoid acidic drinks/soups whether hot or cold. Think chicken noodle or bone broth over tomato soup!
Try to keep foods smooth to avoid roughing up your esophagus.
The Verdict
If you have to sing in the next 24 hours, go COLD. Try the VB Soother Slushie recipe for sore throats that need soothing NOW because you need to sing SOON. Ice cream, icy water, and popsicles can also help but don’t provide much nourishment. Sugar can actually add to your inflammation.
If you don’t have to use your voice anytime in the next 24 hours, go HOT. Hot tea or water is a great remedy, bringing temporary pain relief and sending more blood flow to the inflamed area to help it heal. Some people take pain relievers to get through the day or night with a sore throat.
Be careful with pain relievers because they mask pain and might cause you to increase vocal use before your folds are actually healed.
If you are going to take painkillers for a sore throat, take them before bed to help you fall asleep and avoid overuse of your voice. Unless you sing in your sleep. 😉
Whether you go hot or cold, ya gotta GARGLE. Gargle with warm salt-water. Dissolve 1 teaspoon of regular table salt in 8 ounces (240 ml) of warm water, gargle for a few seconds, spit it out, then repeat a few times. Do this three times a day.
Click the button below for my free step-by-step gameplan if you’re losing your voice!
