Hydration: Keeping the Vocal Folds Moist

Internal Hydration

To keep the vocal folds moist from the inside, make sure that you drink plenty of water. The vocal folds move best when the body is well hydrated, and well-hydrated vocal folds may be less likely to get hurt from voice use.

Good hydration also makes the mucous that covers the vocal folds thin and slippery, so that they move against each other easily and vibrate smoothly. Think of the mucous coating as being like motor oil in the engine of your car: if it is thin and slippery, the engine runs smoothly; if it is thick and sticky, the engine doesn’t run well and can be damaged.

If you are under a doctor’s care for any medical conditions, be sure to check with the doctor before changing the amount of water you drink.

• We recommend drinking at least eight eight-ounce servings of water per day (total of 64 ounces). That’s a little less than two liters per day.

• If you are drinking a lot less than that now, add a few ounces more each day until you get to 64 ounces.
• Alcohol and caffeine are drying to the entire body. Drinking them makes the vocal folds drier. Cutting back on caffeine and alcohol can help your body stay hydrated.
• Dry environments are also drying to the entire body. If you know that you are going to be in a dry place (like a dry building or an airplane), drink lots of water to keep your body hydrated.

If you don’t like drinking water:

• Try flavoring the water with fruit or with sugar-free powdered drink mixes.
• Drink caffeine-free tea.
• Sometimes changing the temperature of the water makes it more enjoyable to drink.
• Foods that have a lot of water in them can help with hydration. Examples include cucumbers, melon, grapes, and gelatin.

External hydration

External hydration is getting moisture to the vocal folds from the outside.

Steam inhalation: Inhaling or breathing steam helps the voice box stay moist and can be very soothing to irritated vocal folds. Breathe the steam through your nose for three to five minutes, two to three times per day.

You can try any of these:

• Breathe shower steam.
• Breathe steam from a personal steamer. You can buy these at many drugstores.
• Run hot water into a sink or basin and inhale the steam. You can also boil water, pour it into a sink, and breathe the steam. Never breathe steam standing over a hot stove or boiling water.
• Run a washcloth under hot water, wring it out, and hold it over your mouth and nose, and breathe in.

Room humidification: You can increase the moisture in your home or office by using a room humidifier or hot water vaporizer. Be sure to use a hot water vaporizer -- cool mist vaporizers can cause chemicals and germs to get into the air. With hot water vaporizers, only water gets into the air you breathe.

• Room humidity should be between 30 and 50 percent. You can check the moisture in the air in your home by using a hygrometer, which can be purchased at many electronics or hardware stores.
• The most important thing when using room humidifiers or vaporizers is to carefully follow the cleaning instructions in the package. If you don’t keep the humidifier or vaporizer clean, germs can get into the air that you breathe.
• If you have mold or mildew allergies, you should not use humidifiers or vaporizers. They increase the moisture in the environment and can cause mold and mildew to grow.

Medications and Hydration

Many medications, such as cold and allergy medications, are drying to the body. Try to avoid these medications to help your body stay hydrated.

If you need to take these medications, you may need to drink extra water to make up for their drying effect. Of course, never change your medications without consulting your doctor.

Your doctor may recommend a mucolytic medication. This is a medication that can help keep mucous thin and slippery. These medications are available over the counter.

The active ingredient is guaifenesin. Brand names include Humibid, Mucinex, and Robitussin. Be sure to get the preparation that does not contain decongestants, antihistamines, or cough suppressants.

Many cough drops and throat lozenges are drying to the mucous membranes of the mouth and throat. This is especially true for products that contain menthol and eucalyptus. The best lozenges for soothing the mouth or throat without drying are glycerin lozenges. Brand names include Grether’s Pastilles and Dr. Doolittle’s.