I have no Words

So, I've got another cold, and this one has the added benefit of causing me to lose my voice. Which is terrible for anyone, but for someone whose job it is to talk on the phone it's really not good. Can't talk, can't work. Can't work, don't get payed. You see my predicament. So, I've been scouring the internet for tricks and tips to help speed my recovery. What I've found is that a lot of the tried and true remedies may actually be myths.

Almost every advice site suggests tea with lemon and honey.  But according to this ABCnews article, that's not really a good idea. Tea and lemon are both acidic, and that can cause acid reflux, which is not good for your vocal chords. They do however, say that herbal and caffeine free teas are alright, as warm drinks can be soothing.

Another thing that's suggested on several sites is some form of alcohol. The two most common I see are a Hot Toddy or a shot of whiskey. However, alcohol dehydrates you and that's the opposite of what you want to do. In fact, what you SHOULD be doing is drinking lots and lots of water. Keep your throat ultra hydrated. it's also suggested all over the place that you use a humidifier. I don't have a humidifier, though, so that's not really a help to me.

So what can I do, other then drink lots of water? The only other tried and true method to getting you voice back is to not talk and definitely don't whisper (old friends who took voice lessons used to tell me this all the time. It strains your vocal chords and can make things worse, not better). So I'm staying silent today.


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