Caring for your voice is not something to be taken lightly. Many people have jobs that require them to talk for several hours a day, sometimes raising the tone, such as school or high school teachers, but everyone should take care of taking care of this valuable tool that we have to communicate with each other. with the others.
“Some of the groups most at risk of suffering from vocal injuries are telemarketers, priests, singers, actors and lawyers,” explains Juan Carlos Casado Morente, co-director of the Otolaryngology Service at the Quirón Campo de Gibraltar Hospital. “Teachers have a special mention; it has been shown that in this large group the one most at risk is the primary school teacher,” he adds.
The voice is the sound that is produced when air passes from the lungs through the larynx or voice box. In the larynx are the vocal cords , two muscle bands that vibrate to emit sounds and that can be injured quite easily.
To maintain a healthy voice, experts recommend following some healthy measures:
Drink water and avoid alcohol
Maintaining a good state of hydration ensures optimal lubrication of the vocal cords. For this reason, it is recommended to reduce the consumption of those substances that cause dehydration, such as alcoholic beverages or those that contain caffeine.
In addition, reducing alcohol consumption has many benefits beyond voice care.
No smoking
Tobacco causes cancer of the lung and throat, in particular, and in many other organs. Specifically, it leads to permanent changes in the tone of the voice, its nature and its ability.
Do not misuse your voice
The voice is not indestructible, so try not to shout or raise your voice too much when you are in noisy environments. If we notice that our throat is very dry or that the voice is becoming hoarse, we should stop talking.
Not clearing your throat often
If you clear your throat frequently, it is recommended to see a specialist, since it can be caused by reflux, allergic diseases and / or the paranasal sinuses.
Get enough sleep
The voice is very sensitive to lack of sleep. Sleeping less than six hours produces a predisposition to suffer from vocal injuries.
“The voice is produced by the continuous movement of two muscles housed in the neck; in the case of men they move – they open and close – at a rate of 90-120 times per second and in women 160-190 times per second ”, explains Casado. “This complex phonatory system that works with these capacities requires episodes of rest and repose; this is mainly achieved while sleeping ”.
Some curiosities about the voice
Did you know that on other planets our voice would sound very different from what it does on Earth? This is due, among other things, to the fact that the speed of sound is different.
We are also surprised when we hear a recording of our voice, and this is because when we speak, the sounds are transmitted through the bones of the head, which act as a sounding board. We always hear our voice with a lower tone than it really is.
And do you know why the voice changes with age? This is because the voice depends on the shape of the upper laryngeal tract , so as we grow and the body changes, so does the voice. And that is why each person has a unique and unmatched voice.
Advisor: Juan Carlos Casado Morente, co-director of the Otolaryngology Service at the Quirón Campo de Gibraltar Hospital and member of Top Doctors.
