Permanent vocal Damage?

Question:Ok, so I did something really stupid. I was practicing/experimenting with belting high notes...really really high notes. I don't remember it hurting, I remember coughing after I did it. The next morning, I woke up with a little tightness in my throat, thought it was just morning vocal stuff, did a little warm up before I went to sing at my job. But the sounds were weaker, and I realized something might have been wrong. People tell me I don't sound hoarse, but I know that I do sound weaker when I talk. When I swallow, I feel like I'm swallowing lumps, but it doesn't hurt to talk or swallow. I am so scared I may have done permanent vocal damage, since I depend on my voice for my job. It's been about 5 days and things haven't seemed to get better. Does anyone know if I've done any permanent damage? I am so scared.

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Ok, so I did something really stupid. I was practicing/experimenting with belting high notes...really really high notes. I don't remember it hurting, I remember coughing after I did it. The next morning, I woke up with a little tightness in my throat, thought it was just morning vocal stuff, did a little warm up before I went to sing at my job. But the sounds were weaker, and I realized something might have been wrong. People tell me I don't sound hoarse, but I know that I do sound weaker when I talk. When I swallow, I feel like I'm swallowing lumps, but it doesn't hurt to talk or swallow. I am so scared I may have done permanent vocal damage, since I depend on my voice for my job. It's been about 5 days and things haven't seemed to get better. Does anyone know if I've done any permanent damage? I am so scared.

Go on total vocal rest. Drink lots of warm liquids, stay away from cold if you can and wear a scarf. If it doesn't clear up in a few days you should go to a Ear, Nose, and Throat Doctor just to be safe..

Sounds like you probably just strained yourself, and your chords are swollen... Definitely don't sing (Especially belting) if you can help it over the next few days..

Good luck, and don't stress about it too much. The body bounces back from things very quickly. Just take it easy and let the swelling go down. I think you'll be fine. :o)

It is very likely NOT permanent, however, it sounds like you need a prolonged rest to let it heal. STOP SINGING and go to an Ear/Nose/Throat specialist right now.

Also, belting safely is a skill that needs learning. People who haven't been trained to do it often get their throat involved and, because of the brash sound, think they're belting. If you're in a position to do so, you may wish to go to a vocal coach experienced teaching stage/broadway style singing to learn some stronger technique. You'll find it money well spent.

Edit: Okay, perhaps right NOW isn't necessary. The response above sounds good. If it happened to ME though, I'd probably be at the doc cuz I'm a wuss that way :-)

Permanent damage to your vocal chords is caused by continued abuse of your vocal chords, not by one experiment, dumb as it may be. If you want to do a quick test for nodes, try vocalizing and see if there is a spot in your range where you make all the necessary movements for sound but nothing comes out. It might just be one or two notes along your range. The best remedy is rest.

If you did some sort of permanent damage to your vocal folds, you wouldn't be coughing a little. You'd most likely be in a LOT of throat pain, and coughing up blood. I imagine there's a way to do that much damage in one push, but normally it comes from years and years of damage. If you aren't growling or screaming, glottal stopping constantly, smoking, snorting cocaine, or...I don't know...swallowing shards of glass...it's hard to rip a focal fold unless you're genetically predisposed to it. If you sing for a living, you probably have voice training, and don't do much of the above. I would definitely agree with the people above me.
If you are a singer, your vocal chords are a tuned instrument now, not a tin whistle, meaning they're strong. If you don't mistreat them, they shouldn't go out on you easily.

First of all you should of had good technique training to avoid this, the best advise i can give you now is go and see a throat specialist to have it check out before you do anymore damage and don't try not to sing in the mean while have a lot of honey and ginger and lemon tea and stay away from cold drinks room temperature are the best.
j

OK, first, stop singing for now rest your voice until it feels better, drink lots of water, fisher mans friend is your best friend at the moment, get lots of rest and protect your throat. If it doesn't clear up soon, go and see a specialist to get it checked out, you probably just strained your voice, so let it rest to recover.

Hi Nga T,

"Smash :o)" has the best succinct answer, so what I write will only shed a little extra light on the situation.

I very much appreciate your honesty (and humility) in confessing what you did. You are undoubtedly learning that belting for a prolonged period of time under the best of circumstances is not good for the voice also.

The throat area has comparatively few -- in fact very few pain-registering nerve endings, unlike the hands and fingers. So it is possible to do damage to the throat (voice) and not be aware of it. The tightness in your throat, the weaker sound and the "lump" that you feel when you swallow are the body's signs that you need to pay attention and give your voice complete vocal rest for several days. Rather than continuing to vocalize and resume a 'normal' singing routine, I'd advise taking a complete vocal rest until --- in another week or so --- phonation (making sound) is easy and clear. Continuing to try to "make" your voice produce the sound you're used to hearing under these circumstance could indeed result in long-term damage. The short time of complete silence will allow you a dependable long-term future, versus the opposite.

When your voice has recovered - vocal cords tend to be quite resilient - then begin your vocalizing routine slowly - and preferrably under the guidance of a trustworthy teacher.

The likelihood of you having done permanent damage is small. However if you continued to force your voice to operate under these difficult circumstances the picture could change. A word to the wise . . .

The others are right to recommend that you stay well hydrated in the recovery process - as well as whenever you are using your voice.

Best wishes to you.