Voice problems - excess mucus - raspy voice

[GoOilers]

I have a very annoying throat problem that effects my speaking. My current job is in a call center where i am constantly talking on the phone. I have been having so many problems with my voice effecting my work I don't know what to do anymore. One of the main problems was excess mucus in throat and getting to the point I can barely talk to someone on the phone. Usually this was after eating. So I have been watching the food I eat and don't eat foods like dairy or cheese especially before I work. It also got so bad that I refused to eat anything at work! I then started eating something small like an apple for supper. I know that is very unhealthy. I have never smoked and don't drink any coffee. I also found that coughing up the mucus only WORSENS the problem. So I have been trying to remain calm and not cough it up. I also saw my doctor who prescribed a nasal spray for possible post nasal drip. I don't think that helped. I had also started using Neti Pot for clearing my sinuses. And also started drinking Apple Cidar Vinegar. This all has helped a bit with the mucus problem. I don't think it is acid refux as I never have heartburn. I still feel my voice has problems. It is very crackly or raspy. Many people on the phone ask me if I have a cold. It gets so bad that I can barely talk clear, very annoying and frustrating. I've found that when I walk to work (30 minutes) in the cold I have a worse day (especially at the beginning). But if I drive it's better. A few times when I used the neti pot right before work I've been almost out of breathe to talk to anyone. So I started using it a few hours before my shift. I've tried drinking honey, lemon, and tea before my shift and during. That has helped a little bit. I am at the point I don't know what to do already. I really need to keep this job as I have a family to support. I don't know if it is a confidence issue with my speaking ability? I've never been a good speaker. I tend to speak quieter so co-workers don't hear me as well, especially when my voice is bad. This problably ends up making the problem worse. I would really appreciate if anyone has ANY suggestions as to what I can do to help my voice. I wish I could just take something that would coat my throat and help me speak clear. Thanx.

[friggy]

If your doctor is correct, and he usually is, the post-nasal drip may be causing your throat problems. What often is the case, is that there's an infection in your sinuses, be it a bacteria, fungus, or virus, and the toxins caused by your white blood cells attacking it drains into your throat and irritates it.  It can go on indefinitely, without causing congestion.

I invented a sinus flush that will wash out the infection, if this is the case (there can be other causes of your problem, like allergies, but you can narrow it down). The flush has a risk involved to it, because you have to bend over in a shower.  You can find the directions for it by putting your cursor on the blue "friggy" and go to My Journal.

By chance, I had the same problem as you, once again, last week, after a bout of flu, including the loss of voice.  For research purposes, I got a neti pot to see if it would work as well as The Sinus Flush.  It provided some relief, but seemed to do a half-a*sed job, or more precisely, a half-sinus job, not reaching the upper part of my sinuses where my infection was. Of course, results may vary.

If you don't want to try it, at least get the saline formula and gargle with it--you will get some relief for your throat.

[lil g]

Firstly, Go Sharks! *wink*

I have the same issue and I also have many food intolerances/sensitivities/allergies.

If you can, try 1 or 2 weeks of ONLY healthy brown rice with real Irish butter and real sea salt (for flavor), baked chicken (no seasonings - maybe lime or lemon if you desire), no sodas, no alcohol, no nothing but plenty of water (maybe a little bit of NATURAL/NO SUGAR cranberry juice - Trader Joe's sells some) and see if it helps your situation.

If you are suffering enough you will try anything like I did. You will basically be giving your body a break from foods and possible food "allergies", and you will also be cleansing your body (watch the extra lbs fall off in that 2 weeks, plus you'll lose all your sweet cravings.. miraculous and true.)

Good luck.

[GoOilers]

Thanx for the suggestions, I will have to give them a try. I actually had a decent week for my voice.... until TODAY! At work my voice did really well Mon, Tue, Wed, and okay on Thu. But Friday it was almost like I had no power in my voice and had trouble speaking clear. One person on the phone at work told me I had a hoarse voice. And someone else asked if I had a cold. It is so frustrating. So what did I do different from the rest of the week? Well, Thursday late night I had 2 beer and chicken wings (which are probably loaded with sugar). And for breakfast I had eggs and whole grain flax bread. I had used my neti pot all week and Friday before work as well. I also started last week snorting saline water up my nose and then tilting my head back quickly  it goes out the throat. I did that the rest of the week and seemed to help. So I am trying to narrow the problem down. Possibilities for todays cause.... beer, eggs, maybe the sugar from chicken wings, or maybe I just disrupted something in my throat when using the saline solution. One other thing too it may be, I had used a humidifier all week but believe I forgot to turn it on the last day. It is very likely that I need a humidifier in these dry winter months. For some reason it almost seems like honey/lemon and tea almost makes my throat worse. It creates more mucus and causes more voice problems it seems.

[Bud700]

GoOiilers: It sounds like you you have covered all of your bases, on you problem, however the biggesest advantage is abstaining from the mucous forming foods,  Cheese is solidified mucous!  However I do believee this will definetily help you.,Espeacially if you notice it more awhile after eating.  The large intestine is reflexly related to all parts of the body and could be housing a multitude of mucous withinin itself, espeacially in the transverse colon.  Everytime there is peristalsis thru the transverse colon you may be getting the mucous response from that uncleanly enviroment.  Antidote get at least one colonic irrigation, if you donot pass a satisfactory amount of debris get another.  On top of that take some form of smooth texture psyillium husks, every night with a large glass of water following.  If you feel it has bound you up more back off awhile. Good luck , let me know how everything came out?

[Alchemist65535]

I had a very rough and raspy voice for more than a decade.  Before that and now I have a smooth clear first tenor voice.  My voice cleared up in mid word when I started taking methylb12.  It was caused by a neurological problem caused by vitamin b12 deficiency, along with a lot of other symptoms.  Also, the deficiency had made my mucous very thick and sticky with a consistancy like stiff jelly.  Only certain brands of sublingual methylb12 work and other cofactors are needed with it to.

[sysco1999]

ive been having this same problem for 5-6 years..but a month ago it was rectified...the reason was tht excess mucus was produced by my diseased tonsils and they used to be in my thorat and on interupting with my vocal chords all the time..before i took an endoscopy i felt that my vocal chord had nodules and that is why i couldnt speak,but it wasnt so..after which tht doctor showed me my throat video in which the tonsils had grown up giving rise to excess bacteria and mucus production which does not go easily and the voice gets much hoarse after misuse,after which he prescribed me a medicine called "Allegra" for few days which i took for 5 days,that didnt reduced my tonsils,but made me speak properly,with a proper pitch and tone,with no problems at all..and 5 days later after i got operated ....the excess mucus had been completely stopped with no worries on my voice ...am really happy now..im completely alright,but this information helps you..take care !

[SeanMiddleton]

I have the same symptoms and I have researched these exhaustively. They are related to GERD,  which has probably progressed to LPRD. Both can be symptomless and don't always generate the classic symptoms of hearburn.
Take Nexium (20mg) one a day  for at least 4 weeks, 6 is ideal. If my diagnosis is incorrect, whch I dont beleive it is,  then  no harm done anyway and at least you will have then eliminated a possible cause.  

Hope this helps
Sean

[FemmeFugazi]

I've got the same problem !

And it's been bugging me for a week. I thought it was just cause I've been talking a lot, and using my Spanish a lot (Spanish is spoken faster than English and averages 3 or 4 more words per sentence than English - an easy voice strain if you'r enot used to it).

But, I have had a lot of sinus drainage lately.

I have a lot of sinus trouble, and tend to get sinus infections easily. They usually go away in time (the work of those wonderful little white blood cells !). But, this is the first time I've had trouble with my voice.

I have found that if I sing along with some soft music on the radio on my way in to work, or while I'm sitting here on the puter, it actually helps. Not if I try to belt it out like Janis Joplin... but softly... gently...