Hey guys is the mucus any of you are coughing out green or yellow-ish? Because I have been struggling with a condition that started of as a typical sickness and completely ruined my voice. When I say completely I mean COMPLETELY. My singing voice is all covered up in a polyphonic layer of early morning-type of vocal fry that prevents me of singing anything. It improves a bit when I cough some phlegm out, but that doesn't happen everyday. I've been checked by multiple ENTs some say my folds are swollen, but they see nothing organically wrong. I've also had gastroscopy and have no reflux , and i had bronchoscopy there's nothing wrong with my lungs. they say there's nothing wrong with my nose as well. Help please. Here's a video they did on my chords in Paris 2 years ago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tvP2DaKXyg
Thank you!
Hi
I have been having a problem with my throat for quite a few years but never looked into it till now. I realised this problem started when I hit my twenties. The problem became worse now in my thirties. I love to sing and sing in the church. Lately this problem became worse when I get nervous before singing. Usually it happens when I do warm ups – when my voice is not “woken up” or when I have had a full day of talking and start to sing. It always happens when I start to sing and it happens when I sing middle notes. I am a soprano and when I warm up at certain middle range to slightly high notes using my throat, modal or chest voice, I will have this issue. But when I use my head voice, I can overcome this problem. The problem is either a mucus or phlegm related issue and it feels like a tiny phlegm stuck between your vocal cords. When you sing, the “phlegm” vibrates with your voice making it sound like a bad vibrato. You can just hear that strange vibration sound in my voice. It is truly embarrassing and I always cover up with an AHEM clearing of my throat. After a few more times of warm up, it usually goes away. HOWEVER in recent times, I realise this problem becomes really bad and worse when I am nervous before a performance. It often happens when I use my modal voice or chest voice or whatever voice that is not my head voice, usually when I sing contemporary style. This problem started becoming worse when I discovered singing with my head voice and I started singing in a more classical style in church. Now it seems when I go contemporary, I often encounter this problem and it escalates when I am very nervous as I have always been before any performance (making me quite redundant as a solo performer). I read about acid reflux but this doesn’t sound like it. I have never seen a doctor and don’t really want to have any probing equipment into my throat or nose. Does anyone have this problem? Is this psychologically caused? What advice do you have? I don’t smoke and I eat quite alright. I may not drink enough water which I have begun to do. On a side note, I know this sounds weird but when I have something oily, it tends to “open” up my vocal chords quite well for singing (and sometimes it doesn't cause that strange vibrating phlegm problem). Many will disagree with me on this one but it has worked for me during choir practices. Oily not like deep fried but more like stir fried (like fried noodles) or with some Asian type chilli called "Sambal".
Chelsae; thank you so much.
I'm dealing with much of the same conditions you mention. My doctor is at a loss to explain what's going on. My lungs are clear; I feel I am one good lugee away from wellness. Sneezing helped tremendously; (experienced that just yesterday). I will try the anti-inflammatories. Thanks again.
I have had the same struggles for the past 2 years. I don't have a perfect answer, but I have found during a recent 21-day fast with nothing but protein drinks (containing milk protein, but not milk), that it went away completely during that time! So, I conclude that it must be food related. As I add foods back in, I will monitor when the problem re-occurs.
have been suffering with the same issue for over 5 years. I have gone to an allergist and had 13 months of allergy shots. Had surgery to correct a deviated septum, had sinuplasty and turbine surgery. Took several courses of meds for acid reflux and nothing has helped.
I also tried all types of allergy meds and it still continues. ENT had me using a neti-pot for a year - no help.
I do not know what to do next.
My issue is not a huge amount of mucus just a little bit. I have to cough continuously just to break it loose, when I do I am good for a minutIe until it irritates me again. We even tried a cough pill to help numb the throat to stop the cough cycle.
Very annoying problem and very frustrating that I cannot get any help.
I landed here as a result of my search for these symptoms. I found that by not taking a medication prescribed for me, my symptoms / problem with excessive mucus around my vocal cords and feeling like I have to clear my throat and upper right chest. The medication is Fenofibrate and if you check those symptoms are listed as a possible side effects of course if you are not taking this medication this probably does not apply to you, it never hurts to consider meds you may be taking however. Of course I am NOT a medical professional and the standard disclaimer of checking with your Dr before stopping any meds etc apply blah, blah, blah http://www.drugs.com/sfx/fenofibrate-side-effects.html