Managing Asthma While Singing: Strategies and Guidance
Asthma is a common condition that affects millions worldwide, and for those who also have a passion for singing, managing the disease can present additional challenges. Here's a guide to help singers with asthma navigate this intersection effectively.
Firstly, it's important to understand that long-term asthma medications play a crucial role in reducing swelling and inflammation in the airways, making breathing easier [1]. However, these medications may have side effects that can affect the voice. Inhaled corticosteroids, for example, can cause fungal infections of the vocal cords and throat irritation, leading to hoarseness or voice changes [2][3][5]. Combination inhalers used in SMART therapy, such as budesonide/formoterol, often cause throat irritation, coughing, headache, shakiness, or a fast heartbeat [3].
To mitigate these effects, using a spacer with inhalers and rinsing your mouth after each use can help reduce throat irritation and lower the risk of fungal infections [3]. Maintaining good hydration is also essential, as some asthma medications and antihistamines can dry out the vocal cords, increasing susceptibility to injury [5].
Incorporating regular vocal warm-ups and gentle vocal exercises can help strengthen and protect the voice. It's essential to monitor your voice for changes; if hoarseness or discomfort persists, consult a healthcare provider or voice specialist [6].
Research suggests that singing may be beneficial for asthma, potentially increasing respiratory muscle strength, reducing shortness of breath, and improving breathing technique [4]. However, asthma symptoms such as coughing and wheezing may cause throat irritation or damage to the vocal cords and change voice quality [2].
To protect the vocal cords, avoiding excess coughing or throat clearing by tilting the head down and to the side or using breathing techniques such as strong pursed lip breathing may be helpful [7]. Using moisture-retentive chewing gum, mouthwash, toothpaste, or lozenges can help keep the mouth and throat moist [7].
In conclusion, asthma medications can cause vocal side effects through throat irritation, fungal infections, and dryness. Proper inhaler technique, hydration, vocal care, and medical follow-up are essential for singers with asthma to maintain healthy voice function while managing their condition. It's always advisable to talk with a healthcare professional about which asthma medications are best to use with singing.
References:
- Long-term asthma medications help reduce swelling and inflammation in the airways.
- Hydrating the throat with steam inhalation may help counter the effects of dryness from asthma medications.
- Some research suggests singing may be beneficial for asthma.
- Staying relaxed and managing stress may help control asthma symptoms and make it easier to sing with asthma.
- Some research suggests singing may benefit respiratory conditions such as asthma, potentially increasing respiratory muscle strength, reducing shortness of breath, and improving breathing technique.
- Controlling asthma and taking steps to protect the vocal cords may help with singing with asthma.
- Staying well hydrated by sipping water throughout the day, particularly when feeling the urge to cough, may help protect the vocal cords.
- Asthma symptoms and medications may affect the voice and breathing techniques.
- Talking with a healthcare professional about which asthma medications are best to use with singing may be helpful.
- Steroid inhalers used for asthma may cause hoarseness, muscle weakness, loss of voice, throat irritation, coughing, and dryness of the mucosal layer covering the vocal cords.
- Severe asthma may negatively affect the voice and cause laryngeal dysfunction, vocal cord dysfunction, and muscle tension dysphonia.
- Shortness of breath may affect breath control.
- Asthma medications are an important tool in helping people manage their condition, reduce symptoms, and carry on doing the activities they enjoy.
- A 2018 review found singing to have positive physical effects and improvement in quality of life in people with various health conditions.
- Keeping asthma medication close by at all times is important in case of an asthma flare.
- Asthma and asthma medications may be drying or damaging to the vocal cords, leading to changes in vocal quality.
- Using a spacer with aerosol-based steroid inhalers can help improve inhaler technique.
- Asthma symptoms such as coughing and wheezing may cause throat irritation or damage to the vocal cords and change voice quality.
- Rinsing the mouth with water, gargling, and spitting after inhaling steroid medication can help reduce throat irritation.
- Asthma medications help relax the airways and make breathing easier.
- Avoiding excess coughing or throat clearing by tilting the head down and to the side or using breathing techniques such as strong pursed lip breathing may help protect the vocal cords.
- Using moisture-retentive chewing gum, mouthwash, toothpaste, or lozenges may help keep the mouth and throat moist.
- Long-term asthma medications, such as those that reduce swelling and inflammation in the airways, are crucial for managing the disease, but may have side effects that impact the voice.
- Inhaled corticosteroids, often used in the treatment of asthma, can lead to fungal infections of the vocal cords and throat irritation, potentially causing hoarseness or voice changes.
- To mitigate these effects, singers with asthma should use a spacer with inhalers, rinse their mouth after each use, and maintain good hydration to lower the risk of fungal infections and dryness.
- Incorporating regular vocal warm-ups and exercises can help strengthen and protect the voice for singers with asthma, but it's essential to monitor the voice for changes and consult a healthcare provider if hoarseness or discomfort persists.
- Research suggests that singing may have benefits for asthma, potentially increasing respiratory muscle strength, reducing shortness of breath, and improving breathing technique, but symptoms such as coughing and wheezing may affect the voice quality.
- To protect the vocal cords, singers with asthma should avoid excess coughing and throat clearing, use breathing techniques such as strong pursed lip breathing, and keep the mouth and throat moist using moisture-retentive chewing gum, mouthwash, toothpaste, or lozenges.
- It's always advisable for singers with asthma to talk with a healthcare professional about which asthma medications are best to use with singing to minimize vocal side effects and maintain healthy voice function.
