July 16, 2019 0

Ten Do’s and Don’ts in Taking Care of Your Voice

Most of us neglect our speaking voice because speaking is a part of life. However if you have had laryngitis in your life, or episodes of hoarseness, that may be the time you appreciate your voice. As we grow older, we tend to form bad habits which are hard to reverse. This blog will discuss some of the do’s and dont’s of taking care of your voice.

1. DO- BE CONSCIOUS OF THE QUALITY OF YOUR VOICE

Be conscious of the pitch of your voice. Try to speak in a natural, unstrained manner, not too high, not too low. Be conscious of the volume of your voice as well. If you are talking to one person, you can go near that person and talk in a moderate volume. Be conscious of the speed you are talking in as well: a faster speed may result in a more strained voice.

2. DON’T: TRY TO TALK OVER A LOUD ENVIRONMENT

If you are a teacher, ask the class to keep quiet first before talking to the class; do not shout over the noise. If you are a call center agent, make sure that your environment is not that loud. Be conscious when shouting while trying to talk in a bar or a concert. You may wait for the music to go down, or you can step outside the noisy place.

3. DO : LEARN TO REST

If you are a voice professional, learn to rest your voice when you are not at work. Also, when you have hoarseness, do not push your voice because that will worsen your condition and make the recovery time longer.

4. DON’T: WHISPER

This is contrary to what most people think that whispering is good because it seems to be a lower volume of voice. When you whisper, you are actually straining your voice instead of helping it. Instead, speak in a natural manner, but with a lower volume.

5. DO: REALIZE THAT YOUR GENERAL HEALTH AFFECTS YOUR VOICE

A healthy diet and exercise affects not only your general health but also your voice. Conditions such as allergies, post-nasal drip and acid reflux are deleterious to your voice: if you have these conditions, have yourself treated by a doctor. Since your voice is very much dependent on the core and breathing, a good exercise routine will greatly help with voice production

6. DON’T: DRINK ALCOHOL OR SMOKE

Smoking and alcohol are bad. Enough said.

7. DON’T EAT FOOD EXTREMES

Be conscious about eating extremely spicy food and extremely sour food. They may irritate your throat. Also be conscious about eating or drinking extremely hot or extremely cold food and beverages.

8. DO: HYDRATE

Think of your vocal cords as a car engine. As your car engine needs oil to avoid rust in the gears, as well as for lubrication in the movement, your vocal cords need water to stay hydrated. A dry throat may be painful and may lead to the bad habit of throat clearing

9. DON’T: CLEAR YOUR THROAT

Clearing your throat only scratches the vocal cords together in a vigorous manner and may result in inflammation and swelling.

10. DO: CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR

When you have hoarseness for more than 2 weeks, it is best that you go to your ENT doctor to have it diagnosed and properly treated.

October 8, 2015 0

Most Commonly Asked Questions About Tonsillitis

WHAT ARE TONSILS?

The (palatine) tonsils are a pair of pinkish soft tissue lumps on both sides of the back of the throat or pharynx. The surface of the tonsils are not smooth, but have crypts, or pit-like intentations, that stores cells used to fight infections. The tonsils are part of the lympatic system which fights infections. But since they are the first line of defense against bacteria and viruses, especially once they enter the body through the mouth, they may swell in response to infection.

WHAT IS TONSILLITIS? WHAT CAUSES TONSILLITIS?
Most tonsillitis cases are usually caused by a virus. Bacteria can also cause tonsillitis. The most common bacterial cause of tonsillitis is group A beta-hemolyticstreptococcus (GABHS), which also causes strep throat.
Rarely, tonsillitis can also be caused by fungi or parasites. This happens in patients who have compromised immune systems.

WHAT ARE CONDITIONS AFFECTING THE TONSILS
Tonsillitis: infection of the tonsils
Enlarged/ hypertrophic tonsils: enlargement of the tonsils may be caused by frequent tonsillitis
Tonsillolith/tonsil stones: because tonsils have crypts or pits, dead cells or mucus may be stuck here. When the debris calcifies or turn hard, they may form tonsilloliths. Most tonsilloliths may have no symptoms especially when they are small.
Peritonsillar abscess: this happens when tonsillitis spreads to the nearby structures of the palate or pharynx.

WHY ARE CHILDREN MORE AFFECTED

In children who haven’t reached puberty, the tonsils’ immune system is much more active than in adults. Also, children have immune systems that are still developing, which leaves them vulnerable to infection as they interact with other people. Furthermore, since they are always interacting with other children at school or in playgrounds, the infection is easily transmitted.

HOW IS TONSILLITIS TRANSMITTED?
Tonsillitis is spread by close contact with an infected person. Droplets of pathogens pass through the air when an infected person breathes, coughs, or sneezes and may be passed on to another person. Infection can also occur if pathogens get on objects that come in contact with your mouth, nose, eyes, or other mucous membranes. Symptoms usually appear about 2 to 5 days after exposure.
Tonsillitis caused by a virus infection usually is contagious for about 7-10 days. Bacterial tonsillitis can remain contagious for about two weeks. Persons with bacterial tonsillitis that are treated with antibiotics are considered non-contagious after approximately 24-48 hours after taking the proper antibiotics.

HOW IS TONSILLITIS TREATED
Your Philippines tonsillitis doctor will target the pathogen or cause of infection.

WHAT ARE THE COMPLICATIONS?

Because the tonsils are located at the back of the mouth, swollen tonsils may cause blockage and difficulty in breathing, which can lead to disturbed sleep patterns. Untreated tonsillitis may spread to the area behind and around the tonsils resulting in an abscess.
If tonsillitis is caused by a strep throat infection that is not treated or does not go away, it could lead to rheumatic fever (inflammation of the heart, joints, and other tissues), or to post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis (inflammation of the kidneys).

WHAT CAN BE DONE AT HOME?