The Environment and Your Voice
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The Environment and Your Voice
Even in our Internet world, our ability to communicate still
includes using our voices. For most people our voices are our
jobs. This is most obvious with singers and public speakers. So
what happens if the voice or speech quality suffers? Loss of
income, of course. So this is serious stuff.
The most common vocal problem is hoarseness. Hoarseness can be a
temporary response to a temporary trauma or a symptom of serious
diseases. Many people can walk into a room full of smokers and
suffer a few hours of hoarseness. As a matter of fact, this
happens so often that many people consider hoarseness a normal
condition. It reminds me of a line the late comedian Buddy
Hackett was famous for. "When I went in the Army and began
eating Army food I found out that heartburn wasn't normal."
According to Drs Nagarathna and Nagendra, hoarseness is due to
one of three factors: Spasms of the tissues that control vocal
chords movement Thickness of the vocal chords from
inflammation Blockage due to phlegm or other mucus conditions
http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/may202005/
living122042005519.asp
The first example can come from over usage. You see this in
music fans at a concert. The crowd's enthusiasm creates a
yelling contest. As each fan tries to win the title "Greatest
Fan" the strain on their vocal chords increases.
http://64.233.187.104/search?q=cache:75Wn3NInSXEJ:
media.nasaexplores.com/lessons/04-056/9-12_2.pdf+vocal+
chords,+inflammation&hl=en
Inflammation is due to the body's response to some foreign
material. The leading cause of inflammation is household mold.
When spores are breathed in and get lodged on the vocal
apparatus, fungal parasites can grow rapidly. The throat is an
ideal growing environment. It is warm, moist and there is a good
source of nutrition...YOU.
In cases of individuals with suppressed immune systems, the
parasites can actually overgrow and coat the throat and mouth.
As the parasites grow they burrow into the mucosa (skin) of the
throat. As they do so, the body responds with the typical
inflammatory response. This includes redness swelling and
spasming of the tissues.
http://www.bogartsdaddy.com/bouvier/Health/vocal_chord_
paralysis.htm
Since sound is based on air space, this swelling changes tones
and other harmonics. Now if you sing like me this is no great
problem. I have actually been asked by churches to keep quiet.
"The Angels are complaining."
Mold doesn't just attack the vocal apparatus in the throat. It
also imbeds itself in the sinus cavities. The sinus can become
clogged with polyps and nodules. These are the body's attempt to
defend against the invaders. Sounds can be affected.
If the sinuses get infested with fungus, the body also produces
an increase in mucosal fluids (snot and phlegm). This drains
down the back of the throat causing chocking throat irritation,
and blockage.
In worse case scenarios, inflammation can lead to necrosis of
vocal chords. Long term the swellings block blood flow and cell
death can occur. In really worst case scenarios, cancer is
possible.
Now that I have scared the pants off you, lets talk solutions.
If you Google the Internet, you get 336,000 hits on vocal
chords. Most of these hits deal with solutions to vocal chord
problems, i.e. ways of getting rid of hoarseness and sore
throats. There are a wide range of pills (with their wide range
of side effects), sprays, Chinese herbs, acupuncture and even
Yoga.
We recommend a blend of citrus extracts.
http://www.tennesseemold.com/shop/index.php
It is topically soothing and rids the body of the fungal
parasites that cause the problem.
An even better solution is to avoid contamination in the first
place. Most of the people with fungal problems picked them up at
work or at home. Usually it is caused by poor ventilation and
water.
Whatever you do DON"T try to kill the fungus with bleach or
poisons. They don't work and they tend to burn the throat. We
are trying to get rid of throat problems, not exchange one for
another.
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