Videostroboscopy is the gold standard for taking care of your voice. But here are a few things you can do at home:

Drink eight glasses of water daily, as this helps to lubricate your vocal cords. Well-hydrated vocal folds require less effort from the lungs to vibrate. They also recover from injuries faster when they are well lubricated.

Don’t smoke or inhale second-hand smoke, as this is strongly linked with lung cancer and laryngeal cancer. The combination of tobacco smoke and alcohol is particularly risky for esophageal and laryngeal cancer.

Limit your use of caffeine and alcohol because they cause your body to lose hydration.

Use a saltwater rinse to gargle, and avoid peppermint and spearmint, as these promote stomach acid to reflux into your esophagus.

Avoid coughing and throat clearing. Both are very hard on your vocal cords. Try to sip water, swallow hard or clear your voice silently.

During the winter, keep either a hot steam or cool mist vaporizer in your room with the door closed. The ideal room humidity for your voice is 40-60 percent. Mold tends to grow at humidity levels greater than 60 percent.

Eating healthy foods and eating in moderation helps to control excessive stomach acid from spilling into your throat. Eighty percent of people with laryngopharyngeal reflux won’t feel it.

You are a “professional voice user” if your voice is required for your job duties. Examples include call center operators, teachers, radio show hosts, ministers, singers, etc.

If you find that your voice is tired, pay attention and try to rest it. Vocal fatigue is the first sign of vocal pathology. Please see your doctor, or one of our board certified otolaryngologists if you are hoarse for more than two weeks.

Performance Voice Solutions is a division of Northside ENT.