5 Natural Remedies and Methods for Singers to Reduce Congestion and Phlegm
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Occasionally singers struggle with additional congestion or phlegm. This gets in the way of singing. If you find yourself constantly clearing your throat or sniffling, read on below for what could be causing these issues and natural solutions for them.
“Mucus and phlegm get sort of a bad reputation,” says Dr. Richard Boucher, a lung expert at the University of North Carolina. “People think about it as something you’re supposed to cough up and get out. That it’s a bad thing. But in truth, mucus really is the interface between you and the outside world.”
¹Mucus lines the moist surfaces of your body like the lungs, sinuses, mouth, stomach, and intestines. Even your eyes are coated with a thin layer of mucus. It serves as a lubricant to keep tissues from drying out. It’s also a line of defense. Your body makes a lot of mucus, although no one’s quite sure how much. Mucus is mostly water. But it also contains special proteins, sugars, and molecules that help the body control harmful germs.
“Mucus is very important for filtering out materials that you breathe in through your nose, such as dust and allergens and microorganisms,” says Dr. Andrew Lane, an ear, nose, and throat expert at Johns Hopkins University. “Anything that you breathe in gets stuck in the mucus, like flypaper.”
The first thing to know is that nasal or head congestion or phlegm is often is a sign of the body fighting or trying to heal something. However, it can be a complex puzzle to solve depending on the person, their constitution and environment. I have found over 38 years of applying natural remedies and looking for solutions for singers that it is usually a combination of several things.
Persistent nasal or head congestion is a sign of one or a combination of two or three of the following:
1. Allergy
2. Infection
3. Laryngeal reflux
1. Allergy
You can have an allergy to something you are eating or something in your environment that causes congestion. It’s the body’s way of protecting itself against the allergen or irritant. The mucous forms as a protective barrier from the foreign substance or irritation.
The symptoms of allergies can also come from foods or beverages you are eating that you are allergic to. Sometimes we get an intolerance when we eat too much of one food. There are tests you can take with a nutritionist to find out what you are allergic to. The usual protocol is to eliminate that food for a few weeks and see if the allergic reaction goes away. You can go through foods one by one that way on your own to do some testing.
Remedies to try for allergic symptoms:
- Homeopathy: I would try one per a week to see which one works best. Follow instructions. Homeopathy is usually 3 days on, 3 days off.
- AllergyCalm by Boiron: Learn more here.
- SinusCalm by Boiron: Learn more here.
- Histaminium by Boiron: Learn more here.
- Eliminating potential food allergens. Eating a bland diet and reintroducing foods to see if there is a reaction.
- Eliminating environmental allergens. Additionally, eliminating allergens in the environment really help. We can’t control outdoor pollutants but we can work on eliminating indoor irritants. Keeping your home clean is extremely effective at reducing or eliminating symptoms.
A few ways to do that:
- Eliminate carpeting which tends to house irritants
- Get a really good air filter. It is completely worth the investment. The cleaner your home environment, the less allergic reactions you will have when you go outside. I use a Sun-Pure air filter in my bedroom and a Molekule air filter in my living room.
- Sun-Pure Air Filter: Learn more here.
- Molekule Air Filter – 1000 ft room: Learn more here.
- Molekule Air Filter Mini – 250 ft room: Learn more here.
2. Infection: Respiratory or Sinus infections
Respiratory infections are the a result of a weakened immune system, so the first thing is to strengthen your immune system and the overall health of your body.
Sinus infections can linger for months or even years!
Remedies to try for sinus infections:
- Inhale Hydrogen peroxide (food grade) or Collodiol silver in a nebulizer 2x daily. 1 part HP or CS to 2 parts water. Either hydrogen peroxide or colloidal silver will both get rid of an infection pretty quickly. Inhale through a nebulizer (see my recommended nebulizer below) or spray up your nose 2-3 times a day.
- Oregano oil – inhale 3 times day. Put on sinuses and chest with carrier oil like coconut oil. Oregano oil has a very strong odor and some people don’t like this one! But it is extremely effective.
- Thyme tea – antibacterial and antiviral properties.
Remedies to try for clogged sinuses or colds:
- Acupressure points:
- Use both thumbs to apply pressure to the inner point of each eyebrow, between the bridge of your nose and eye socket. Press for 30 seconds and release. Repeat until you feel your sinuses begin to open.
- Try pressing the end of your nose downward 30 seconds and release. Repeat until you feel your sinuses begin to open.
- Nose strips:
- Balm: I like using a aromatic strong balm to open the sinuses. Slather it on your neck muscles and hold infrot of your nose and inhale through your nose for 5-10 minutes to open up your sinuses. Here are my favorite balms:
- Doterra Breathe Vapor stick: Learn more here.
- Tiger Balm: Learn more here.
- Sunrider Sunbreeze Balm: Learn more here.
- Steam with eucalyptus oil:
- You can just use hot water in a pot and place a towl over your head, or cup your hands and breathe in steam.
- Pure mist steamer (cordless): Learn more here.
- Doterra eucalyptus essential oil: Learn more here.
If you want to get set on a PLAN to reduce or eliminate your allergies, I wrote out a complete plan in my Vocal Resource Library. This plan has helped eliminate allergies for many of my students.
You can find this plan to reduce allergies naturally inside my Vocal Resource Library* here.
* Use the coupon code “VRL10off” to save $10.00.
3. Laryngeal reflux
There is another thing that causes phlegm that many people are not aware of. And it’s something that singers in particular struggle with. It’s called laryngeal reflux. Laryngeal reflux is imilar to GERD (Gastro-esophageal Reflux Disease) but often without burping up stomach acid and can remain completely silent.
Some of the telltale signs of laryngeal reflux are: phlegm – particularly in the morning, constant thirst and clearing the throat all the time. Reflux causes a dry throat and vocal cords that are chafed and irritated. This results in cracks and breaks in your voice, trouble hitting high notes and inconsistent vocal production.
I discuss all of the details about laryngeal reflux, and how to reduce symptoms and eliminate it altogether in the Vocal Resource Library. This has helped many singers recover their voices.
You can find it inside my Vocal Resource Library* here.
* Use the coupon code “VRL10off” to save $10.00.
The body forms mucous to heal and protect the vocal cords from laryngeal reflux which burns and irritates the vocal cors. The acid goes all the way up into the nasal cavity and can causes nasal and head congestion as well.
Remedies to try if you think you have laryngeal reflux:
- Don’t eat 3 hours before bed. You can have water or tea but no food. When you eat or have a snack close to bedtime, the stomach acids wash up on the vocal cords while you are sleeping (Laying flat) causing laryngeal reflux. The stomach acids wash up on the vocal folds causing irritation and burning the cords.
- In addition, highly acidic foods can be the culprit. The main foods to eliminate are:
- Marinara sauce: Sauce that sits on the stove and cooks for a while becomes highly acidic. Consuming fresh tomatoes, or even throwing fresh cherry tomatoes in to a quick stirfry is not a problem.
- Oranges, orange juice or tangerines: Oranges turn acidic in the body. Stay away from oranges or tangerines to reduce reflux.
- Carbonated drinks: any carbonated beverage will cause stomach acids to wash up on the vocal cords. Stay away from all carbonated drinks!
- Fried foods: Fried foods are highly acidic. Stay away from fried foods to reduce or eliminate reflux. I had a singer who was having trouble on the road and it turns out she would treat herself to french fries and a beer post show. Once we eliminated both, she no longer lost her voice on tour!
- Vinegar: Try replacing vinegar on your salads with lemon. Lemon turns alkaline in the body and won’t cause reflux like vinegar does!
- Red wine: Some people have a problem with red wine.
The Three Day Rule: Performance Prep for Singers by Cari Cole – Foods to stay away from three days before an important performance or recording!
The Do’s and Don’ts of Singing Through a Cold by Cari Cole
10 Steps to Vocal Health + Wellness
4. Reducing Phelgm in General and Before a Show or Recording
Phelgm can be quite an issue when it comes to singing and recording. For recording sessions I highly recommend rescheduling. There is really no way to hide the sound of a stuffed nose on record. For performances, you can sing with a cold as long as it’s only up in your head not in your throat. The rule of thumb for vocal health is to not sing if you have pain in your throat as this is a sign of inflammation of the vocal cords and you can cause a vocal problem or injury. .
Try this:
- Steam: steam can help to open the nasal passages. Steam for 10 minutes with plain water or try 2 drops of eucalyptus essential oil to open up your airways. Breathe in through your nose and mouth.
- Hydration: dehydration can actually cause phlegm. The body’s way of providing moisture to dry areas. So be sure to stay hydrated with half your body weight in water, broths and fresh juices. For some extra moisture try chunks of melon in your water.
- Eliminate dairy: many people have increased phlegm from dairy products and from wheat. If you struggle with phlegm, trying eliminating these foods for a few weeks and see if you have less sniffles and phlegm!
** Note: Stay away from pharmaceuticals which come with side effects. Some singers reach for Nasonex or Mucinex, but these medications solve phelgm by drying it out which causes terrible problems for singers (basically dehydrating you!). The last thing a singer wants is dry vocal cords which cause problems with range, tone and vocal production. It’s much harder to sing when you are dry and dehydrated.
5. Deviated septum
A deviated septum is when the nasal septum is displaced to one side, making one nasal passage smaller than the other. It can cause obstruction, nosebleeds, facial pain and other symptoms. It can be caused by injury, infection or aging. Treatment may include surgery or a doctor may prescribe medications, but I prefer natural treatments that don’t come with side effects. **See #4 above.
Try this:
- To see if you have a deviated septum, close one nostril and inhale gently through the open nostril. Then try on the other nostril. If both are open it is highly unlikely that you have a deviated septum. If one nostril is significantly more closed than the other (or super stuffy on a regular basis) chances are you may have a deviated septum.
- Should you have an operation? Depends on the severity. I prefer to always try to handle things naturally before considering surgery. That said, I have been through the surgery with several students. Some felt a big difference, others not so much.
- If you do have a deviated septum but want to handle it naturally, use the remedies above to help reduce mucous and phlegm. Along with the acupressure points and acupuncture to help open up the nose. Also use the balms and essential oils listed above.
Medical Disclaimer: The information provided on Cari Cole’s website is informational only and should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health condition or disease. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified health provider regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you read on our website. If you think you have a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room immediately.
For more information about natural remedies that work for singers, click below to get our Ebook: The Vocal Resource Library compiled over 30 years of research.
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Hi, I’m Cari Cole.
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Her latest venture, CCVM a label services company, provides artists with a seamless path from creation to completion. After 30+ years of observing the overwhelm and challenges that artists face, Cari pulled together the best top creative professionals and designed a new approach to supporting our artists.
Disclaimer:
The information provided on Cari Cole's website is informational only and should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease. Those seeking personal medical advice should consult with a licensed physician. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health provider regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on Cari Cole's website. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room immediately.