Vocal maintenance presents one of the prominent aspects of the singer’s career. Maintaining the right state of the throat and vocal cords, in particular, is necessary for the signers to control their voice’s sound and quality. The main recommendations require providing additional attention to various health concerns that can affect the signing voice, including sinusitis, laryngitis, and nodules. On the other hand, many other factors can also influence the singer’s voice. For example, different foods, including dairy, spicy food, and fried food, can increase the phlegm amounts in the throat or even cause inflammation of the vocal cords. This essay will explore the influence of drug intake on the singer’s voice and illustrate the importance of the topic for the singer’s vocal cords maintenance.
Firstly, it is necessary for the signers to understand how most medications can negatively influence the voice. A common part of the medications’ side effect is dry mouth condition, where the medication removes the mucosal layer from the vocal cords. The drying of the mucosal layer causes vibrations, as vocal cords require lubrication to work properly. The vibration of vocal cords during signing can potentially cause irritations or injuries. The common medications that cause dry mouth conditions as a side effect are depression treatment medications, antihistamines, muscle relaxants, and pain relief medications.
Furthermore, another common effect that medications can cause on the singer is blood thinning. Blood-thinning medications, also known as anticoagulants, are predominantly used to prevent blood clots from forming. Their negative influence on the singer’s vocal cords presents an increased chance of bruising of vocal cords in case of trauma. Hematomas and bruising, in their turn, can cause edema, which will result in hoarseness or deepening of the singer’s voice.
Knowing the mechanisms of common side effects in medications depending on their type can help signers understand the source of sudden changes in their voice and prevent them from injuring the vocal cords. However, there are many other types of medications that can also influence the singer’s voice. For example, hormones in the form of medication are commonly used to treat menopause-associated complications. Hormones can cause a change in the pitch of the singer’s voice. Thus, androgen hormone can negatively affect the singer’s ability to hit high notes.
Lastly, even oral contraceptive pills, which can be overlooked as vocal-related medication, can cause edema or building of fluid in the vocal cords. Therefore, professional singers must take good care of their health and prevent potential health issues in order to maintain control over their voices. In cases where continuous drugs intake for health needs negatively affects the signer’s voice, consultation with vocal specialists can determine whether the medication is causing the voice change and find alternative medicines.
In conclusion, many factors can have a negative effect on a singer’s voice. This essay explored the effects that different drugs can cause on a signer’s voice and common mechanisms of side effects in medications. The essay defined that most medications can affect the singer’s voice by causing a dry mouth condition, which causes a vibration due to lack of lubrication of vocal cords. Other specific types of medications, such as blood thinner and hormones, can cause hoarseness or pitch changes in the singer’s voice. Thus, singers should take care of their health to prevent potential health issues and cautiously manage their drug intake.