Sore throat from singing: best tips to avoid it

You may be surprised to learn that singing may be considered a kind of exercise. It puts a lot of strain on your body, especially if you aren't doing it properly.

The first thing to keep in mind is that, more than likely, damage to your vocal cords itself is not the cause of your sore throat; rather, it is the result of sore throat muscles. We hardly ever utilize our throat muscles when speaking.

However, when we sing, we unconsciously begin to contract (and perhaps overcontract) the muscles in our throats, which in turn causes the vocal cords themselves to become contracted. Your throat starts to hurt at this point.

Have you ever experienced the sensation that your throat was constricting or straining excessively? What did you do wrong, and how can you sing in the future without irritating your throat? Here are some potential causes of sore throats from singing as well as solutions.

Not Warming Up

Consider it this way: in order to avoid injuries, you wouldn't engage in strenuous activity or a marathon without first warming up. The same holds true for voice exercises.

Warming up is good for your voice's general health and vocal quality. It also helps you get into the zone faster. It's possible that you didn't warm up sufficiently, didn't do the appropriate exercises, or didn't warm up at all if your throat hurts after singing.

Professional singers generally warm up for 20 to 30 minutes before a concert, but you don't need to do that if you're simply practicing by yourself in your room. You should wait between 10 and 15 minutes before beginning to sing correctly.

Lack of lubrication when singing

Speaking and singing both require lubrication. If you don't drink enough water, your throat will rub against itself and perhaps hurt. This is an excellent reason to begin drinking more water if you don't already, and to improve your lifestyle!

For people experiencing throat pain for this reason, fortunately, getting the appropriate amount of water is a simple solution. When it comes to being hydrated, there are two key points to keep in mind.

First off, drinking a glass of water just before you start singing won't help much since you need to hydrate many hours before singing. It's certainly better than nothing, but you should always be prepared to avoid having to prepare for hydration.

The second thing to remember is that cold drinks, particularly those that are ice-cold, might make the issue momentarily worse. Any muscle that receives a cold stimulus contracts.

Pain and tension might result from your neck muscles constricting as a result of the cold. To avoid this, drink hot or at room temperature.When singing, tea is usually a good alternative to water.

Trying too hard to hit notes

We frequently overwork our throat muscles, causing them to constrict our vocal cords to the point where we strike the note poorly and experience throat discomfort when we attempt to sing pitches that we fear are beyond our range.

When you are anxious before singing, picture your entire body tensing up. If you tens up in there, your throat muscles will become rigid, causing friction and soreness.

Try to relax before striking the notes you believe to be excessively high. It is less likely that this friction will occur and hurt you when your throat is more relaxed.

Ineffective breath support might also cause straining. If you aren't breathing sufficiently to go through a sung phrase, your throat muscles will become overused and generate that same friction whether or not you are singing a high note.

To prevent this, take a deep breath before beginning your sung phrases to help your throat muscles relax.

Singing too loudly

Many musical genres demand performers to "belt," meaning deliver a high note with all of their heart and soul. Most individuals belt incorrectly, which results in throat soreness and voice exhaustion (also known as hoarseness).

You must learn how to belt properly from the correct place if you want to prevent suffering. In the realm of singing, belting is frequently done incorrectly, but the secret to performing it effectively is to avoid projecting too much chest voice force into the high notes.

Too much singing

As we previously stated, singing is similar to exercising in that it may become painful if done for an extended period of time. However, while daily singing practice is advised, nobody suggests singing nonstop for long periods of time every day.

Take occasional breaks from using your voice. Try switching between singing, playing an instrument, observing other singers, and studying music theory if you're actively trying to improve your musical ability and wish to dedicate several hours at a time. This will give your throat and vocal chords a break.

Sore throat from singing - Conclusion

There are several reasons why you have a sore throat after singing. In order to enhance your singing without jeopardizing the health of your vocal chords, you need to become more conscious of how your lifestyle, surroundings, and health might assist you in identifying the likely cause and what to do about it.

If you liked this post and would want to read more tips for your music career and general information about the music industry, please visit our blog section.

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Thanks for reading,
CalypsoRoom Team

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Written by CalypsoRoom Editorial Team
The CalypsoRoom Editorial Team is a skilled and diverse group of writers, researchers, and industry specialists who have access to Calypso's data and information in order to give you broad knowledge about the music industry as well as helpful advice to help you manage your music and dancing career.

Updated January 2023

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