How can I sing well with a bad cold?

Question

Sore throat, stuffy nose, just a bad cold. I need to be able to sing. What can I do to help my voice as soon as possible?

Answer 1

I totally agree with Moma!!!! A neti pot or any nasal rinse will help you so much with your cold, and any other sinus condition in the future. I am a bad allergy sufferer, and I have to sing frequently. None of the OTC medicines helped even half as much as a nasal rinse. Now be warned, the first time it will feel ackward and you may not do it right on the first try. But you will get used to it. It cleans all of that nasty mucus and other particles out of your system before it makes way to your mouth and throat. Make sure you read the directions properly. The sinus rinse goes into one sinus, and comes out into the other sinus. Do this today, and forever! It also prevents colds and sinutitis also. Trust me, it has created so much relief for people like me. I used to constantly battle with things like this, and it has decreased tremendously since I started cleaning my sinuses everyday.

Another thing you need to do it REST. Rest as much as you can and get that Vitamin C. Zinc helps too. Even if you just lay in the bed but can't sleep, it will help. No unneccasary talking, and definitely NO SCREAMING, but I know you are already aware of that. Just lay down as long as your day permits. Even if you just take an extra 4 hours to lay in the bed during the day and do nothing, you will hear a difference.

Now if you have to sing soon, I would suggest vocalizing the phlegm off of your vocal chords. BUT TAKE IT EASY! Don't overdo it, because you don't want to prevent your healing process to move faster. And it will sound horrible the first couple of minutes, but after a while you will hear a difference. Don't concentrate on how bad it sounds. Just keep singing until you hear an audible difference. Eventually, it will sound better. But again. DON'T OVERDO IT. If it starts to hurt as you continue, stop singing. If you are singing with good breath support, it will be ok. But I wouldn't suggest singing for a long period of time, as you would do if you were well. It is just for breaking up that mucus, and keeps your vocal chords from getting lazy. I do this when I battle colds and I know I have to sing in a couple of days. It works for me.

And right now, stay away from high fat milk products. That will only make the mucus build-up worse. But keep yourself hydrated with plenty of water in order to flush that cold out. Any hot liquid drinks or soup will help too.

Last christmas, I had to sing one of the solos in the Messiah. I battled a nasty cold during the process. But creating rest (even with a job and kids), slowly vocalizing, taking vitamins, and staying hydrated with water helped me so much. I was able to perform pretty well, even with the cold (and if you know anything about the Messiah, it isn't an easy thing to sing even when you are well LOL!). Professional singers have to sing through this stuff all the time, so we learn ways to battle colds in a healthy way without creating havoc on our chords. REST REST REST, and I pray you have a speedy recovery!

Answer 2

If most of the symptoms are in your nose (stuffiness and post nasal drip) try a nasal rinse. It's disgusting, but it works. Use a very mild saline solution (a pinch of salt mixed in a cup of warm water) and snort it into your nose. After a minute, blow your nose. This is an old opera singers trick and works pretty well if you can stand it. You might have to try it a couple of times to get used to it.

If you just can't do the full rinse, try Ocean or some other commercial saline product.

If you just have to sing short term, like for a gig or an audition, Tylenol or Advil will help for a while, but they are not a good long-term solution.

Drink extra water (hot or cold).

Be careful singing with a cold. If you continue to overuse your voice in this condition, it will take longer for your voice to come back.

Answer 3

Best thing you can do is just take a warm steamy shower, stretch your neck out until you feel your throat muscles stretch, keep your throat well lubricated and free of phlegm and all (as gross as it is, don't cough it up or anything.. if you can't silently push it up out of your throat, swallow it), and warm up your voice frequently enough that you can take advantage of the wonderful clarity your voice gets from a cold.

I love singing when I have a cold, it's some of the best singing I do! :)

Answer 4

mix 1 cup hot water, or tea, add 1 tablespoon each honey & lemon juice. Drink this 3-4 times a day. Plus take a good cold medicine.

Answer 5

relatively relax And in case you may desire to declare some thing Write It Down. Take a protracted Soak in the tub If which will relax You. do not consume Or Drink ANY Dairy products. wish I Helped!

Answer 6

Nuke water and honey for like 3 minutes.
And right before blow you're nose like every five minutes.
I had the same problem before my guys went on stage.

Answer 7

drink some lukewarm tea....no dairy of course...don't drink a lot of cold drinks(even though it feels good in your throat, its not a good idea) just stick to warm drinks....soups if possible

Answer 8

Well I really don't know if this really work but have you tried sucking on a lemon.

Answer 9

Olivier oil, and hot tea.

Answer 10

try drinking some tea