What is Acid Reflux?
Acid reflux is a condition where the stomach acids go backwards from the stomach to the esophagus. In severe cases stomach acids can go all the way up to the throat. Acid reflux can be present during short periods of times or in severe cases people can experience acid reflux symptoms in a daily basis. For a complete explanation of this condition click here.
Acid reflux burns and swells the throat, trachea and the vocal chords and can cause severe inflammation and hoarseness. Singers may experience a feeling of pushing and forcing the voice because "the voice won't go out if is not pushed". The voice doesn't respond to your commands making you feel like a total failure... You know what to do but the voice doesn't do it... Why does this happen? It happens because the vocal chords and everything around is BURNED!! including the stomach and the esophagus - Stomach acids burn like any other acid you might think of.
Here I included the 7 common symptoms singers experience while suffering of acid reflux. To read about triggers, treatment and other useful information click here.
1 - TOO MUCH PUSHING - Many singers feel if they don't push the voice won't come out. This makes singers to "push" more air than what is required to create a sound.
2 - SENSATION OF RANGE LIMITATION - Mostly on the big transition right before the head voice. The singer experiences a very hard time mixing chest and head voice. In men the mix can break and voice will go to falsetto or he'll feel something is in the middle of the way and he might feel he can't keep going up. In women the feeling is of pulling too much chest voice and she might feel "too much weight" on her voice and too much muscle engagement trying to reach higher notes. The voice might break giving a breathy and very weak sound. This sound is totally disconnected like a feminine falsetto (if it can be described like that.) Another symptom is the feeling is the voice is "placed" to low and unable to reach the resonant cavities or "the mask" where the sound wants to go naturally. This gives the singer the sensation of a tired voice and it can be painful at times.
3 - MORNING HOARSENESS - Singers might experience the voice is airy, tired, weak and hoarse. If the acid reflux is not severe, the voice usually seems to get better through the day and they can sing without big problems in the afternoon but even they can sing they might experience a little bit of pulling on the mixing voice and a little bit of pushing singing the high notes. Morning hoarseness can be accompanied by a burning sensation on the mouth, throat and esophagus.
4 - VOICE BREAKS DURING SINGING OR SPEAKING - Some singers might experience the voice breaks and just air comes out while singing or even while speaking. This happens when the vocal chords are swollen and cannot make a full closure letting air escape and not sound is coming out because the vocal chords are not vibrating properly and not getting together at all times during compression activity.
5 - STOMACH, CHEST AND THROAT PAIN - Singers can experience pain before, during and after singing or speaking. They can also experience pain when swallowing food, liquids or even their own saliva. This happens because of the swelling of all the muscles involved in the digestion process and includes the trachea, the larynx the base of the tongue and of course, the vocal chords.
6 - THROAT AND MOUTH DRYNESS - Singers can experience dryness on their throat and mouth. This can result in a raspy voice. This is not a normal dryness you can fix easily by drinking water. The dryness sensation is due to the continuous burn of the acid reflux on your vocal chords.
7. - DEVELOPING BAD SINGING HABITS - Singers might unconsciously develop bad and unhealthy singing habits by forcing, pulling, pushing and engaging to much muscle force while singing or even speaking. This will create a battery of bad habits that can be difficult to fix because the voice is not capable to respond to a gentle approach to create an effortless sound. Even if the acid reflux is getting "under control" many singers have to face the fact they have developed many bad habits during the time the acid reflux was active. This can be very frustrating and many singers stop practicing and singing.
REBUILDING THE VOICE:
This can be and is the most frustrating and difficult thing to do after controlling the acid reflux. To rebuild and re coordinate the vocal mechanism takes time and patience, not only from the singer but from the voice teacher as well. It is important to find a teacher who knows this condition and knows how to guide the singer into re coordinating the vocal mechanism carefully and keeping in mind the singer's voice had gone through a severe trauma.
It is important to understand the voice will get better step by step. Rebuilding and re coordinating the voice must be done with a gentle approach. Working the muscles and the air flow in a soft and gentle manner. Re training the light vocal mechanism and toning the vocal chords one bit at a time.
This re coordination takes months of therapeutic vocalization until the voice regain strength, flexibility, beauty and endurance. As the therapeutic vocalization advances and shows progress, the singer's mind set might changes from shame and fear, to regain self confidence and happiness.
REBUILDING THE VOICE:
It is important to understand the voice will get better step by step. Rebuilding and re coordinating the voice must be done with a gentle approach. Working the muscles and the air flow in a soft and gentle manner. Re training the light vocal mechanism and toning the vocal chords one bit at a time.
This re coordination takes months of therapeutic vocalization until the voice regain strength, flexibility, beauty and endurance. As the therapeutic vocalization advances and shows progress, the singer's mind set might changes from shame and fear, to regain self confidence and happiness.
