How To Steam Your Voice At Home - Professional Voice Care Center

[@BeaLaDiva]

I steam always when I have to sing a lot or suffer from vocal fatigue. I have a portable nebulizer, but sometimes I feel, this isn't enough. The warm steam from boiling water with salt or camomile ( only when I have an infection) or both helps me also to relax my muscles in my throat. I even do my first gentle vocal exercises whilst steaming. Sometimes I also put a hot moist towel around my throat and a dry one around it. It helps me so much to relax these muscles when they have too much tension. Steaming is a game changer for me. I really love, that this video confirms my subjective feeling about it.

[@VoiceCareWithKaren]

You've come up with great ideas for relaxing the throat and moisturizing the vocal folds :-) Keep up the good work!

[@diegourrutia2740]

what kind of humidifier do you use?

[@themostexalted2602]

so eloquent and articulated! i could listen to you all day.

[@karensussman9703]

Thank you! I always practice what I preach!

[@BibleNerd22]

Note to self: Steam 1-2x/day for 5-10min with a sipping motion

[@candeincardona]

loved the ideas to steam! & the advices. thank you!!

[@VoiceCareWithKaren]

Glad this is helpful!!

[@jackmacmusic]

Great video! Which would be more helpful for trying to heal vocal nodules? Steaming or nebulizer? Thankyou 😊

[@VoiceCareWithKaren]

Either would be an excellent component of a comprehensive vocal rehabilitation therapy program to help heal your nodules. The nebulizer is portable, rechargeable, and has no warm-up time. The steamer is soothing and also helps open your nasal passages, but is not portable and has a little warm-up time. Studies have shown that nebulized saline may be more effective in moisturizing the vocal folds. It takes less force to vibrate moist cords than dry ones, so there's how it assists in your healing process. Use the link in the comments above for more info. Best of luck!

[@jackmacmusic]

@@VoiceCareWithKaren Thankyou very much

[@jobegorospe3702]

can i use humidifier? is it safe? thank you

[@karensussman9703]

I would advise using a humidifier or vaporizer only for whole-room humidification, not for direct facial steaming. Especially with a hot vaporizer, you could get injured if your face is too close to the steam. For cool-mist moisturizing of your vocal folds, the hand-held nebulizer used with 0.9% saline is the best solution. We are affiliated with VocalMist, a company that makes an excellent voice nebulizer. Here is our link to this product: myvocalmist.com/?afmc=VOICECARE&VOICECARE&

[@sreenandasreekumar257]

Thank you so much mam..

[@VoiceCareWithKaren]

My pleasure. New videos coming soon!

[@emilymarett9826]

During the Winter or even in the summer my throat use to get really dry but I changed my diet habits around and started eating healthy and I'm very good at drinking water going back to the pre Covid days except I'm adding a humidifier and a steamer to my healthcare routine in general plus my vocal health

[@VoiceCareWithKaren]

This sounds like a really good plan!

[@francescoricciardo8645]

Thank you for this useful video. From what I hear, it seems possible to use distilled water in the VocalMist. Could you please confirm this? Thank you again.

[@karensussman9703]

The studies were done using 0.9% sterile saline, so that is all we recommend. You can clean the VocalMist using a cycle of distilled water with a drop of white vinegar, then a few cycles of distilled water to flush it out. But when you inhale from it, use the 0.9% sterile saline that comes with the VocalMist.

[@francescoricciardo8645]

@@karensussman9703 Ok, thank you for your prompt reply, Karen.

[@joanv6114]

How do you clean, disinfect and sterilize the Vocal Mist nebulizer?

[@VoiceCareWithKaren]

I use a drop of white vinegar in the medicine cup, then fill it with distilled water, and run a full cycle. I then run a couple of cycles of distilled water until there is no more vinegar smell. Let it air dry and you are good to go. Also, contact VocalMist directly on their website if you want any clarification; they are the experts, as they are singers who invented VocalMist for singers.

[@Gstar999]

what shud i add to the hot water in addition that can heal damaged vocal chords faster..i have my muscles over strained and permanently damaged feeling over the years..i have vocal fatigue and vocal muscles weakness they change my voice tinge even with a little force applied wen i speak louder

[@karensussman9703]

It's best to use plain water or even distilled water, without anything added that could potentially irritate the mucous membranes. This and adequate hydration should be part of your total vocal hygiene and voice care program, in addition to voice therapy and getting examined by a laryngologist.

[@sudhirmauryaji]

Thanks you ❤️

[@gargantuaism]

Your brick wall is breathing. And thanks for the steaming advice. I am one of the most heard voices at Walt Disney World over the last 30 years so I am always looking for tips.

[@VoiceCareWithKaren]

Yes, those were the "good old days" before we could afford a studio where the brick wall is permanent 🙂I studied voiceovers with a Hannah Barbera voiceover artist, so always happy to hear from voice actors! See our website for more information about the steaming options (link is in the comments below the video). Wishing you continued success!

[@gargantuaism]

@@VoiceCareWithKaren Thank you! So much good info in these videos.

[@chingsmusic6159]

Thnk u for the tios

[@VoiceCareWithKaren]

Glad they are helpful! Check out our newest recommendation, the VocalMist portable voice nebulizer. provoicecare.net/vocal-health-wellness-voice-moisturizers-soothers/ I love mine :-) When you go to that page, you'll even see a special offer! Great for singers and all professional voice users.

[@akeshnayak2099]

this will really help me..

[@karensussman9703]

Super! We love the results of daily steaming. Immediate and direct moisture for your vocal folds!

[@Gstar999]

are there any steroids for vocal chords repair which got permanent damage from vocal chords abuse?

[@cicicici42]

Thank you so much . So when you breath in with your mouth you exhale from the mouth too or the nose?

[@karensussman9703]

When I'm moisturizing my vocal folds, I sip in through the mouth and blow the air out through the mouth. If my nose is dry or clogged, I sniff in through the nose, and blow out through the mouth. Those are my personal preferences. Try it and see what works for you!

[@omarluciano1996]

Can I use a conair steamer (but not get to close to it) or Put the sink water to hot and put a towel over my head and breath in the steam?

[@VoiceCareWithKaren]

We recommend a steamer like the Conair, since it's safe, easy, and effective. The sink water can be used, but be careful. Use a sipping motion to "sip" the steam.

[@vincenttetuaniii]

How long should I steam?

[@VoiceCareWithKaren]

I usually have clients start with 5-10 minutes, 1-2x/day with a sipping or sniffing action.

[@FirebrandVOCALS]

Antihistamine dehydrates the voice? I thought so, I’m having to use antihistamine after I sustained an arm injury last year. 😕

[@karensussman9703]

Yes, they do dehydrate our mucous membranes. Ask your doctor if you need to continue the antihistamines.

[@marialondono8086]

U say it things mucus secretion what if I feel I need more secretion like I'm not producing enough for the mucus membranes to be lubricated naturally ?????

[@VoiceCareWithKaren]

If you feel like you're not producing enough natural lubrication, then increased hydration and steaming would be very helpful. We feel "dry" and "clogged" because our mucus is too thick and lacking in the "watery" component. Water and steam will help to create more of the "watery" component of mucus and therefore will give you more lubrication. Normally the human body produces at least 1 quart of mucus daily. Be advised that there are some medical conditions that produce abnormal dryness. If you're concerned, it's best to be checked by a fellowship-trained laryngologist to rule out a problem.

[@marialondono8086]

@@VoiceCareWithKaren thank you so much for your reply i'm gonna do that i saw an ENT but that was not helpfull so now i know who to look for to help!

[@65plusfabulous56]

Can you add salt to the water?

[@VoiceCareWithKaren]

I don't think it's necessary for a hot steamer. Also depending on the manufacturer's directions, it might not be advisable for the steamer model you're using. For a hot steamer, probably distilled water is best for avoiding mineral deposits in the base. For a voice nebulizer, use 0.9% sterile saline only. For other types of steamers, please consult the manufacturer's directions. On a personal note, I've never put salt in the water in my hot facial steamer. Some hot room vaporizers require salt; again, consult the manufacturer. Hope that helps!

[@oudgrieksgerecht7530]

can your vocal chords get too hot?

[@VoiceCareWithKaren]

The best way to avoid irritation while using hot steam is to sniff it in, or "sip" it in through pursed lips. An even better way is to use a rechargeable cool mist nebulizer like the VocalMist, the voice nebulizer that we now recommend, which uses sterile saline solution. Here's our new video on this product: kzbin.info/www/bejne/d4fVgnR_lt16epY

[@mufasakawasaki]

Does smoking Weed Affect the voice ?

[@VoiceCareWithKaren]

Yes, in numerous ways, all negative, including vocal cord scarring (with decreased range) , laryngitis, traumatic injuries (polyps, nodules, etc.), pre-cancerous changes, and lung disease. Read this informative article by well-known laryngologist Dr. Reena Gupta: www.ohniww.org/the-effects-of-marijuana-on-the-voice/