[HANASHIR:15432] Re: Of Larynxgitis

[Ros Schwartz <ros_schwartz...>]

A few words from a medic ...

1.  The following may be obvious to many of you, but we have just been 
discussing the varying levels of knowledge amongst us, so I thought I 
would say it in case there are those who don't know:

The single most important factor, in healing laryngitis, is ***VOICE 
REST***.  The less you speak, the quicker you will get your voice back. 
  If you want to be able to sing at Yom Kippur - don't say a word 
between now and then.

Wearing a sign that says "I can't talk!" can be helpful to alert others. 
  Carry a pen & paper everywhere.  When people talk to you, point to the 
sign, & pull out the pen & paper to reply.

Whispering, by the way, is worse than speaking, it puts more strain on 
the vocal cords.

The problem with laryngitis is that it is _painless_.  So your body will 
not alert you to the damage being done.  But talking or whispering with 
an inflamed voicebox will delay the healing process.  In addition to 
this short-term problem, there is the risk of developing vocal nodules, 
which are the body's response to irritation of the vocal cords - much 
like calluses on the feet.  In the early stages, these are reversible. 
In later stages, surgery may be required.

2.  Prednisone is an anti-inflammatory, it works by reducing the body's 
inflammatory response.  So it can be effective at reducing the swelling 
and inflammation of the vocal cords, thereby restoring the voice.  But 
there are several prices to be paid:

a)  the inflammatory response is part of the body's immune resistance 
system.  So the prednisone can reduce the immune response, and allow the 
  underlying infection - which originally caused the laryngitis - to 
flare up.  In addition, other infections will more easily take hold as well.

b)  Prednisone has *many many* potential side effects.  In focussed 
brief usage, these are usually not a problem.  In repeated usage, they 
can be severe.  And there is the occasional person who will react even 
to a single short course of prednisone.  One immediate risk, for a 
singer, is the possibility of sudden unexpected extreme mood swings, 
from a "high" to a deep depression.  Quite rare, but debilitating if it 
occurs.

So:  prednisone is useful in the extreme circumstances where you _must_ 
perform, there is no one else to replace you, and the potential side 
effects are worth the immediate benefits.  But it should be used as an 
occasional last resort.

Someone asked about injectable steroids - they do exist (called by a 
different name than prednisone) but are not usually used in this kind of 
circumstance, for a variety of reasons.  But that is an individual 
decision in each case.

Shana tova to all of you!

- Ros



Carol Boyd Leon wrote:
> Using prednisone for laryngitis can have its drawbacks.  The last time I 
> had laryngitis and really needed my voice for singing, I went on it, 
> too, as I'd done before.  But this time it allowed other problems to 
> develop -- namely, an ear infection.  So I paid for having a voice on 
> Shabbat by having an earache the next day plus additional doctor's 
> bills....
> 
> Life's really not fair, is it?
> 
> -- Carol Boyd Leon
> 
> 
> ----Original Message Follows----
> From: "Francine Berg" <songberg (at) hotmail(dot)com>
> Reply-To: hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org
> To: hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org
> Subject: [HANASHIR:15410] Re: Of Larynxgitis
> Date: Sun, 28 Sep 2003 22:21:20 -0400
> 
> Hello fellow singers,
>   If you are suffering from laryngitis, and getting very close to the 
> holidays,  I go to my ENT, and get on a 6 day pack of prednisone.  It 
> works wonders, and as long as this is not used alot, there will not be 
> any long-lasting side effects.  I have had to on this "stuff" for many a 
> holiday, since September and October are very bad allergy times for me.  
> It is the wonder drug for singers!!!!!!!  Francine Berg  Syracuse
> 


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