[HANASHIR:15460] Re: Of Larynxgitis

[rysaa <rysaa...>]

Thank you for all of this great info!

I must add that another side effect is bone denisty loss.  When the dr.s saw I 
had no other way for a while, I had to go for body scans once a year.

My son, a speech therapist, also told me the many details you shared regarding 
voice rest.  When I go through a spell of voice-loss, I use a lot more email as 
a commincation vehicle in the school I work in.

Thanks Ros,

Risa Askin
> 
> From: Ros Schwartz <ros_schwartz (at) yahoo(dot)ca>
> Date: 2003/09/29 Mon AM 07:17:11 EDT
> To: hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org
> Subject: [HANASHIR:15432] Re: Of Larynxgitis
> 
> 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
> > 
> 
> 
> 
> 

Risa Askin

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