| RELATED INFO |
| * Mahalakshmi Sivasankar |
March 25, 2008
Let your voice be heard: Candidates model how to care for your voice
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - |
"Some lessons can be learned from just watching the candidates, who will always have water next to them so they can take frequent sips," says Mahalakshmi Sivasankar, an assistant professor of speech sciences who studies how speakers can talk for long periods without damaging their voices.
"Hydrating the vocal folds indirectly by drinking lots of water and directly by increasing room humidity is critical, as is pausing to give your voice a break. When we speak, we tend to breathe through the mouth, and that may dehydrate the vocal folds. This can be especially problematic for people who struggle with vocal fatigue."
Other ways to protect the voice:
* Use microphones or an amplification system.
* Avoid yelling and screaming.
* Minimize caffeine and alcoholic drinks because they can dehydrate.
* Get adequate sleep.
* Warm up your voice each morning by taking five minutes to glide up and down your pitch scale -- lowest note to highest note.
Vocal fatigue can manifest as general tiredness or a hoarse and scratchy voice. Vocal fatigue can be a symptom of an existing vocal fold lesion or can be a sign of a developing voice problem, says Sivasankar, who is an expert in vocal fatigue and increasing vocal endurance and hydration issues related to the larynx.
A person may experience vocal fatigue occasionally after talking more than usual or screaming at a concert or football game. For others it's a daily phenomenon.
"Studies have found that voice disorders have a tremendous psychological and economical impact," Sivasankar says. "Employers are less likely to hire someone with a voice problem, and people with voice problems tend to have lower paying jobs. It can even affect a person's ability to socialize."
It's estimated that voice problems cost the United States $5 billion a year for treatment, replacement personnel and workmen's compensation claims, Sivasankar says. About 5 to 10 million Americans have voice problems, and Sivasankar says the number is increasing quickly because of improvements in diagnosis and an increased awareness about professionals who can treat voice problems, as well as more harmful environmental factors that contribute to the problem. Some of these factors include pollution, allergens and smoke exposure and dry environments.
Sivasankar also is studying how some asthma medications administered via inhaler affect the vocal folds.
Writer: Amy Patterson Neubert, (765) 494-9723, apatterson@purdue.edu
Source: Mahalakshmi Sivasankar, (765) 496-6628, msivasankar@purdue.edu
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu
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