The vocal cords consist of muscle tissue, which are two small elastic bands inside the larynx. When not speaking, the vocal cords remain open; to allow you to breathe, but when you exhale, air passes from the trachea to the closed vocal cords, causing them to vibrate and make noise. So why can damage to the vocal cords occur? What are the best exercises to strengthen the vocal cords?

Causes that can damage the vocal cords

Some habits that we practice unconsciously or some diseases cause damage to the vocal cords, so what are those reasons?

smoking

According to Dr. Milstein, smoking can put you at risk of throat cancer, in addition to the combination of tobacco and alcohol increases this risk.

Singing too loud

Dr. Milstein also says that people try to imitate what they see on TV, without considering how, and that can damage their voice.

GERD

People don’t yet realize how serious GERD is and how it affects the vocal cords over time.

Excessive talking during the cold turn

Excessive talking during the course of a cold or the presence of infections affects the voice; Therefore, it is preferable to rest the voice and not talk excessively until recovery time.

What are vocal cord strengthening exercises?

If damage to the vocal cords causes them to weaken, here are some exercises to strengthen the vocal cords and improve the voice or treat a weak vocal cord:

Pronounce words or phrases that begin with a vowel

Pronunciation of words or phrases that begin with a vowel is one of the best exercises to strengthen the vocal cords, as repeating the phrase “Ah-Ah-Ah” for at least 10 times three times a day, and try to repeat other words that start with vowels throughout the day, such as:

• Elephant
• Accident
• Ignore (ignore)

Throat clearing

The Ohio University Medical Center recommends the supraglottic swallow maneuver by:

1. Turning the head toward the damaged vocal cords, and if both sides of the vocal cords are damaged, let the head point forward.
2. Hold your breath tightly while swallowing.
3. I cough after swallowing just before exhaling.

The throat is cleared during the swallowing phase, while the vocal cords are brought together during the coughing phase.

Throat relaxation

Relaxing the throat may help strengthen the vocal cords, in addition to controlling breathing, by:

1. Lie on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
2. Place your hand on your stomach and inhale slowly through the nose and exhale slowly through the lips.
3. Watch your hand move up and down with each breath.
4. Vary the speed of inhalation and exhalation, keeping the throat relaxed with each breath.

When you get used to this exercise, it is preferable to perform it in different positions.

Top tips for protecting your vocal cords

In order to maintain the health of the vocal cords, you should follow some tips, as follows:

1. Give your voice a rest
2. I drink a lot of fluids, like green tea
3. Avoid caffeine, such as coffee
4. Avoid activities that damage the vocal cords, such as speaking loudly for a long time.
5. Eat foods that strengthen the vocal cords and help treat hoarseness.

Finally, after you know the most important exercises to strengthen the vocal cords, you should know that the blessing of the voice is considered one of the most important blessings in our lives, because of the importance it represents in communication between each other, so you must take care of your vocal cords and treat them in a good way, and consult a doctor immediately when feeling something is wrong