4 Tips For Overcoming Vocal Cord Injuries After An Accident

An auto accident can result in a wide variety of injuries, and that includes damage to your vocal cords. While that type of injury can make everyday activities very difficult, it is especially hard if you are a vocalist. Vocal cord injuries are dangerous, but there are a few simple steps that you can take to speed up your recovery. Here are 4 tips for overcoming vocal cord injuries after an accident.

Use Your Voice Sparingly

The most important step in your recovery is resting your vocal cords as much as possible. Whenever you use your voice, you could irritate the damaged soft tissue, and that is only going to prolong your recovery. For at least a few days, you must try to refrain from speaking entirely. During that time, you might want to keep a notebook and pen with you at all times so that you can communicate with your loved ones. This will be especially hard if singing is something you do daily, but try to resist the urge to push yourself.

Drink Plenty of Healthy Fluids

If the damage is relatively minor, then you should be able to treat it with nothing more than home remedies. In addition to resting your vocal cords and using over-the-counter painkillers, you should also try to drink healthy fluids throughout the day. Beverages like herbal tea and bone broth will keep your throat moisturized and provide you with dozens of important nutrients. You will also need to avoid any foods or drinks that could potentially irritate your throat, including most spicy foods and dry things like crackers and chips.

Voice Therapy

For a severe vocal cord injury, you will most likely need to meet with a speech-language pathologist. That medical specialist is going to guide you through many different exercises that strengthen your throat without straining the vocal cords. While every case is slightly different, you should plan on meeting with your speech-language pathologist at least once or twice a week for a few months. The speech pathologist will also give you exercises that you can carry out at home.

Surgical Options

Unfortunately, some vocal cord injuries can only be treated with surgical operations. If your injury requires an operation, then you should contact a lawyer and explore your legal options. Those procedures are often quite pricey, and you might not be able to pay the medical bills on your own. An experienced lawyer can develop a solid case and negotiate with the insurance representatives on your behalf so that you receive fair compensation from the accident.

Even if your vocal cord injury doesn’t seem like a major issue, you should still treat it right away. Most minor vocal cord injuries can easily be taken care of as long as they are treated immediately. If they are not treated, it could lead to bigger vocal problems down the road, impacting your music and livelihood.

4 Tips For Overcoming Vocal Cord Injuries After An Accident