Avoid Bowing Your Vocal Cords: Tips for Singers

As a professional opera singer, I have experienced my fair share of vocal cord issues. However, the very thought of developing a bowed vocal cord fills me with dread. Vocal cord bowing is a particularly scary ailment because its cause is not always known or preventable. However, there are many measures that singers can take to keep their risks low. Here are some good ways to avoid vocal cord bowing. Vocal cord bowing (or vocal fold bowing) is basically a fancy way of saying that a vocal cord is loose. Vocal cords are like short pieces of elastic, which are attached to the thyroid cartilage in the front and to the arytenoid cartilages in the back. Normally, they are naturally held fairly taut between these two pieces of cartilage, but occasionally one or both cords will loosen and sag. This is known as vocal cord bowing. A bowed vocal cord can be caused by viral infection, overuse, poor singing technique, underuse /atrophy, smoking, excessive coughing, aging, surgery, nerve damage or genetics.

When a bowed vocal cord develops for any reason, the most immediate and noticeable symptom is hoarseness or breathiness in the voice. Proper vocal production is dependent on the vocal cords coming together correctly and maintaining the correct resistance against the force of the air that is passing through them. A bowed vocal cord will flap around and allow air to escape, resulting in a breathy or hoarse sound. Bowed vocal cords can also lead to more serious problems, like vocal nodules. Nodules are basically calluses that form on the vibrating edges of the cords when the cords come together too violently or in an otherwise unnatural way. In the case of a bowed vocal cord, the loose cord will flap against the normal cord as air rushes past it, which could easily lead to callusing.

There are ways to prevent many causes of vocal cord bowing. First, you must make sure that you are singing with good technique so as not to put undue strain on your vocal folds. Vocal atrophy can be avoided by simply using your voice in a proper manner every day. To prevent problems related to overuse, make sure to rest your voice adequately after long periods of singing or speaking, and never sing when your cords are swollen from use or illness. Singers must always try to avoid colds or other illnesses that can affect the voice. When you are sick or suffering from allergies, try to keep coughing to a minimum and never take any drugs which will cause your vocal folds to dry out. Never smoke, never scream, and be sure to stay hydrated!

If you develop a bowed vocal cord, do not despair. When the problem is due to a viral infection or overuse, time and rest will often repair the problem. Vocal cord bowing caused by age or underuse can be remedied with vocal therapy exercises. In cases where therapy does not help, the afflicted cord can be injected with a substance that helps to push it into a normal position, or surgery can be performed on the cord to correct the sagging.