Invariably each year I’ll be out somewhere and overhear someone (who can barely talk because their voice is breaking up) say: “No worries, it’s just laryngitis” or “Oh, I just have a cold.” Yikes! As a singer, voice teacher and choral director those words send a chill down my spine and I tend to back away just a little bit. There is no just for me when it comes to anything that affects the sound of my voice, because in my world my voice is what I use for everything. As a result I’m acutely aware of even the tiniest signs that I might be getting sick and try to take immediate action at the mere thought of it. (Oh OK, I’ve directed choruses because I had no voice without speaking at all by using only hand signals, facial gestures and writing directions REALLY BIG on a piece of paper. It’s totally exhausting. It’s also amazing how attentive my singers and students become when I go completely silent and they have to hang on my every move. That’s when I really appreciate how much I depend upon my voice.) Even if you don’t use your voice to sing, you need it for your work or to talk with a clerk in the store or to answer the phone or to talk to your children or your partner.
NEBULIZER
A nebulizer is a small machine that compresses air to flow through a saline solution turning it in to a mist that you inhale through your mouth with a mouth piece. It is soothing to your vocal cords because it keeps them moist so they remain flexible, and the salt in the solution helps remove unwanted microorganisms. This can be very effective when you have a scratchy throat or even when your voice is just tired from overuse. https://justnebulizers.com/omron-compair-nebulizer-system-ne-c801.html
Use with a preservative free saline solution: https://www.purilens.com
OTOLARYGOLOGIST/ENT
I think every vocalist should become an established patient of a reputable ENT doctor who knows how to work with their symptoms. See the doctor when you are healthy in order to get a base line and make sure the doctor understands singers and how particularly important their voices are to them.