As the dry, chilly weather lingers and flu season hits full swing, more people find themselves caught in a coughing fit. But clearing your throat after a cough could harm your vocal cords more than good.
That post-cough throat clear might seem harmless, but it’s a vocal cord irritant that can lead to those pesky vocal polyps – tiny growths that spell trouble for your voice.
When you clear your throat, your vocal cords snap shut, and all that built-up air in your lungs rushes out, causing some serious friction on your delicate throat lining.
This can damage the tiny blood vessels in your vocal cord mucosa, potentially giving rise to polyps. If polyps develop, your voice may become hoarse, or you may feel a foreign body sensation in your throat. If there are multiple polyps, you may experience difficulty breathing.
To relieve vocal polyps, try resisting the urge to strain your voice and speaking as naturally as possible. If the polyps are stubborn, you might need to explore treatment options like injections or surgery.
Coughs are usually caused by annoying phlegm from the bronchial tubes. Instead of trying to clear your throat, try sipping water regularly to thin out the mucus.
Here’s a pro tip: grab a towel, soak it in hot water, and give your nose a mini-steam treatment. This warm compress can work wonders, reducing excess mucus production and swelling in your nasal passages, making it easier for phlegm to exit.
But whatever you do, don’t try to suppress that cough completely. While avoiding clearing your throat might seem like a good idea, holding in a cough can be dangerous. Increased internal pressure can damage your eyes, ears, and blood vessels.
If you find yourself clearing your throat, try this quick laryngeal massage to help ward off those vocal polyps: gently grip the area between your jaw and uvula with both hands, apply some pressure, and sweep downwards.
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