<p>Hi all - </p>
<p>The steamer menthol pads are bad for vocal fold issues, but if it’s just nasal congestion, they will actually help. I’d have her steam a little, inhaling THROUGH HER NOSE, with the menthol pads in the steamer, and KEEP PHONATING (doing pitch glide hums, gentle “ah” sounds, etc. - very light phonation) in between inhales, and really monitor how her voice feels - if it starts to feel dry at all or irritated, take the menthol pad out and clean the steamer with rubbing alcohol to get rid of the menthol vapors, and keep steaming. The Shower Soothers would be good, too, b/c they will help the nose without affecting the vocal folds as directly.</p>
<p>P.S. Ingesting the water today won’t help her vocal folds today - it has to metabolize and will help tomorrow - but it won’t hurt to drink it, cause it will help her THROAT. But steam will have an immediate effect on both her nose and vocal folds b/c she’s inhaling it, so it’s passing directly through her vocal folds - that’s why she has to keep monitoring if her voice feels lubricated enough while using menthol.</p>
<p>Remember, menthol is drying to vocal folds but is good for sinus issues - so it’s a trade-off that needs to be carefully monitored. The steamer is best used inhaling through the MOUTH, WITHOUT menthols pads, for throat/voice issues and through the NOSE, WITH menthol pads, for PURELY NASAL issues. If the issue is nasal congestion that has begun to affect the voice, that’s the trickiest - monitory as I have suggested. :)</p>