<p>DD has had a chest cold that has waxed and waned since the end of Feb. Lots of coughing and mucus (sorry, TMI) and really impacted her voice. Her doc decided it is an upper-respiratory infection, and put her on antibiotics early this week. She’s finishing the course of antibiotics tomorrow, but is becoming increasingly distressed that her voice is still husky. I think she sounds better, but still husky.</p>
<p>She is in the chorus for the school musical, and performances start the end of next week. For rehearsals, she’s not been singing, just concentrating on learning the dance moves.</p>
<p>I have assured her that she probably still has mucus to get out, and her voice WILL come back. But …
What is a reasonable time to expect her voice to recover?
What course have treatment have you had success with, for voice recovery and voice protection?</p>
<p>Throat Coat with Echinacea is fabulous. My D got so sick of drinking it hot that I iced it for her and she doesn’t complain anymore and it’s super soothing. So sorry about your DD situation. Vocal rest and lots of liquids and lots of sleep are by far the best healers of abused vocal chords (that coughing is so stressful on them!). Hope she has a humidifier in her room! Is she taking Mucinex to drain? At a pharmacy there is a vitamin product called Arum Tryphillum by Boiron - there is a special blend for hoarseness that workes really well: [Arum</a> Triphyllum 30c by Boiron - VitaminShoppe.com](<a href=“http://www.vitaminshoppe.com/store/en/browse/sku_detail.jsp?id=BI-1258]Arum”>http://www.vitaminshoppe.com/store/en/browse/sku_detail.jsp?id=BI-1258)</p>
<p>She really shouldn’t sing when she is hoarse. If she is in chorus, could she just lip sing until this passes?</p>
<p>The main thing is that she do the topical and systemic things which help her not need to cough, especially any aggressive dry coughing, which slams the unlubricated cords together and can cause irritation if not damage. So, Mucinex, minimal caffeine, a steamer (avoid dry over-heated rooms), lots of fluids, and keep some kind of hard candy in the mouth all the time, but nothing with menthol. She should sleep on a slant, so that night-time does not trigger the irritation. This particular bug, if it is the one I had and several of my students had earlier in the year, is a six weeker. You can get past how the voice functions, but the phlegm may go on and on. Good luck.</p>
<p>Interesting…“nothing with menthol”. Whenever I have a sore throat or cough I normally take a cough drop, which normally has menthol unless it’s ricola, but this is a bad thing?</p>
<p>Menthol feels soothing, but it dries the surface cells, not what you want. Sucking any hard candy will keep the juices flowing, help the lubrication you need to protect the mucous lining of throat and cushion the vocal cords with slippery lubrication.</p>
<p>Thank you all for the helpful suggestions. More than anything, they gave her some knowledge and put a little control back in her hands, which she responds to well.</p>
<p>ABlestMom, you are lucky to have such an enlightened pharmacy. I ended up at the health food store. DD loves the Throat Coat tea, and felt like that really helped. Also found the Arum there. What an interesting display Boiron has for its products!</p>
<p>We had already been doing Mucinex, and will switch her away from her beloved Earl Grey to a decaffeinated tea. </p>
<p>We now have Diva DD breathing over a pot of steaming water while her little sister soaks her foot to get rid of a plantar wart. Mom’s infirmary, what else is new? ;)</p>
<p>I am recovering from probably the same thing your D has. Started last week, and I’d pretty much lost my voice at the beginning of this week. I’m not a singer, so I can’t address that. But my H found an aerosol can of saline water at the pharmacy, that is supposed to help irrigate the sinuses. I have been using it in the shower in the morning. It has worked really well to loosen stuff. I’d never heard of it before.</p>
<p>I’m so glad she loves the Throat Coat - whenever my D does vocal programs the singers always carry it with them - that and a personal humidifier are essential! Tell us how she progresses!</p>
<p>VicAria, you didn’t ask, but I rid myself of a plantar wart that had been my companion for years by applying a fresh square of duct tape daily to my clean, dry foot. After trying who-knows-how-many other methods, I banished it a little bit at a time, painlessly and with no bother.</p>