CLEVELAND, Ohio — Friday, April 16, is World Voice Day, and research suggests people who have been working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic have experienced an increase in voice-related problems.
You may not realize it, but constant virtual and phone meetings have the potential to strain your voice, even more than meeting in person would.
“What can happen then is over these sustained repetitive meetings where, perhaps, you’re talking a bit louder than what you appreciate, like any muscle system, with use, it starts to fatigue,” said Paul Bryson, MD, a voice specialist with Cleveland Clinic.
Bryson said using your voice continuously, over an extended period of time (like all those virtual meetings), may cause muscle and soft tissue problems in the larynx, or voice box. This can lead to dryness, irritation and soreness.
He explained that a home environment doesn’t always have the best acoustics or sound amplification, which may force people to talk louder and put more effort into speaking.
Virtual meetings and phone conferences also make it difficult to pick up on social cues, causing people to repeat themselves, talk over others and raise their voice to be heard, which can strain the vocal cords.
Bryson said using a headset with a good microphone can give you an idea of how loud you’re speaking and may allow you to adjust your range and reduce vocal strain.
Resting your voice and staying well hydrated will help too, just be sure to watch out for caffeinated drinks.
“You have to be careful with some things if they have caffeine. A lot of caffeine can be a dehydrator, which can then potentially dry up the secretions on the voice box that are naturally there for lubrication and to help vibration,” said Bryson.
If you’ve tried to remedy voice problems at home for two to four weeks without any improvement, Bryson recommends contacting your health care provider, or a voice specialist, to be evaluated.