So, dear reader, by now you know all about hydration and why it is so important for your voice. And if you’d like a refresher, see my post Why you need to keep your voice moist (That’s right, I said “moist”!). In this current post, I do a deep dive into a powerful tool for keeping your voice healthy: the nebulizer.
What is a nebulizer?
Nebulizers are machines designed to administer asthma medication, but we have hacked them for voice care!
A nebulizer helps people with asthma or COPD get a strong dose of albuterol to open up their airways. It basically turns the liquid medicine into a mist that can be inhaled.
The medication may or may not be mixed with saline solution to treat breathing problems.
How is it helpful for vocal care?
When using a nebulizer for vocal health instead of respiratory issues, we use saline instead of medication. It’s important that the saline that is used with a nebulizer is 0.9% concentration saline (not the same as the saline you’d use for contact lenses, for instance).
When you put the saline into the nebulizer and turn it on, you can see a plume of mist emerging from the device. This is the liquid being turned to vapor.
This fine mist does a better job of hydrating the vocal fold tissue than the larger particles in regular steam. And saline does a better job of hydrating the tissue than plain water does.
We know we are about 2/3 water, but the “water” in the body is fairly salty. That’s why saline is used for a number of medical and surgical reasons.
What does it do?
Quite simply, inhaling nebulized saline hydrates the vocal folds and the tissue in the throat it passes. If you inhale through your mouth and exhale through your nose, the saline also hydrates your sinuses and nasal cavity.
In addition to adding moisture, it also thins secretions. So if there is gunk or phlegm anywhere, this process thins it out so it can clear easier.
How do I use it?
You put the saline into the cup for liquid, turn it on, and breathe it in. Most nebulizers come with both a plastic mask that covers the mouth and nose, and also a mouthpiece. I prefer the mouthpiece, and I breathe in through the mouth and out through the nose to circulate the goodness.
You do this for about 5 minutes at a time, which is usually about the amount of liquid the handheld versions of the device use. Up to once or twice a day is ideal.
What kind should I get?
The manufacturing brands of these devices change frequently, so I can’t offer a specific brand. They are all basically the same in terms of function, so it’s the bells and whistles that differ.
You want one that is portable and handheld (as opposed to a large tabletop version). This is also great because you can take it with you to work, rehearsals, presentations, shows, etc. At the time of this writing, they average about $40 on Amazon, sometimes less and sometimes more.
Some are USB chargeable (my preference), some take AA batteries. There are versions of this geared to singers that include a carrying pouch you can wear around the neck, but they otherwise function the same as the rest.
As for the saline, just make sure it is 0.9% concentration. It can come in little pink plastic single-serve vials, which are convenient despite the unfortunate detrimental effect of plastic on the environment.
If you would like more personalized instruction on this or anything regarding voice or speech, reach out for a session!
