Strained voice

Question:

I have strained my voice before. I sang high notes and lost my voice the other day but it came back strong after resting my voice. I had been angry (but tried to control myself) and wonder if I scream quietly and a little more softly, what can happen? Hopefully I didn’t injure my vocal chords. Can you advise me?

Answer:

Excess tension on the voice, especially screaming, can cause small blood vessels to burst and this results in hoarseness. If the injury becomes irritated and doesn’t heal, if you keep singing on it or using the voice in extreme ways, you can develop nodules. You need to see a doctor to determine if you have injured the cords and then follow whatever advice you receive. AND YOU MUST NOT SCREAM. You can however learn how to make very loud sounds in a harmless way. This is something great actors learn to do. When you work with a voice coach you can develop a technique that will allow you to express yourself in empowering and healthy ways whether speaking or singing.