Singing and gargling

I used to love singing when I was alone, its one of the things I dearly miss even though I am not great at it. I did it for many years, some days frequently.

It was also at one point, a theraputic exercise recomended to me by a therapist for helping stave off panic attacks at home. It does work for that, for some people. I forget exactly why- something about oxygen balance.

I’ve sung a few times the way I used to since I’ve had ME/cfs, it brings on PEM and can lead to a crash. My voice goes hoarse much quicker, I don’t have the stamina to hit the range or duration of notes. More than a few times I’ve sung sans music or rythym and had to stop... half way through a single short song. If I want to sing to cheer someone up or make a joke now, it’s usually in my talking voice or short. I’ll give up my singing fun for being able to talk and do a few of my basic care tasks still.

It’s amazing when people don’t see what you go through how dismissive normally really tame suggestions feel. Any number of many other conditions- sure, try singing? It’s a fun hobby, maybe there’s some health benefits too.

It’s one thing to state such as an “observation” in one’s patients and another to state it as a suggestion.

 

Tagging into this thread because I want to sing!!
Not especially for vagal stimulation, but because I have noticed that my voice is getting weaker and sounds weird and I also am having more trouble swallowing pills and it feels like my muscles need to be toned. As I don’t ever project my voice and don’t speak much each day it’s going to have an effect over the years I suppose.

Just wondered if anyone had any ideas of how to go about some vocal exercises? If I could practice singing at the same time it would at least be more fun but I have severe POTS and get very lightheaded and dizzy with it so it wouldn’t have to be lying down and very brief.

Maybe it’s just another thing I can’t do but I would like to try. I am concerned about the implications of it getting worse.

@PhysiosforME

 

thanks for the tag - really interesting to see the issue of vagal nerve stimulation being discussed. Between us we are looking at different areas of anatomy and physiology in depth to try and get a better understanding of what might be going on in people with ME and the implications for physio treatments - I got the autonomic nervous system so this is of particular interest!

Rest assured though I won't be prescribing singing in the shower straight away!!

 

Do physios work with people whose vocal/swallowing muscles are weakening? What specialism would that be?
It’s not terrible yet but I think there’s a general issue of things not being looked at until they are at a really critical level and then, given our general state, it’s impossible to do much/claw function back? As I can’t get to appointments easily I don’t know whether to even bother bringing it up with GP. And why just this issue when my whole body is much the same

 

Our Speech and language therapy colleagues are the masters of all things vocal/swallowing. I am in awe of what they are able to achieve. Definitely worth getting it looked at earlier rather than later. Worth mentioning if you are speaking to your GP. Swallow/speech important in so many ways so definitely it in my opinion.

 

Thanks. I will give it a go

 

I think throat muscles, tongue muscles and jaw muscles work extremely hard... and that’s why they fatigue. I’m a SLT by background, and I’ve noticed changes to my voice and swallowing... I had a modified barium swallow recently - nothing abnormal picked up but I know it’s deteriorating slowly. I have been able to make some changes to what and how I eat so it doesn’t really have an impact at present. But I still choke occasionally....

 

Sorry to hear that. I expect it’s common amongst us as the decades stack up. And yes it is a hard working area. I suppose it’s hard to know which problems come from muscle fatigue and which from deconditioning.

 

I had to go to the dentist last week to have a broken tooth prepared for a crown.

It took about an hour and 45 mins to have it ground back to a suitable stump for the crown. It was so exhausting just having to keep my mouth open for most of that time, even though I was horizontal.

They did give me rests, but I think thought I was uncomfortable rather than my jaw muscles were getting so tired.

I'm in a new practice and haven't confessed to having ME and POTS.

 

Sounds like torture. My jaw gets extremely painful at the dentists if it more than a quick check up.
I have found my dentists (two different practices) knew more about pots than the GPs do, and both knew without me saying that I needed to be reclined ASAP and also took very seriously my discussion about avoiding adrenaline in anaesthetic. I have never had the feeling at the dentist that they take part in the doubt cast on us elsewhere. Perhaps I am just lucky!

 

I'm a singer who gargles in the shower for warm-up purposes

Of course it has no effect on ME whatsoever