Should I Use Throat Lozenges?!
March 24, 2019
.
As the seasons continue to change along with the weather and the allergens present in our air, many people will report experiencing throat irritation classified by a “tickle”, “scratchiness”, or soreness. Some people report these same symptoms after extended voice use. Because they think it’s the right thing to do, people routinely reach for remedies such as throat lozenges, mints, or numbing throat sprays to relieve their symptoms. Has this ever been you?
Sucking on lozenges, cough drops, and/or hard candies can be considered a relief and highly beneficial for throat symptoms, especially if you have a cough, upper respiratory infection, and/or the common cold. They can provide a temporary fix for the irritation by soothing the throat. They can also promote increased saliva production and encourage swallowing, which is much better than throat clearing and coughing. However, it is VERY important to purchase and use the most optimal lozenge to obtain these benefits as you “deal” with effects of allergies or a cold and/or aim to improve your vocal health by using this “trick” as a way to prevent vocal abuse.
Throat lozenges that contain menthol are especially drying to the mucous membranes of the mouth and throat, and prolonged use of these can extend the cough and amplify the original throat irritation. Many people believe menthol is beneficial for the voice and/or throat, but menthol is actually a chemical ingredient that directly affects the vocal folds and larynx in a negative way. It not only dulls your sensation (so you don’t know how hard you are slamming the vocal folds if/when talking loudly or producing a strong throat clear), but this chemical can also create the sensation of the same “tickle” or feeling you started with prior to putting the throat lozenge in!…and the cycle repeats…and likely worsens, because each time you begin the cycle with more irritated vocal folds (because of responsive throat clears/coughs, etc.). This reactionary behavior can create a negative use pattern of voice (because every cough/throat clear is a “slam” of the fragile vocal fold tissues into one another) and can lead to constant irritation and even pathologies.
So go find your mentholated cough drops and/or numbing sprays right now. Make it a point to substitute these and any other menthol, mint, or eucalyptus throat lozenges with those that are pectin or glycerin based. Laryngologists recommend pectin cough drops, Halls Breezers (only Halls without menthol!), Luden's, Ricola (without menthol if you can find it), and/or slippery elm lozenges. Choosing these options will allow "cough drops" to uphold their assumed role in helping your voice, not harming it.
