Singers, teachers, bartenders and many others know what it’s like to go hoarse after a long day of using their voice. Wondering if a vow of silence might help your tired vocal cords recover?
“Vocal rest can be an important part of recovery in certain situations,” says Haley Sibley, M.D., a laryngologist at Henry Ford Health. “But it’s not a one-size-fits-all approach.”
Here’s what to know about vocal rest and when you need it.
What Is Vocal Rest?
Experts who treat the voice, such as laryngologists or speech and language pathologists, might recommend different types of voice rest depending on the situation.
- Complete vocal rest means no using your voice at all for several days—or as long as two weeks. That includes whispering, which can actually strain your vocal cords, Dr. Sibley says.
- Modified vocal rest involves limiting voice use as much as possible. That means only speaking when you really need to, and using a soft, gentle voice when you do. Again, no whispering—and no raising your voice, either.
Who Needs Vocal Rest?
Total vocal rest is often prescribed for people who are recovering from injuries such as vocal cord hemorrhage. That’s an injury that occurs when a blood vessel bursts in the vocal cord, leading to a bruise.
“When you have a vocal cord hemorrhage, continued voice use can lead the bruise to turn into a blood blister. That can evolve into a polyp that would need to be removed surgically,” Dr. Sibley says. “Total voice rest can help a vocal cord hemorrhage heal so it doesn’t cause polyps.”
It’s also common to be put on voice rest after vocal cord surgery, such as an operation to remove benign nodules on the vocal cords. Staying mum limits the strain on the vocal cords during healing, maximizing the chance of a good recovery.
However, there’s no consensus about the best approach to resting the vocal cords, Dr. Sibley says. “Some surgeons recommend five days to up to two weeks of complete voice rest after vocal cord surgery, while others recommend modified voice rest,” she says. “Bottom line, you should follow your surgeon’s instructions.”
Rarely will voice rest last more than two weeks, however. “Beyond that, your muscles get weaker, which can cause more problems when you start speaking again,” she says.
Why You Shouldn’t DIY Vocal Rest
If you’re hoarse or struggling with voice overuse, you might be tempted to put yourself on vocal rest. But it isn’t always the right treatment—and can sometimes cause problems.
Vocal rest is best for people who have an injury that needs to heal. But not all voice problems are caused by injury. Often, vocal strain develops because of the way you’re using your voice box, Dr. Sibley says. In those cases, vocal rest can be counterproductive. “If you get out of practice using your voice, it can make things worse,” she explains.
If you have any concerns about your voice or vocal cords, skip the self-diagnosis and schedule a doctor visit, Dr. Sibley says. “We can evaluate you and make sure you’re getting the right treatment for your vocal concerns.”
One exception: If you’re shouting and your voice suddenly cuts out, you may have had a vocal hemorrhage, Dr. Sibley says. In that case, try to avoid talking until you can see a doctor.
Staying Silent? How to Manage Voice Rest
“Don’t speak” is a straightforward prescription. But staying completely silent can be easier said than done. Fortunately, there are workarounds, Dr. Sibley says. She shares the tips she gives her patients when she prescribes vocal rest:
- Make some noise: If you need to get someone’s attention, blow a whistle or use some other noisemaker to make them take notice.
- Carry a whiteboard: Jot a note on a dry-erase board or pad of paper if you need to place a coffee order or communicate with coworkers.
- Use your phone: Text-to-voice apps can work wonders for carrying on a conversation.
- Amplify: People on modified voice rest who are trying not to shout can use personal voice amplifiers—a small personal microphone that projects your voice so you don’t have to shout. “I’ve worked with a lot of schoolteachers who say these help a lot with being heard over the noise of the classroom,” Dr. Sibley says.
Vocal Rest vs. Voice Therapy
If you often lose your voice or sound froggy at the end of the day, you might benefit from voice therapy. “Voice therapy is like physical therapy for your voice box,” Dr. Sibley says. “It can help improve resonance, clarity and endurance of the voice.”
Instead of going quiet with vocal rest, voice therapy helps people learn to speak and sing in healthier ways—such as avoiding vocal fry, the gravelly, creaky-sounding voice people sometimes make when speaking in low tones. Vocal therapy also helps people learn breathing techniques that support healthy voice use.
A typical course of voice therapy lasts for four to six sessions, Dr. Sibley says, and is usually led by speech and language pathologists who have special training in voice.
Whether you would benefit from vocal rest, voice therapy or some other treatment is hard to determine without expert guidance. Fortunately, providers can usually get to the bottom of the problem with a relatively easy exam.
“Your voice is such a personal thing,” Dr. Sibley says. “Anyone who is bothered by their voice or changes to it should come see an ENT expert who can make sure nothing is wrong and address their concerns.”
Reviewed by Haley Sibley, M.D., a laryngologist who sees patients at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.
