Why Am I Singing Through a Straw, You Might Ask?

 

I’m always open to learning new things, especially when they involve simple ways to improve my life with ALS. When I come across something super helpful, I just have to share it with my readers.

My most recent discovery involves a simple plastic straw. In fact, it’s become a permanent addition to my daily exercise routine.

For the past six years, I’ve been challenged by the ALS symptom of dysarthria, which affects my ability to speak. Dysarthria feels like having a bad case of laryngitis and a lazy tongue that is two steps behind what my mind wants to say. Thus, when I speak, it’s with a gravelly, monotone voice. I’m often asked to repeat myself, which I do, but I default to saying the same words, only louder. It’s frustrating, and speaking this way strains my vocal cords and throat.

But maintaining the ability to communicate is important for me. So, in the past few years, I’ve explored and experimented with various ways to keep and preserve the little voice that I do have.

In addition to practicing diaphragmatic breathing and doing exercises to improve my posture, I learned vocal techniques used by actors and singers as taught in “The Living Speech Series,” by Andrea Caban.

What about the straw?

Over the holidays, I watched a YouTube video featuring a person with ataxia. The other guest was a speech-language pathologist (SLP) who described a series of techniques called semi-occluded vocal tract (SOVT) exercises. These exercises are used in many warmup and treatment protocols for professional singing, and by speaking coaches and voice and speech therapists.

Intrigued, I learned that SOVT exercises also use plastic drinking straws. The SLP described how spending a few minutes everyday breathing, humming, and singing through a straw can relax the muscles surrounding the vocal cords, as well as in the neck, and reduce fatigue when speaking.

Of course, I went on a deep internet dive to find out more and discovered a wealth of how-to videos and supporting research.

A quick how-to

Here’s how you do it: Sit tall and place a plastic drinking straw in your mouth. Hold the straw lightly with one hand, and:

1.     Breathe slowly and evenly for a few minutes.

2.     Inhale and exhale with a long “Ahhhh” sound.

3.     Try humming or even “singing” a song.

Whenever I finish these steps, my throat feels very relaxed.

These simple exercises can be repeated anytime you feel your voice or throat need a rest. Here’s a good, short video on the vocal straw exercise to help you follow along.

https://youtu.be/0xYDvwvmBIM

Are you ready to sing through a straw? I hope you give it a try.

Let’s keep helping each other learn how to live well while living with ALS.

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Dagmar Munn
ALS and Wellness Blog

Happiness is ...humming often, and with conviction.

Anonymous

A version of this post first appeared as my column on the ALS News Today website.