If you scream for your favorite team, be aware that cheering can be harmful to your health.
Many enthusiastic fans lose their voices after nail-biting event sporting events. Now, doctors are finding that fans could be seriously injuring their vocal cords in the process.
They say a very loud, explosive voice can cause significant damage.
Dr. L. Arick Forrest from Ohio State University’s Voice & Swallowing Clinic says, “A single yell will either produce a hemorrhage that will go away, or a polyp that may be permanent, unless you have it surgically removed.”
If you start to hear your voice crack a bit or get a little raspy, you know you’ve damaged your vocal cords.
To save them, physicians recommend keeping quiet to give the cords a rest. Also drink water to keep the cords moist.
If you must cheer, warm up your cords before the game and then yell with one blast, not with a lot of words.
“Yelling and saying words is actually a lot harder than holding out a tone, like a singer would do,” Dr. Forrest says.
If you have hoarseness that lasts 24 hours or longer, it could mean possible problems. You may need therapy or even surgery to correct the problem; it all depends on how enthusiastic you’ve been.
Story provided by: CNN