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Voice changes after strenuous indoor exercise

TheWelshWriter profile image
20 Replies

Hi all, Oftentimes when I exercise in my house I get changes in my voice after I have finished. Does anyone know why this is? The exercise that triggers this tends to be more cardio based. My voice goes sort of gravelly or husky.

I am very curious as this never happened before I had asthma.

Thanks in advance!

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TheWelshWriter profile image
TheWelshWriter
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20 Replies
teddyd profile image
teddyd

Could it be caused a dry throat?

TheWelshWriter profile image
TheWelshWriter in reply toteddyd

Thanks for the suggestion. The reason I don't think it's this is because I sip water throughout the workout.

Tree20862 profile image
Tree20862

Does your peak flow change?

TheWelshWriter profile image
TheWelshWriter in reply toTree20862

I don't actually know. Good question though. If it does change, why might that affect my voice? I will measure this next time I exercise.

Tree20862 profile image
Tree20862 in reply toTheWelshWriter

When I have an asthma exacerbation, my voice gets husky and my peak flows drop. It is an indicator to me that I need albuterol /rescue med.

Gareth57 profile image
Gareth57

I find Fostair can do this with or without exercise, I've come to the conclusion it happens when I don't have a drink after using the inhaler to wash away any residue? 🤷🏻‍♂️

TheWelshWriter profile image
TheWelshWriter in reply toGareth57

I forgot to mention that I use symbicort and I also wash this away by rinsing.

Xedoc profile image
Xedoc

Similar to Gareth57, I get this with or without exercise. Was on seretide evohaler first. Changed to powder version accuhaler and it has improved. Ensure u rinse ur mouth straight after taking it. I was previously on symbicort and changed to seretide because of the voice/throat issue. It improved with seretide, but still had issues.

LittleMissFaffALot profile image
LittleMissFaffALot in reply toXedoc

That's interesting! I have voice issues not directly related to asthma (damaged vocal cords) and the Speech & Language team (not respiratory!!!) thought it might be caused by my seretide so I was referred to respiratory who changed me to symbicort!

There's been absolutely no difference cos as I say, my voice issue is not related to asthma or inhalers!

Poobah profile image
Poobah

Are you mouth breathing while exercising? Over loading the respiratory system by mouth breathing can cause a sore throat as you're not tempering the air via the nasal cavity. OR you could be experiencing GERD ( silent acid reflux), quite common in asthmatics, so avoid exercising for at least 3 hours after eating and try an taking an antacid an hour before exercising.

If you're mouth breathing, then Buteyko breathing exercises can help combat that. There are excellent vids on YouTube by Patrick McKeown, who is a qualified practitioner.

As others have said, if you're using inhalers prior to exercises, thoroughly gargle and rinse.

TheWelshWriter profile image
TheWelshWriter in reply toPoobah

This is interesting as yes I am definitely a mouth breather when I workout. I'll check out the videos thanks!

Poobah profile image
Poobah in reply toTheWelshWriter

Start with this vid which explains the importance of nitric oxide to the body, but it's only mixed into our inhaled breath if we breath through the nose.

youtu.be/UH-M_RtUvj4

mijmij profile image
mijmij in reply toPoobah

Ugh they label almost everything voice related to GERD. They are fixated on it being that so they can just write us off as it cheaper. They told me my voice issues GERD. I know that is incorrect and utter nonsense and is just a fob off easy cheap excuse saving them money. I don’t experience reflux, I know my voice issues are related to intubation tube down my throat for possibly 9 -10 days. They had a camera down my nose, they x rayed me swallowing biscuits and claimed no issues. However upon walking into both separate appointments I could already tell they had their minds preset on what was wrong even before checking and even finding disproving them were not going to make them change their preset ideas. The ent doctor who did the camera down my nose was awful and mocking me, didn’t numb and it was excruciatingly painful for me. He was laughing saying in a sarcastic mocking tone - Oh it didn’t hurt you that much! It didn’t hurt me when I had it done!!! He sat there smirking at me.

I told him - You are not me and because something didn’t hurt you excruciatingly so does not mean it doesn’t hurt others in that way, and you should know that!!!

I said to him - Have you ever been intubated? Ever been in a coma? Do you have a deviated septum?

No, no, no came his replies and along with it claim he had numbed me.

I told him he most definitely hadn’t as if he had it would not have been so excruciatingly painful and it being so clearly shows there is a significant problem and seeing as he hadn’t got a deviated septum, hadn’t been intubated orally and hadn’t been in a coma that he therefore could not possibly know who excruciatingly painful for me it was what he did without numbing me first!!!

I also told him that I assume when he had the camera down his nose that it didn’t hurt him because he was numbed first prior to it being done to him and told him he definitely did not numb me and he should stop lying that he did when we both knew he didn’t!!!

I was furious, my nose was bleeding and I fell ill because of it with a cough and throat infection.

The assistant in the room with him kept quiet, but did when I was leaving apologised about not numbing me first and apologised that it as so excruciatingly painful for me. It wasn’t their fault though, it was his the doctors and he couldn’t even apologise.

Poobah profile image
Poobah in reply tomijmij

It sounds like you have every right to complain. PALS handle all hospital complaints and it's the only way to improve things. theguardian.com/healthcare-...

fraid profile image
fraid

Just another tired muscle, should improve as you build up lung capacity. I sound like mini mouse or a dalek, since I started singing again which strengthened muscles happens less often ( have M.E too). So sing while you work?😁

TheWelshWriter profile image
TheWelshWriter in reply tofraid

This is also interesting! Would one song a day be enough? (Don't want to ruin my families leisure time with my not so good voice )

fraid profile image
fraid

Well like they say, the more you practice the better you get! Perhaps start in the shower in a humid atmosphere, then outside any annoying neighbours house, then up a tree and see how you get on! 😂😂😂

TheWelshWriter profile image
TheWelshWriter in reply tofraid

😂 excellent! Thanks

runcyclexcski profile image
runcyclexcski

I get his when exercising in cold dry air (i.e. in the winter, since the relative humidity even at 100% humid cold air drops to <50% once at 37C in the airways). Also, mucus from the asthmatic airways, I think, covers the vocal cords and makes them crackly/husky (like I have right now post-covid).

As I've posted on this forum before, cardio while breathing air that is warm+humidified+clean (no particles and no odors) works best for my asthmatic lungs, since I can sustain long workouts at higher intensity. A stationary bike works well.

SmilesForMiles profile image
SmilesForMiles

yes this happens to me after hard interval workouts (runner) in the cold. I also have difficulty speaking loudly, I find everyone is asking me to repeat myself. Chest feels tight as well typically.

Maybe your exercise room is too dry?

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