Why Is Laryngeal Massage NOT FOR EVERYONE?

Will laryngeal massage fix your vocal problem? There are three groups of people who may not benefit from laryngeal massage. Are you one of them?

Laryngeal massage is a hands-on technique to release tension from the muscles around the larynx. I made a video about laryngeal self-massage and it is one of my most popular videos on this channel.

But, is laryngeal massage for everyone? From my experience, there are three groups of people who may not find the massage beneficial.

Group 1

People who are very sensitive to touch on the neck

Many people have trouble touching their own neck or let someone else touch their neck. And if this is you, it’s ok. It is absolutely normal. Why some people are more sensitive than others is still a mystery but here are some ideas: some of my clients experienced a traumatic event in or around their necks, which led to their low tolerance of touch in this area. For example, if you had an injury or surgery in this area, if you had an adverse reaction when being scoped during an ENT exam, or if you don’t tolerate massage in general, or any other reason.

If you belong to this group, laryngeal massage or even self-massage can actually create more tension in your body, which is the exact opposite of what we want to achieve. Your muscles will contract as a protective mechanism.

If this is you, the solution is: slow and gentle. You can get used to touch in this area if you go slowly and gently. And when I say slowly, I mean slowly. So, the first step would be just holding your neck without any pressure. Keep it there for 10 seconds. Can you then go to 20 or 30 seconds, can you increase the time to a minute or more? Then, can you apply a slight pressure? And you take one small step at a time. Over time, you will be able to build tolerance of a deeper touch that will actually help you release tension from your voice and neck.

Group 2

People who do not have muscle tension

This is kind of obvious that if you don’t have muscle tension, then a muscle tension release technique will not help. But I see many people doing laryngeal massage because they have a vocal issue. Not all vocal problems are created equal and there are many vocal issues without muscle tension, for example hypofunctional voice disorders, like vocal fold paralysis or paresis, vocal fold atrophy or bowing.

Or if you had any surgery done on your neck or if you had laryngeal cancer, you need to consult your doctor to see if laryngeal massage is something that you can benefit from. Also, people with the diagnosis of Spasmodic Dysphonia, Vocal Cord Dysfunction, Paradoxical Vocal Fold Movement or Laryngeal Dystonia or similar vocal problems, often reach for laryngeal massage as a magic cure. The truth is that these vocal problems are very very complex and laryngeal massage may help but often it does not.

So, if you belong to this group of people, what should you do? Talk to your doctor and ask them if laryngeal massage would be of any benefit to you. Sometimes, it is hard to know if we hold tension in our neck and laryngeal muscles, so here is my recommendation: if your doctor clears you for a massage, try it and see for yourself. If you experience release of tension, then you will know.

Group 3

People with more complex vocal problems

People who have more complex vocal issues such as Muscle Tension Dysphonia or, long lasting hyperfunctional voice problems, may benefit from laryngeal massage, if it is one of several techniques to release tension. If this is you, you may find laryngeal massage beneficial for a short period of time. But as the day goes on and you use your voice more and more, your voice may get progressively tired or hoarse. There may be other underlying issues that cause your problem. It may be related to misalignment of the body, it may be caused by tension in other body parts, or it may be caused by tight vocal fold closure, high breath pressure or something else. In order to achieve long-lasting muscle tension release, you need to address all of these factors. Laryngeal massage alone will not solve your problem.

Do you belong to this category? If so, I made a video, in which I walk you through 7 steps that lead to a strong voice without tension. If you want to know what voice, body and mind considerations you need to take to truly free your voice, click this link:

https://how2improvesinging.mykajabi.com/strong-voice-without-tension

Or if you belong to this category and are ready to find more vocal freedom, schedule a call with me. Click this link:

https://calendly.com/myhealthyvoice/vocalfreedom

WATCH THE VIDEO NOW FOR MORE INFORMATION:

LINK TO THE VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDgOgYMUOSk

ERIN

"Katarina, this is an excellent unit on becoming aware of habits that might prevent efficient use of one's voice. For years I probably engaged in all of these harmful behaviours and it really took a toll on my ability to sing. It has taken me about 10 years to learn to fix a lot of these problems."

FEDERICA

"Katarina, if you didn't exist, one would have to invent you! You have helped me overcome and solve problems that I struggled with for the last eight years, and in such a sound, graceful way. Your lessons make complete sense and they are really helping me improve so quickly."