The Truth Behind Your Throat Tension

Let's talk about thoughts and emotions that may be adding to your throat tension. And if you are saying: “Yeah, right! That's total nonsense!” then make sure to continue reading and you may be surprised by what you find out. 

Are you experiencing vocal strain, tension or even pain in your voice? Have you been diagnosed with a functional voice problem such as Muscle Tension Dysphonia. Have you have been told by your ENT that your vocal folds look great but you still feel a lot of tension when you speak? You know that your voice problem is not in your head even though some people may have suggested it. I have heard from my clients and my followers that this is often suggested to them by their doctors or therapists who don’t understand these types of voice problems. 

And while it is absolutely wrong to say “it’s only in your head”, let’s talk about your thoughts and emotions that may be responsible for pain that does not want to go away or strain that just does not ease even if you do ten voice release exercises. 

Physical or not?

Here is how it works. Your functional vocal problem means that your muscles work too much or too many muscles work at the same time as a default method of producing sounds. Somewhere along the way, you developed motor patterns that habitually invite tension into your laryngeal muscles. This is a gradual process and you notice it only when it’s too late. Your voice hurts when you talk or it gets quickly tired or you have lots of tension when using your voice.

All of this is very physical. The muscles are contracting more than necessary. Some muscles are working even if they don’t have to. Your muscles can get sore or tender. You may even feel muscle knots or something stuck in your throat. You feel pulling on one side more than on the other side. There are many more examples of your voice problem being very physical. 

So, it would make sense that the solution is physical too. Either a manual approach, such as massage or myofascial release, or vocal exercises that help release tension, reposition the vocal structures or improve vocal efficiency.

I recommend that you do a combination of both approaches. Don’t get me wrong: these physical approaches are absolutely necessary to find more vocal freedom.

Why Emotions?

But you can be doing 10 vocal exercises or massage your neck the whole day, if you are not dealing with your emotions and thoughts, you are not addressing the whole picture. For some people, this part of their vocal journey is so strong that it prevents them from feeling better and getting rid of tension completely. And it is because our thoughts affect our emotions and our emotions have physical manifestations. 

Just think about it, when you are nervous, your tummy may hurt. When you are worried, you may get a headache. When you are embarrassed, your face turns red and your heart starts beating a hundred miles per hour.

The same happens to people with vocal issues. Their worries, fears and despair manifests as additional tension somewhere in their body and most likely it will be around their throat.

And a vicious cycle starts. You feel tension or pain when talking. You worry about damaging your voice and you start thinking about not being able to give a lecture next week. Your thoughts and feelings add more tension on top of the tension you already experience. So, you become fearful of using your voice at all. Every time you feel a slight pull in your throat, you panic, which then creates more tension.

Do you see what is happening?

Solution?

But there is a way out of this spiral.

Now, how do you stop worrying about your voice? How do you stop noticing tension, discomfort or pain? Good question and there is really not a short answer to this. But here is a tip how you can start:

Sit with your feelings, with your pain or discomfort. Just sit and attend to them. Don’t try to push them away. Notice where they are in your body and how they feel.

Pay attention to the physical sensations: Is the pain dull or sharp? Is it pulsing or stable? Is it small or expanding? Be an objective observer, like a scientist. Just observe. Don’t try to change anything. If you try to push it away every time you feel it, you signal to your body that it’s dangerous.

If you attach worry and disappointment to it, you strengthen the neuro-pathways leading to those sensations. You don’t want any of that. Just sit and observe. Acknowledge them and tell yourself: I am ok. I am safe. 

If you are experiencing vocal strain, tension or even pain when speaking, and you are ready to work with me towards a free, strong and confident voice, you can apply to our Vocal Freedom System coaching program. Click here to schedule a chat with me. 

Watch the video below for more stories about feelings and their effect on voice. 

Link to video: https://youtu.be/J4DX9a1PWqo