Singing during heavy pollen season

[LiveMusic]

I've never seen this question! Pollen, especially pine pollen, is super heavy right now. Everything outside is coated yellow. And it catches in my throat and it locks up and I cough. This is not good for singing and I have an important gig tomorrow night. Inside, thankfully! Any clue how to help with this? I do have some Thayers throat spray somewhere but it is years old. Wonder if it or something else would help.

[L20A]

I also have allergies and have to deal with them when singing.

My answer is to take allergy meds before singing and when needed I also use throat spray.

This helps but there are some days that are worse than others and I just do the best that I can.

[Dave Hicks]

Anti-histamines help me, but they tend to give me dry mouth. (But I always sound like I need to blow my nose when I'm singing anyway.)

D.H.

[rule18]

Yeah, lifelong seasonal allergy sufferer here. I'm currently using Allegra, which seems to keep the demon at bay, at least for a few hours. A few years back, I was playing a gig and having one of those allergy days, the meds were only helping a little. Deciding to acknowledge rather than ignore the obvious, I intro'd my next tune as a duet with my singing partner, tree pollen. That earned a huge laugh, with a side of sympathy.

[rllink]

Zyrtec for me. If I'm feeling it four hours before show time I pop one and hope for the best.

[Stringmaster]

I've battled with allergies to pollens, dust, etc. for many years. I also live on some acreage with a lot of vegetation, weeds, etc. that I need to mow with my tractor several times a season, which doesn't help the situation, nor does handling hay that I feed my horses, or the Santa Ana winds that are common. I've had a prescription for Flonase for a long time, and it does help quite a bit, but I still suffer. I will sometimes get what I call "sneezing attacks", where I may sneeze up to about 20 times in a row (my record is 28)--when that happens I get pretty wiped out and congested for a least a day. I do tend to stress when I have a solo gig, which usually means about 3 hours of singing.
What helps me is to obviously refrain from working on the property for a few days before a gig. In addition to my Flonase I'll occasionally use a saline nasal spray like X-Clear. i try to avoid an antihistamine like Zyrtec if I can as it dries me out, but in a pinch I might take one at night. I also try to avoid caffeine on gig days, and will drink Throat Coat tea instead, and I nix dairy as much as possible. I also do throat lozenges and Singer’s throat spray. So essentially baby myself. I also try to sing daily to stay strong, and I warm up very slowly. I'm also learning to "sing through it" such as if I'm suffering on a day I was planning to go to an Open Mic, I'll go anyway and just deal with it. I might avoid songs that are difficult, or that require things like falsetto, and use a pop filter to tone down my congested breathing. As an added whammy my facial structure isn't the most singer-friendly--I have a long narrow face, and my nasal cavities are small, and I'm mostly a "mouth breather" even when I'm not suffering from allergies--so I have to alter my technique accordingly. So far I've been pretty lucky on gig days--Ironically I had a big gig on Saturday and I felt pretty good, and low and behold I had a "sneezing attack" this morning. But, the show must go on! Best of luck!

[Misifus]

Like you I am suffering right now. Owing to some health problems, I have to be careful of what I take. I usually take a 12-hour Mucinex and shortly before going on I suck on a Hall’s Mentholyptus lozenge. Together, they seem to help.

[Silly Moustache]

Can't help with the allergy apart from some paracetamol, but I used Vocalzones for years (and so does Sir Tom Jones!)

[Guitars44me]

I have taken Resveratrol for years. It is quite helpful for seasonal allergies.

Grape seed, red wine extract, green tea extract, all in the trunature stuff from Costco

Does not fix everything, but it is good for overall health too, and no nasty side effects.

Also, slippery elm tea and lozenges are a big help on stage.

And, fortunately, PPE masks will really help when doing the dusty chores or when the pollen is super nasty. Pray for RAIN.

BEST on this

Paul

[Wellington]

As someone who is very allergic to all pollens, grasses, weeds (all developed as an adult) I can empathize. For me there is no solution, I take desloratodine daily from may to September usually, and I've tried every other kind I can think of. Nothing makes the symptoms go away, at least not for me but they do reduce the severity. If I was a performer I'd only be able to perform in winter!

[Steve DeRosa]

A year-round alternating prescription regimen of Flonase and Astelin nasal sprays supplemented by Clarinex during peak season, and a couple tabs of OTC guaifenesin (Mucinex) and/or Sudafed PE for a few days before a gig - usually gets me through with no problem...

[Bob Womack]

This stuff flows downhill. Having been through two sinus surgeries and worked for years with vocal artists, I've got a touch of experience in this. My first otolaryngologist (ear, nose, and throat surgeon) had me use Alkalol, a product of Taunton, MA., to reduce the amount of mucus in my nose and throat. It tastes like pine and mint. Their website is HERE. It is also available over the counter, but behind the counter, at pharmacies.

For sinus "emergencies" you can use it. Cut it 50/50 with warm/hot water to get a warm mixture.



It works. You can use one of the those NeilMed sinus irrigation bottles for the nose...



...and use the same 50/50 mix in a glass and gargle with it. It removes the mucus and soothes the sinuses and throat. However, according to my second, younger otolaryngologist, it strips too much mucus for long-term use. He wanted me to regularly rinse the sinuses with saline to cut down on the pollen and mucus so he had me use another preparation, NeilMed saline solution:



This is just a mixture of salt and a buffer. I boil water to purify it and keep that around. When I need it, I fill the bottle with cold water to the line, microwave it for 25 seconds, add one packet, and shake. Check the temp that 25 seconds in your microwave generates before use. If you hate paying for the packets you can experiment until you find the right amount of salt to add. Warning: too little or too much salt feels about the same on the sinuses, and that is like liquid fire. Yummy. Thus, I use the silly packages.

I do this in the sinuses in the morning on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and rarely get infections or drainage down into the my throat. If I can feel the peppery feeling in my nose around pollen season, I will respond with an extra rinse when it hits. Marvy.

Grossed out my parents-in-law entirely.

All the best!

Bob

[Guitars44me]

I should have mentioned Fisherman’s Friend Lozenges. The menthol will open my sinuses and sooth a tickle in the throat.

Lots of good info here.

Bob W, you might consider nuking the water in a ceramic mug and pouring into the plastic. Microwaved plastic is nasty and sheds toxic molecules. Best to avoid nuking anything in plastic!

Best on this and may we all stay healthy and sing pretty…

Paul

[LiveMusic]

Lots of great info here. The immediate problem of heavy pollen in the air and it affecting my throat, perhaps Bob's info is a fix.

Do you guys take allergy shots on a regular basis? I did them for several months and I really couldn't tell a difference. And it's a burden for me to go to the big city. I dunno if I will do it forever like recommended. Also was prescribed meds.

I had a weird thing happen. My face swole up, looked like a monster. Doctor surmised it was my getting stung by yellowjackets. But... that was a week earlier. Got sent to the allergist and his tests said I am allergic to bee stings, all of them, wasps, etc. Have taken a round of shots for that and I just don't know about this... if the therapy really works. It's a PITA to go once a month to get a bee sting shot but if I believe I gotta have it not to die, I'll do it, lol. I dunno how you would handle that while traveling. I was also prescribed an epi pen. Sure seems weird the face swelled a week later. (Got stung on neck. Also arm.) I have never had a problem with stings during my lifetime. But, apparently, it happens, that is manifests itself into adulthood.

[fitness1]

Best I could ever do to combat that problem was a really hard cardio workout a couple hours before I'd play. About 10 years ago, it got so bad that I had to quit booking anything between late May and early October. I never had any allergies until I was about 35 - but it got worse progressively until I was about 50.