If You’re Losing Your Voice From Parkinson’s, These Tips May Help

The other day, I was skimming through a Facebook forum where a woman shared that her Parkinson’s was progressing. She is approximately in her sixth year. Her disease is beginning to accelerate, and other symptoms are beginning to surface.

It saddened me to read that. One day we may feel great, and the next our life takes a turn. We can’t necessarily navigate it, as we’ve never experienced this part of the journey before. We may get frustrated and want to get off this crazy ride we call life.

One day, this forum member was laughing and talking, and within no time at all she lost her voice, which fell to a whisper. She now chokes on her food and deals with a horrific sore throat.

I am not a doctor. I can’t prescribe her a magic pill that will take away all that is happening during this stage of her journey — her physical ailments, her sorrow over the progression, or her inability to talk above a whisper. But in light of her frustration, I can share tips some people have suggested, and maybe the following will be useful for others as well.

One member shared that losing her voice was one of the first Parkinson’s symptoms she experienced. She thought that avoiding foods with ascorbic and citric acids had helped her, as well as putting coconut oil in her coffee. 

Another member suggested hot orange juice for a sore throat and singing to strengthen the vocal cords. I think liquid remedies come down to individual taste, but as far as singing, studies have shown it is beneficial for Parkinson’s patients.

For singing and voice therapies, check out the Voice Aerobics and BIG & LOUD programs. There are also multiple YouTube videos that can guide you through voice aerobics and the like.

Finally, I have had sore throats, dealt with a soft voice, choked on my food, and more. My recommendations include:

• Make sure to cut up your food well and chew it until it goes down easily. If cutting up your food is hard, ask for help. This is what I do because I’ve gotten to a point where I don’t care what others may think. Plus, I want to eat.
• Sing, sing, sing. Don’t give another thought about what someone else may think. Just sing.

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Note: Parkinson’s News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Parkinson’s News Today or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to Parkinson’s disease.