Vocal cords can be sensitive things, much like any part of the human anatomy. We have all heard stories or experienced “Smoker’s Voice” first hand, but can smoking marijuana have the same effect? How about vaping weed?
Is vaping weed bad for your voice? Yes! However, it might not affect your vocal cords in the way you’re thinking. Rather than any particular chemical in marijuana, it is the vaporizer itself which damages vocal folds.
This is because the temperature and usually higher chemical intake piled on with the pressure of the vapor when you inhale it, can seriously harm your vocal folds. Vaping can cause some minor vocal problems if it is done incorrectly.
However, the risk compared to smoking cigarettes actually place the likelihood of voice injury fairly low, and many other things can cause damage to vocal cords.
Take one example, propylene glycol. For those with a singing voice, this is special effect stage smoke used in plays or even some DJ sets.
Voice injury symptoms and voice disorders can develop from prolonged exposure to this fake smoke, making it roughly equivalent to voice issues caused by excessive vaping.
In both cases, voice loss is usually a rare circumstance. Instead, you are more likely to experience an impaired voice thanks to vocal fold tissue damage.
What is “Smoker’s Voice?”
Smoker’s Voice is a side effect of prolonged smoking, leading to chronic laryngitis. Nicotine, cannabinoids, and other irritating chemicals can lead to inflammation of the vocal cords.
If your vocal cords then begin to swell, they can collapse. This will then cause the smoker to develop a deeper voice, or the hoarseness will give them a more breathy voice instead.
When it comes to vaping and smoking weed however, the mind altering effects of the drug can reduce awareness of voice use.
This is bad as over exerting your vocal folds after putting them at risk of damage will naturally lead to problems. Similar to breaking a wrist and then trying to play baseball.
It doesn’t take a voice box specialist to notice that smoker’s voice is a serious occurrence, and patients with voice problems can go on to develop throat cancer as well.
If you have a professional voice based job, such as being a singing voice specialist, then we suggest you stay away from smoking and vaping.
As an occupational voice user, you may wish to go to a voice center to aid in recovery for your vocal folds, or visit a voice box specialist doctor.
Check for early warning signs of throat cancer, as extraction surgeries can often leave patients without a voice and instead rely on a machine placed to their throat.
How Does Vaping Affect Your Vocal Folds?
Hot vapor, much like hot smoke, causes inflammation and nausea. Habitual smoking with the added harmful chemicals will only do more damage.
The effects of smoking can be dampened by switching to a vape, but the heat and pressure still has some of the same effects as continued smoking.
Your voice risks damage thanks to the very nature of smoking, but thankfully ways of quitting the habit for your vocal fold tissues are plentiful in the modern world.
Nicotine patches and smoking cessation coaches can help you stop marijuana smoking, and voice therapy can help in the recovery of your damaged, delicate tissues.
While voice production is more than likely to return, unless properly treated you may lose some degree of voice quality.
Effects of vaping on the voice depend on a variety of factors, including the age, genetics and vocal habits of the individual.
These effects may be reversible or irreversible. It is important to speak to a voice specialist if you are thinking of quitting vaping to ensure that your voice is in a healthy condition.
Does Vaping Affect Your Singing Voice?
For the voice performance students and karaoke enjoyers among you, you may be curious to know if you can suffer singing voice side effects from smoking.
Naturally the answer is yes, and you may need a voice teacher to aid in the recovery of your vocal fold tissues. These fragile tissues are totally irreplaceable.
The main issue with vaping and your voice is that vaporized nicotine can dry out your throat and mucus membranes, which could lead to damage or even loss of your singing voice.
In general, long-term vaping could have negative effects on the voice. It could damage the vocal folds and cause them to shrivel.
Inhalation of smoke from tobacco products or vapor from e-cigarettes can harm delicate tissues in your voice, making it hard to speak.
Irritated tissue damage common in smokers is best to not be exerted by shouting, whispering, or even singing. Lest you risk further harm to the fragile tissue.
If you experience laryngitis for more than three weeks, then it is considered chronic and you will need medical attention.
Chronic laryngitis is one of the common effects of cigarette smoke, resulting in vocal cord irritation, vocal cord swelling, as well as the other tobacco smoke chemicals harming your lungs.
Additionally, it could lead to a loss of vocal power and an increase in throat xerostomia (uncontrolled saliva buildup in the mouth).
Can Your Voice Heal Itself?
Chronic laryngitis is a persistent throat infection that can cause significant discomfort and interfere with one’s ability to speak or breathe normally.Due to its prevalence and impact on daily life, many people are looking for ways to heal from chronic laryngitis once and for all.
Vocal cord effects vary from smoker to smoker, but it is of course always important to keep your body healthy, and to give your body time to recover.
Many treatments exist but no single cure exists; instead, treatment revolves around managing symptoms as best as possible over time.
While there is a lack of evidence linking vaping to a risk of cancer, scientific evidence is very clear that the toxins in cigarette and cannabis smoke pose a cancer risk.
If you’re a vocal professional, throat and mouth cancer can lead to a loss of your voice, according to basic scientific evidence and chemical analysis of the plant based cigarettes.
You are also at a cancer risk in your lungs, as well as other severe lung diseases that can occur in smokers.
Voice therapy may be the best way to treat chronic laryngitis. It involves the use of voice exercises and other treatments to improve the voice and relieve the symptoms of laryngitis.
Voice therapy can help to improve voice quality, breathing, and ability to speak. Treatment may take a few sessions, but it is usually very effective.
If you are experiencing any of the symptoms of laryngitis, it is important to see a doctor as soon as possible. You may also want to consider seeking out voice therapy as a way to improve your voice and symptoms.
It should be noted however that there is no scientific evidence to suggest your voice will simply heal on its own, so seek proper advice and help as soon as you can.
