Singing Tips: Phlegm Tips For Singers

Phlegm is one of those "necessary evils". Yes, it can interfere with your vocal production, but it is also necessary to keep your throat lubricated and to help your body fight infections.

It is normal to have a small amount of phlegm in your throat. This should be cleared easily by working your voice through a complete warm up. Some people's voices take longer to warm up and work out the phlegm than others. If you are particularly "phlegmy", a complete warm up might include humming several scales and vocalises, (make sure that you are not clenching your teeth by placing your tongue between them), sustained notes on multiple vowels, scales on multiple vowels, and then on to more advanced exercises. 

If you have a larger amount of phlegm than usual, there are several possible causes. You may be getting a cold, getting over a cold, your voice may be overworked, the air in your home/workplace may be too dry, or you may simply be dehydrated.

If you are sick or your voice is overworked, there isn't much you can do except let your body heal itself and make sure that it has the right resources to do so (rest, proper food, water).

Drinking enough water is absolutely essential. In addition, sleeping with a humidifier can make a huge difference. Please resist the urge to clear your throat to remove phlegm. It might work temporarily, but can become a bad habit that will cause irritation in the long run. Another temporary fix is medication. Most of the nasal-clearing medications on the market clear the stuffiness out by drying out the sinuses, making it doubly important for you to keep your body hydrated. Salt-water irrigation is a great natural alternative (using products such as Hydrasense)

To make my throat feel clear, I use scotch mints. They may not work for other people but I always keep them in my performance bag. (They also have the added bonus of ensuring fresh breath, and the peppermint can help settle a nervous stomach). Fisherman's Friends are also very popular. Be careful with mints or lozenges that contain a lot of sugar, as this can also cause an increase in phlegm.

Links to More Tips & Resources for Vocal Care

Nature Made Zinc Lozenges, Cherry Flavored

Care of the Professional Voice: A Management Guide for Singers, Actors and Professional Voice Users

Evaluating the influence of warmup on singing voice quality using acoustic measures. : An article from: Journal of Voice

Comments From Our Visitors

"When i was in school, i had my lunch period right before my choir class so i always had all sorts of junk in my throat when i was in class. I started chewing Orbit gum after lunch with the intention of having fresh breath, but found that it cleared my throat quickly and quite effectivly. From the time i finished my lunch to when my choir class would start and i would spit it out, my throat was phlegm free. Also, I've heard that altoids are great at clearing throats as well. " - Kristine

Comments (6) >>

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written by Glocca Morra, June 26, 2007

Ricola! I always have a tin of them with me. I've also heard some Broadway stars say they use them.

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written by Evelyn James, November 10, 2008

Apparently it's also best to avoid dairy products, lemonade (the natural stuff) and chocolate before singing as it doesn't help with phlegm problems.

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written by Andrew Nydam, December 28, 2008

yeah milk is the worst thing i have had problems with.. never have dairy prouducts before singing.

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written by Stephen, February 09, 2009

Interesting enough, when I was talking with Anthony Crivello backstage of "Phantom: The Las Vegas Experience," he said that he drank warm milk with honey to get his voice raspy for the role of the phantom before and during the show so not to cause harm to his voice by forcing it. He also noted that since Las Vegas already has a dry climate, water is very much a must have when he's not performing.

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written by Holly, February 19, 2009

I also read that clearing you through like: -hem,hem- is bad when singing. I forget the reason why, but it's about your vocal somethings (I forget what they're called) banging together everytime you clear your troat, and that can negatively affect your voice while singing.

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written by Allie, March 18, 2009

Thanks so much! I was having problems with phlegm lately (probably getting a cold) and I was just about to give up hope before I found this. Thanks!

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