Singers are particularly sensitive creatures. Thus, singing with asthma is a common struggle. Hopefully you will never be challenged by a health issue that leaves you singing with asthma. But let’s seize the day, use this post to learn about famous singers who have long suffered with asthma and most of all how average singers can overcome the burdens of singing with asthma.
This post is about SINGING WITH ASTHMA.
The objective is helping my fellow singers be well informed to beat the problem, whether they are suffering now
or in the future, with psychological and
physical interference from asthma.
What is Asthma and What Causes It?
Fascinating, how the airways inside the human lungs resemble an upside down tree. The natural earth and humanity are inextricably bound. No wonder we respond to the medicine of natural remedies!
Asthma is a chronic medical disorder, which should be diagnosed by a good doctor. The cause of asthma is not understood, as we learn from this excellent Mayo Clinic article: Asthma Symptoms and Causes.
The symptoms begin with constriction or narrowing of the airways, along with swelling, excess mucus production, coughing, shortness of breath, and a wheezing or whistling sound when exhaling. How are you supposed to sing?!
Singing with Asthma: Advice from a “Former Asthmatic”
The actor Paul Sorvino (1939-2022) began his performing career as “an opera singer who acted.” And Sorvino also described himself as a “former asthmatic.”
While only in his 20s, performing on Broadway and suffering from asthma, he was fortunate to meet two actors who taught him the breathing exercise that made him a “former asthmatic”: Interview of Paul Sorvino.
In his book, How to Become a Former Asthmatic, Sorvino teaches the breathing exercise which enabled him to break free of his symptoms.
How to Become a Former Asthmatic BUY ON AMAZON
Singing with Asthma: Rock Star “Pink”
Live performance is far more revealing than any commercially available recording. You can hear vocal fatigue, some hoarseness in the voice.
My impression is that the pop singing vocal technique is just as responsible as the asthma symptoms, for the hoarseness in her voice. In fairness, I have not heard Pink live nor have I worked with her voice.
Her instrument is large and expressive, and Pink is familiar with the physical and emotional burdens of singing with asthma. This is exemplary courage and determination!
Rock Star Pink Asthma Struggles
(Please see the third paragraph and beyond.)
Pink does not detail her treatment program, what medications or natural remedies she uses to control her asthma, so she can fulfill her job as a performer singing with asthma. She has obviously suffered immensely, and we hope her asthma treatment program is safe and effective, for her own well-being and for her singing career.
Singing with Asthma: Soprano Eleanor Steber
From a past era, American soprano Eleanor Steber (1914-1990), evidently suffered from a terribly severe case of asthma. Her singing is so exquisite, I hear no sign at all of any shortness of breath, zero vocal fatigue, no congestion in the way whatsoever — just loads of consistently gorgeous soprano sound!
Yet another example of how stress negatively impacts our immunity: Eleanor Steber had two failed marriages, both of which reportedly caused her tremendous emotional upheaval. Living with stress and strain will certainly make asthma worse. Steber was singing with asthma throughout her career.
I wish we knew what her care routine was. She lived in a time when personal privacy was more sacrosanct. It’s understandable if an opera singer, particularly from that era, wanted to keep her medical issues quiet.
For too many performers, singing with asthma means a lifetime of rotating various medications, diets, breathing exercises, many lifestyle modifications, not to mention increased performance anxiety — sometimes finding success and sometimes not.
Singing with Asthma: EIB
As singers, we understand that singing is exercise of the lungs. When any form of exercise is found to trigger asthma, it is referred to as “EIB,” meaning “exercise induced asthma.” And this specific category calls for treatment.
Your doctor might advise that your physical warm-up be done more slowly, for example. And this type of preventive measure might be advised, in conjunction with your regular medications, plus “quick relief inhalers” to be used 15 minutes before you begin any form of exercise of the lungs, including singing.
Here is a good article on EIB from the Mayo Clinic.
Recommended Asthma Treatments from Dr. Weil
Dr. Andrew Weil includes advice for EIB, as he writes that “asthma is often regarded as mysterious and frustrating to treat.” Dr. Weil does not specifically address singing with asthma but discusses conventional treatments for asthmatics in general, as he offers a plentiful list of natural remedies as well.
For those who are singing with asthma, it is wise to explore healthy foods, which are known to reduce inflammation, such as ginger and turmeric (assuming you are not allergic). Dr. Weil does not mention bromelain, an enzyme found in pineapple, which can be very helpful in preventing asthma attacks. See this article for more:
Pineapple for Help With Asthma
Dr. Weil has long espoused an “anti-inflammatory diet.”
Special kudos to anyone who can follow such a diet! It would require a major lifestyle adjustment. But no doubt this diet would offer vastly improved health for nearly anyone, including more energy and anti-aging benefits.
Singing with Asthma:
Ayervedic Medicine and Chinese Medicine
Exploring alternative therapies is wise. There is a remedy for asthma known as “herbal yoga,” which goes by the name of “Padmapatradi yoga” (or “Tamaka Swasa”). According to the National Institutes for Health here in the U.S., padmapatradi yoga is actually an effective bronchodilator, antihistamine, and also an anti-inflammatory.
In Chinese medicine, acupuncture has long been respected as a remedy for asthma. And there is a group of herbs, used synergistically as asthma treatment, which many asthma patients rely upon for effective relief.
The formula is called ASHMI (anti-asthma herbal medicine intervention) and blends the three most effective herbs for asthma, found in a traditional Chinese medicine.
As usual, I went hunting to find how to purchase this “ASHMI.” –Nothing by that name anywhere. This article saved the day:
Article on Chinese ASHMI for asthma.
And here is the product named in the article, available at Amazon: Phytocort BUY ON AMAZON.
Singing with Asthma: Avoiding the Triggers
So we do understand what asthma is: a chronic disease of the lungs in which the airways become inflamed and narrow, making it difficult to breathe. But we do not actually know the exact cause of asthma.
Thus we might not be able to prevent asthma itself, but we can have success in preventing the triggers.
If you are curious about what actually causes this in your own body, consider that you might have inherited genes, predisposing you to asthma.
Potential triggers might be environmental, such as breathing vehicle exhaust, exposure to air pollution, allergens (airborne inhalants and/or food allergies), chemical pollutants, etc., which can cause airway inflammation, constriction, and asthma attacks.
Making a list of which foods, irritants, and allergens to avoid, to prevent asthma from being triggered, I would personally include cigarette smoke, cigar smoke, and smoke from a pipe in this list of potential irritants.
Singing with asthma surely has to mean that you simply cannot smoke and cannot vape literally anything! Any singer should resolve to stop smoking, and in this category we must including vaping.
The smoke and/or vapors are intense, searing heat, directly bombarding the tissues of your respiratory system. Remember, we sing on the superficial mucosal lining, the top layer of thin mucus covering, which is normal and something you want to keep healthy, moist, and intact.
The mucosal lining covers the surface of your entire respiratory system. In its healthy state, this thin normal layer of mucus protects you from germs, allergens, and other irritants, any of which could cause illness and/or inflammation, which in turn could trigger asthma. Your mucosal lining works perfectly when it is kept moist.
It is when the mucosal lining becomes dried out that your body’s defenses fly into action, to correct the situation. Immediately a lot of thick mucus is produced, as a reaction, an attempt to repair the damaged or dried out surface layer.
Often this thick congestion is a real mess for singing and will actually get worse, if you insist upon singing through a lot of persistent mucus. Please refer to this post for help with excessive thick phlegm (regardless of the cause).
Singing With Asthma:
Your Arsenal of Remedies
1. You must be examined and followed by a board certified pulmonologist physician and/or a board certified allergist physician. Because asthma puts you at significant risk of not getting enough oxygen, your first line of defense must be a good doctor, who you trust. Have a thorough first examination and then return for followup appointments, as recommended.
2. Prescription bronchodilators, corticosteroid medication, and an array of inhalers as well as other medications can be discussed with your doctor. You should explore various prescription meds and you should work with your doctor to adjust dosages. This is the way to discover the exact regimen that is right for you as an individual. Then you can feel confident about your personal treatment plan.
3. If making a decision to introduce natural remedies into your treatment plan, I strongly advise that you inform your doctor. It is necessary for your doctor to know exactly which nutritional supplements, herbal remedies, and any other natural remedies you wish to introduce into your treatment plan.
Your doctor can determine if there is likely to be any interaction between your prescription meds and your natural remedies. Should it be discovered that an interaction is likely, then a choice has to be made.
The ill effects of an interaction could potentially cause you considerable harm. Please do not take any such risk!
Speak with your doctor about temporarily going off one of the remedies, so you can determine if the new remedy is actually going to work for you. Together with your doctor, you can make informed choices for your optimal treatment plan.
While it is valuable to keep an open mind about trying new remedies, remember the old adage: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!” When your treatment plan is working, it probably should not be disrupted, to explore the “shiny new object.”
We need physicians who we can communicate with freely, who will welcome our questions and respect our commitment to personal wellness. So always talk with your physician!
4. If you wish to incorporate yoga into your treatment plan, I recommend a private yoga instructor to guide you. Asthma is a serious chronic condition, and there are numerous forms of yoga to choose from. A good private instructor would be the smart maneuver here.
It is also possible that a physical therapist might offer individual yoga instruction. Ask your doctor and search for the right people to include on your medical team.
5. From my research, not personally being an asthma sufferer, I believe the following natural remedies appear very promising for treating asthma:
- Yerba Maté Tea [ BUY ON AMAZON ] for its anti-inflammatory effects upon the whole body.
- Fresh pineapple and pineapple juice for the enzyme bromelain contains. Bromelain might also reduce inflammation and be especially therapeutic for those with allergic asthma.
- Ginger and turmeric for their anti-inflammatory properties.
- Guidance is available in this article, listing foods which might help and foods which might actually hurt asthmatics.
Singing with Asthma:
Your Vocal Technique
Let’s be reminded that it is not physically possible for a singer to hear himself or herself as others hear us. Even when recording your singing, this rapidly becomes highly inexact and just plain tricky. Still you should record your lessons and coaching sessions and study the recordings, as this will contribute to improved vocal technique.
The best way for you to understand how others hear your singing is by working with a first-rate voice teacher. He or she has a tremendous pair of ears, which you can trust and rely upon, to keep your technique on track.
Singing with asthma means you should never fall into the trap of believing that you no longer need a voice teacher. This could spell the beginning of the end for your singing. Please locate a first-rate singing teacher and have regular lessons. There is no substitute and your singing will advance tremendously!
In general I recommend you have a close look at this specific guidance on breath support.
Be sure and explain to your entire medical team that you are a singer. Unless your doctor says otherwise, please drink at least 90 ounces of water per day. Singing with asthma requires extra care to thin mucosal secretions and to prevent dehydration.
Your daily regimen absolutely must include plenty of sleep. Did you already check out this post on treating sleep deprivation?:
Natural Remedies for Chronic Sleep Deprivation.
Don’t forget to message me directly if I can be of help to you. This website is your opportunity to get free advice from an acclaimed opera singer, who truly justs wants to help you sing better. What a deal, right?!
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Post your question there or email directly at anytime: Gretchen@SingingAndYOU.com.
This post has made an effort to shed light, for those who are SINGING WITH ASTHMA. It is not a substitute for medical advice. Please consult your own physicians.
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