| From: john schweinfurth To: VOCALIST <vocalist> Subject: Re: Singer with Hiatal Hernia Send reply to: VOCALIST <vocalist>
On Mon, 20 Dec 1999 14:35:29 -0500, VOCALIST wrote:
> Dear Dr. Schweinfurth: > > Thank you as always for your reply. I've passed it on to my friend. I'm > wondering what your opinion is on why so many singers seem to have reflux. I > have read that one reason (besides obesity and late-night or unhealthful > eating and stress) might be that some singers experience increased pressure > on the diaphragm. If that's true, is there something in how we are > supporting that we can change to lessen the pressure? > > Laura
I don't think that diaprhagmatic pressure has anything to do with it, because you're not singing all of the time. It's a combination of factors. That would definitely be the last thing that you need to worry about, given all of the other factors.
1. Our diet is much more highly processed than it used to be, and thus more refluxogenic. Most processed foods have a lot more sugar and starch, as well as preservatives.
2. We're more aware of it than we used to be. It's all over TV, etc. Do you think people cared about reflux in the middle ages, when the mortality rate was about 80% by the age of 20? Now that we live 'better', we get more and more picky about these kind of things, and nobody is more picky about the throat than singers.
3. Keeping late hours and eating on the run are definitely descriptions of singers as well.
John M. Schweinfurth, MD Laryngology and Professional Voice Care Assistant Professor Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN (615) 322-6180
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