Vocalist.org archive


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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