. They took her to an ENT doc who put > her on an antibiotic, tamiflu, and gave her a steroid inhaler (asthmacort) > and told her to use it 8 times a day and not to sing until the day she was to > perform her talent...I called my local ENT because I was afraid > that the inhaler was a little much, but he agreed that it was the right thing > to do. He also called her in a medrol dosepak. She was much better the next > day, and by the time I saw her, on Friday, she felt better but sounded > "Breathy" when she spoke. Her performance was a nightmare. She literally > had no voice. She sounded hoarse and bone dry. Needless to say she didn't > win anything............As soon as we got her home I took her to a doc in a > nearby town who works a lot with singers, and he felt like the inhaler just > really dried her out. He put her on modified voice rest for 10 days and said > that she would be fine but to come back in 2 weeks if she was not. It has > been 2 weeks today and she just called me crying from a chorale rehearsal, > she says she can't sing at all. She does have a sore throat, but she has > been sore ever since she used the inhaler. She is sore all the way down into > her chest. There is a lot of crud going around here, and she may just be > sick, but we are afraid that the inhaler may have permanently damaged her > vocal cords
It is unlikely she has permanent damage. It was way too short a time of use. As long as she did not abuse her voice during the time, her vocal apparatus should be fine.
Steroid inhalers can be drying, although Azmacort is the one that seems best tolerated by singers. I can not say why her voice is doing what it is doing, but I suspect the inhaler was only a minor issue. If she was on a Medrol dosepak she probably could have skipped the inhaler, but that's water under the bridge now.
It sounds like the steroids didn't help. Probably she just needs more time to recover from the respiratory illness.
As to whom to consult, I'd suggest she see someone with experience specifically in vocal disorders, especially for singers. If Vanderbilt is accessible to you, go there.
John
John J. Messmer, M.D. Assistant Professor, Family & Community Medicine Penn State College of Medicine
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