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Many of you may already have looked at a vocal steamer for singers specifically, but maybe not have heard of a vocal nebuliser.

Unfortunately, a nebuliser isn’t a form of intergalactic travel. Nevertheless, it is pretty space age as far as singing paraphernalia goes. Aside from having a nice blue light and spooky mist coming out of it, it’s actually a really good investment for anyone who takes their vocal hygiene seriously!  That probably includes all voice professionals out there and a good many regular singers. Let’s delve into why you could consider adding a nebuliser to your vocal preparation routine, and also which ones to look at!

First up, if you’ve done your research and have already decided on a nebuliser, here are your best options in your area:

  • UK – click here to view Omron on Amazon UK.
  • UK/US/Canada – go here to view VocalMist instead. *Shipping may differ for the UK
    #CommisionsEarned

BUUUUUT, I seriously recommend reading on to really understand what you’re considering buying and how best to use it. Eager beavers… I’m talking to you!

A wet larynx is a happy larynx

This statement is pretty much universally accepted in the world of singing. Very rarely has the advice been “don’t bother” when talking about regularly drinking water and keeping hydrated for singing. That’s because singers for the last few hundred years have all reported the negative effects and raised effort connected with singing on a dry voice. It just feels crappy.

There’s also no shortage of research out there that reinforces the point. Scientist pretty much all arrive at the same point… physical effort to sing (measured by nifty lab instrumentation) and perceived effort to sing (reported by the singer subjects) all went up considerably when vocal folds were dehydrated.

Along with raised physical effort comes a higher lung pressure needed to create sound. In other words, when you’re dry you’re highly likely to have to push more air to sing. That can lead to all forms of vocal fatigue and injury in the long term, which is obviously NOT something we want to be at risk of.

Interestingly, for anyone who sings in or above their break/passaggio, the studies showed that the biggest changes in effort were associated with higher pitches. Speaking pitch and low singing weren’t as uncomfortable, which means you’ll really feel the dryness if you tend to sing with a bigger range. You might not spot that you’re dehydrated until you go up there either, at which time it might be too late to do anything about it!

Looking at the hydrated singers, they all skipped around (figuratively, of course) singing with less perceived effort, less actual effort, and were able to produce a richer, more resonant voice. Job done.

That’s fine… I’ll just drink water

Drinking water is a must. If you’re a singer, or any earth-based organism, and you DON’T drink water every day, you’re literally insane. You absolutely need it to be fully operational, and singers should be especially careful to drink enough each day for the reasons in the last section.

Before drinking water can hydrate your vocal folds, it needs to be processed by the body and delivered to the dry tissues in your larynx. Depending on many factors, that could be anywhere between one hour and three hours. After you’ve downed a big glass, occasionally you need to speed things up a little! Sometimes you may also live in a dry air environment, or have a dry voice from using it a lot. Out comes the vocal steamer!

Alright then… I’ll steam

Steam is water, obviously. Boiling water transforms it into tiny droplets, and you breath those droplets in when you use a steamer. The idea behind this is to make the air moist so that the moisture rests on your vocal folds and hydrates them.Vocal steamer

There’s a couple of potential pitfalls with this. In discussions with voice researchers and doctors over the years it seems that steam particles are much bigger than those that a nebuliser creates. That means the chance of the steam droplets condensing on the walls of the mouth and throat is much greater. In turn, that means less makes it to the vocal fold level to wet them.

Steam is also ruddy hot and steaming is usually recommended in limited amounts. Sometimes a bit too hot, which can scald you if you use a vocal steamer too soon after pouring in the water. According to friend of the podcast and consultant laryngologist, Dr. Reena Gupta:

“forcing high heat air (steam) in without allowing for the body’s natural inclination to cool it to body temperature would exacerbate edema (inflammation) – not useful!”

Especially if your voice is already inflamed due to overuse or an acute illness.

In any case, there’s very little actual evidence to suggest that steaming greatly improves voice production. Nebulisers, on the other hand, have much more to back them up.

The case for the fancy cool mist

If you need a celeb endorsement, Madonna has been papped with a nebuliser several times. Despite the papers speculating that she must be ill, she clarified on Brazilian TV that it’s to keep her voice moist.

Another bolster for the case is that nebuliser particles are smaller. Hence, they have a much better chance of making it down to your larynx without condensing on your airway. That means better hydration right away!

Using saline (NOT water – in capitals) is also a key ingredient to why a nebuliser is awesome. I’ll explain that more below, but it simply hydrates you better. If you use boiling hot saline in a vocal steamer on the other hand, the salt will be left behind in the evaporation process! Good for your dinner, but not for your voice.

You can’t use any old saline though. It has to be plain old, 0.9% isotonic saline.

Why would your voice need salty water? Let’s go geeky…

Saline is what’s known as isotonic. An isotonic substance matches the fluid properties in our body’s cells, and is a better option for hydration all round. Just think of those foul tasting rehydration sports sachets; salt and fruit. Yuck! But perfect for the job because they’re also isotonic and the body can use them very easily.

As the fluid in our vocal folds cells are also made up of 0.9% saline, using the equivalent saline concentration in a nebuliser will allow the most effective lubrication of the larynx surface, if it needs it. It also won’t disturb the delicate hydration balance of the rest of your airway in the process. All you need to do is remember:

POINT – NINE – PERCENT

Say it over and over again. 

Even if you did use regular water by mistake, most people usually report that it makes them cough, which should jog your memory! The saline feels quite a bit ‘softer’ on the throat…. mmmmmmmm.

The current thinking

There have been studies on singers specifically using nebulisers. During the studies, they measured the lung pressure needed to sing and the perceived effort of the singer. Pure water didn’t reduce pressure and effort nearly as much as 0.9% saline did.  In fact, it performed fairly badly. In the study in question, it was said that:

“The results from this study indicate that nebulized isotonic saline has the potential
to reverse the perceived adverse effects associated with laryngeal
dryness in singers, whereas nebulized sterile water was inadequate in addressing these effects”
Nebulized Isotonic Saline Versus Water Following a Laryngeal Desiccation Challenge in Classically Trained Sopranos (Tanner/Roy et al 2010)

And, wonderfully, the effects of the saline nebuliser helped the vocal folds to stay flexible and easier to use for nearly two hours. Just enough time to allow a bottle of Volvic to get round your digestive system to hydrate your cells.



Vocal nebuliserSign me up! Where do I get one?

There are quite a few on the market from many different manufacturers. Although I still use my faithful old thing, I’ve been reliably informed by fellow voice professionals, researchers and laryngologists that these products are worthy of your money. Firstly, Worldwide singers (and those on the US side of the Atlantic in-particular), the new unit from VocalMist ticks all the boxes AND they also do bundles of the correct saline to go with your neb.

If the shipping costs are high for the VocalMist, the unit that’s easily available in the UK/Europe is the Omron MicroAIR U100 Pocket Nebuliser. This brand is also the one that was used in the studies I mentioned and is available on Amazon UK. Happy shopping!

NOTE: Always check with your doctor before purchase. Commisions earned on any  purchases.

You can use both of these with the AC adapter or with batteries, so they’re truly portable. You also don’t need to boil a flippin’ kettle to get some moisture, which ticks the convenience box massively compared to a conventional steamer. The VocalMist has the edge however, as it has a self-cleaning function. That’s very helpful to make sure that your nebuliser doesn’t get grotty and harbour germs.

vocal steamerFor the sterile isotonic saline, these 20ml Irripods in a box are available readily from Amazon. They are isotonic, 0.9% sterile saline in handy little tubes, and you can get them in any pharmacy too.

As far as how much you should use in your nebuliser, the studies I looked at used between 2-9ML/CC per application. I often go with half a well, which is around 5ml. That’s about 8mins of life-giving wetness for your larynx.
I would recommend highly against mixing your own saline because it’s not sterile. That means you could inhale nasty bacteria, which we definitely don’t want!

There’s no substitute for drinking water

A nebuliser is certainly a valuable addition to a pro’s vocal hygiene regime. It helps keep a hard working voice tip-top if it’s being used a lot everyday or is often in a dry environment (like on an aeroplane, or in air conditioned hotel rooms). It’s also a god send as part of a vocal warm up and can be used as a kick start for hydration if you need to sing early in the day.

hydration for singingBUT, drinking water is still king to avoid dehydration of the vocal folds. Topical dehydration is the dryness you experience on the surface of your vocal folds from the air you breath, especially if you’re a mouth breather. You can help that a lot with a nebuliser.

Systemic dehydration, on the other hand, is dehydration from the inside. That comes from not drinking enough water. One study I came across during my reading was on how well vocal fold tissue was able to return to normal after being systemically dehydrated. Turns out, there’s a chance that when systemic dehydration was high enough, bathing the vocal folds in isotonic saline didn’t reverse the short term effects in many cases.

Conclusion

The lesson we can learn here is to drink plenty and avoid very dry environments as a baseline. Topically hydrating with a nebuliser and 0.9% saline, according to the current research, can put the cherry on top. Then you’ll have a doubly great chance of keeping  your healthy, rich and flexible voice throughout a busy schedule and the many challenging environments that singers find themselves in. In the meantime, I’ll keep an eye out for new findings on steaming and nebulisers as there’s clearly more that needs to be done!

Please do comment below, contact me directly if you have any more questions about this article. I’ll be happy to answer them!

NOTE: The Amazon links in this post are for an affiliate scheme and we may earn commission on any products purchased.



References:
  • Dependence of Phonatory Effort on Hydration Level (Verdolini et al 1994)
  • An Evaluation of the Effects of Three Laryngeal Lubricants on Phonation Threshold Pressure (PTP) (Roy et al 2003)
  • Ex vivo canine vocal fold lamina propria rehydration after varying dehydration levels (Hanson et al 2011)
  • Nebulized Isotonic Saline Versus Water Following a Laryngeal Desiccation Challenge in Classically Trained Sopranos (Tanner/Roy et al 2010)
  • The Effects of Laryngeal Desiccation and Nebulized Isotonic Saline in Trained Male Singers (Fujuki 2014)
  • The role of hydration in vocal fold physiology (Sivasankar/Leydon 2010)
  • The Effects of Three Nebulized Osmotic Agents in the Dry Larynx (Tanner/Roy 2007)NOTE: We receive a small commission from any products bought via the links in this post.
Chris Johnson Vocal Coach

Join the discussion 14 Comments

  • Hi Chris,

    I actually just started using the Omron pocket nebulizer with the saline suggested. I’m only on my third day, but my throat feels scratchy and irritated. Can using a nebuliser have side effects?

    Thanks in advance!
    We

    • Hi Martha! Thanks for getting in touch. That’s strange. Are you sure it’s not a coincidental cold or infection coming at the same time? How much saline are you using each time? Did you happen to share it with anyone by any chance (in which case infection could have been passed to you)?
      Either way, it’s best to hold off for now. When the irritation goes away try it again, and if the irritation reappears you’ll know it wasn’t a coincidence. Please do keep in touch Martha. My email is info@chrisjohnsonvocalcoach.com if you need any further advice.

  • Jenna says:

    Hi Chris! I just got my nebulizer and LOVE IT. How long do you recommend using it before a show? Same as steaming? 10-15-20 minutes? Or for a shorter duration?
    Thanks!
    Jenna

    • Hi Jenna! Glad you asked… I might need to do an instructional article as there are many questions!
      I tend to get through around 4-6ml of the saline solution each time I use it. There should be a measurement gauge in the side of the liquid well so you can see how much. Otherwise you spend a lot of saline!
      To nebulise that much saline, it probably would take something like 7-8mins maybe… you’ll have to time it and see!
      Let me know if you have any more queries Jenna. CJ

  • Simon Gomez says:

    How many times a day is it ok to nebulize? 3? 4? as often as you’d like?

    • Hi Simon! I’m not entirely sure of that fact. I know with steam it’s often recommended to keep that down to short periods and twice day, because it’s hot. Nebulizers are of course cold, but my thoughts are that twice per day would be fine. 30mins before you sing, and maybe in the morning if you wake up with a very dry mouth. If you’re very dry in the throat and feel like you need it more, water drinking might be too low and you’re systemically dehydrated. Or, singing is making your throat feel a bit ragged and a nebuliser wouldn’t help. You’d need to adjustment in your technique, or a look to see how your vocal health is with a doctor. Hope that helps sir!

  • Arya says:

    Dear Chris, I’m following this regimen and I feel an immediate difference after 6-7 years of problems!

    I have 2 questions for you. I have to take a few medications. They affect the INTERNAL hydration of my cords, and one of them apparently has an effect on fine motor control. I wouldn’t mind telling you in private which ones. I am willing to try to go off some (although I have tried and it seems I may be at a minimum in some ways).

    My questions are: Does this kind of nebulizing also compensate for loss of INTERNAL vocal cord hydration? Also, with a medication that may affect fine motor control, I don’t know what to do? This medicine is very essential to my day to day function. My coach also said that side effect may only matter at the highest levels of classical singing, aka not for me.

    Ps thank you for this page, the effects on DAY 1 were immediate. I had been losing hope and now I have hope again, that all my work over the years wasn’t for nothing!

    • Hi! Glad it’s helped, especially when it seemed like it wasn’t going anywhere.
      This can indeed help to compensate, for short periods of 1/1.5hrs, for a problem with systemic hydration. I’m guessing that’s what you mean by internal.
      This is important for a few reasons, but mostly because it reduces the air pressure needed to speak/sing in that time. That will mean less fatigue after voice use. Avoiding dry environment, or making them work for you, is also something that can minimise problems.
      If you feel that it’s affecting your voice, there’s noticeable control problems AND you’ve felt a difference, then your coach could do with an update from you. They may be forced to change their view!

  • Antoinette thelwell says:

    What a great read, thank you! May I ask is it better to inhale the mist from the nebuliser through the nose or mouth? Or will the mist reach the vocal cords the same either way. Also should I inhale and hold the mist in for a few seconds?
    Thank you in advance. X

    • Thank you! Best way is to inhale slowly but normally. No holds or anything. In through the mouth, out through the nose. If you breathe through in through the nose, the moisture condenses in the nasal passages before it reaches your larynx. The mouth and throat is a much bigger space, so there’s less condensation and more moisture for your vocal folds 🙂 Hope that helps!

  • Chloe says:

    Hi,

    Do you know where I could get one in Australia?

    • Hi Chloe! There isn’t an appropriate source for nebuliser in the US. Amazon don’t stock them for sure. At the top of the article, there’s a link for US buyers to the Vocal Mist people. They’re based in California but ship all over the world. Best to go with them I think!

  • Jackie says:

    Hi! Great read, but do you have other brand recommendations? VocalMist is on backorder and I’m in need of something today/tmrw but having a hard time sifting though all the options on Amazon to see what’s comparable.
    Thanks!

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