Just got over a cold…. having your throat out of commission is a drag for a saxophone player! I imagine it’s just as bad for other horn players, singers, etc. Probably for all musicians, but in a pretty direct way on saxophone.
Tried a few different remedies, started with tea & honey, lots of water, ricolla cough drops, chicken soup, vitamins….
Seems like apples make my throat feel better, so I was eating one or two of those each day.
Mariah Carrey told a story about how honey helped her throat. I think that was just for when she was singing a lot, not necessarily for a sore throat.
Gargling with salt water seems to help kill the bugs in there.
Seems like garlic helps your immune system a lot. Tried garlic oil pills, but I’m not convinced they work as well, though they don’t give you crazy dragon breath.
I did play a show before I was quite better yet, and that set me back a little bit. They gave me a vocal mic, and it seemed to me like singing was harder on my throat than playing the saxophone…..
A huge part of the recovery is just getting rest and letting your body recuperate.
So while I advocate practicing saxophone every day, it’s okay to reduce your practicing time or even take some time off when you’re ill.
What have you tried that works well in helping a sore throat?
Maybe some saxophone playing doctors will read this!
Man, I’ve been there!
Interestingly, sometimes when I play with a sore throat, my throat actually feels *better* while I’m playing. But I don’t necessarily think this accelerates the healing.
Throat drops, rest, and time seem to do the trick.
best,
Rick
Hey Rick,
That’s funny, saxophone doesn’t seem to bother my throat that much when I’m not feeling good either, but I know it doesn’t help.
Thanks
warm salt water & gargle/ helps kill the germs
equal parts honey, lemon juice, and chop pieces of garlic seem to soothe with lots of rest!
Thanks for sharing Rod
Hey Neal…didnt know you were a crooner dude…way to go man…..
haha, just a little bit
Combine one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar, one teaspoon of cayenne pepper and three tablespoons of clover honey in a glass of warm water. Gargle as often as necessary. Also, using a humidifier helps a lot.
Thanks Rusty, that sounds interesting with the cayenne pepper bit. I wonder why that part would help.
I totally concur that it’s ok to reduce practice time when you’re ill. I don’t play the saxophone but I do sing. I remember the lecture I got from my voice teacher about caring for voice and how it’s an instrument that needs proper care, especially before a performance.