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To: Vocalist <vocalist>
From: Naomi Gurt Lind
Subject: re: throat & nose problems
Send reply to: VOCALIST <vocalist>

>Anyway, my question is whether
>it is still okay for me to sing, because using my vocal cords
>increases the pain. I've been abstaining for the most part from
>singing and speaking as much as possible, but the doctor said there
>was no reason for that and I could continue singing. But I've always
>subscribed to the "if it hurts, don't do it" school... Is there a
>risk if I continue to sing? I'm probably not going to be able to get
>in to see the other specialist for at least a couple of months, and
>not singing or speaking much for that long a period of time would be
>a big problem.

If it's any comfort, I also subscribe to the "if it hurts...don't" school
of thought. But a few months is too long to wait. The doctor you saw (I
infer) seems not to have much understanding of singers' needs, hence the
referral. May I suggest that you lean on the doctor/system in order to get
seen by a singer-sensitive doc sooner? It is sad to say (and doesn't apply
to the wonderful physicians who share their time and knowledge on this
list) but many physicians -- indeed many non-singers -- do not understand
why singers have a different standard of normative vocal health than
others.

And many physicians in the U.S. (I don't know where you're writing from)
are under pressure to give as little expensive care as possible and are
therefore stingy with the referrals. A cynical friend of mine once said to
me that there's one word you have to have in your medical file in order to
get good care: DIFFICULT. I don't think that's true across the board, but
the point is that it often helps to be persistent in asking for what you
need.

Bottom line: if it were me, I would call the referring doctor again and
say, "I know you said it was ok to sing over this condition, but I am not
comfortable with that and I don't believe it's healthy for my voice. I
need to see the specialist to whom you referred me sooner than next month
because it's very important to me to understand my voice health completely
before I take the risk of singing." Or something like that.

Best of luck! Be well!
Naomi Gurt Lind