How can I cure a hoarse voice?

Any remedies to cure a hoarse voice?

• well, i had a cold all week & yesterday my troat kinda started hurting, but i didnt pay it any attention. Then I woke up this morning, & my voice was completely gone! I've been drinkin tea & water constantly & my voice is coming bac alil but still sounds horrible. any other suggestion to make my voice come back fast??

• Answer:

  The best advice is simply not to use your voice (if @ all possible) and just give it time to heal etc. If you have to speak, try to keep your throat relaxed and speak in a calm, quiet tone, so as not to unduly over-stress your throat & vocal chords. Definitely don't try raising your voice or yelling to compensate - this will only prolong the problem. 2 alternatives to talking you can try: texting on your cell phone or (even though it's a bit archaic for some people) using pen & paper for face to face conversations. You should definitely continue to drink plenty of fluids to help rehydrate your body (preferably plain water and/or teas w/o any sweeteners, lemon is okay) - ideally drink @ least 1/2 your body weight in ounces everyday (ex. - if you weigh 150 lbs, drink a minimum of 75 ozs per day) and avoid any drinks containing caffeine since they will dehydrate you. Also avoid any smoking or alcohol. If you are drinking enough fluids and your throat is sore or raw from your sinuses draining or coughing etc, you can use cough medicine or drops as needed (menthol cough drops work for me). I've heard some people gargle w/ salt water, but I haven't tried that method personally. You could also try a vaporizer - it produces steam that you inhale (again for dehydration or a sore throat). Be patient and you could see positive results in as little as a couple days.