This Inhaler Clears My Sinuses and Also Makes Me Better at Karaoke
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I started voice lessons last May in an effort to stop blowing my voice out every time I belted Creed’s “One Last Breath” at karaoke. I’ve made strides since then — moving on from Scott Stapp to David Bowie for my go-to songs — and my coach has taught me tons of techniques to keep my voice working smoothly. But none of them were able to save me from the scratchy throat that three weeks of bronchitis left me with.
After canceling a few lessons due to my shaky voice, my coach suggested I pick up one of theseVicks Sinus Inhalers, which many singers swear by for clearing their sinuses and giving their voices that steamy shower fullness. I borrowed one from my parents for a bit, and my brother-in-law thoughtfully gifted me one for my birthday. It hasn’t left my bathroom countertop since.
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The Vicks looks sort of like a funky smoking apparatus, but its job is simple. It blows steam up to your face and through your sinuses. The base has a single button to turn the device on to either high or low heat. It takes about three minutes to heat up on high (a little longer the first time), and a tad over five on low.
Right below the mouthpiece, which you’re meant to hover your mouth and nose over rather than touch directly, is a switch that lets you select how much steam gets through. Between those two settings, you can get a fair amount of control over the Vicks output, which comes in handy when you’re sick and your body is particularly sensitive.
I was really grateful to have the Vicks for the last bug I came down with. For about four days, I couldn’t breathe comfortably or go five minutes without a coughing fit. Midway through my first sick day, as I finally got tired of trying to breathe through my less-clogged nostril, I plugged in my trusty Vicks and got it ready to go. Before turning it on, I twisted the upper portion off and filled the water reservoir to the top. Then I popped in one of Vicks’sVapoPads— which feature that classic Vicks blend of eucalyptus and menthol — and placed my face over the mouthpiece. Three minutes later, I could breathe again. This gadget can’t work miracles, though: Eventually the congestion returns and it’s time for another session with the inhaler. But by day four I only needed to use it once.
Thankfully I don’t get sick too often, so I mostly use the Vicks before and after karaoke. One run before heading out ensures my voice feels nice and fresh for my first song and that my lungs are relaxed — the Vicks forces you to slow down your breathing — so I’m not straining my voice too hard throughout the night. I also like to do another session when I get home, as my voice can sometimes get strained from all the chatting between songs.
Between being my go-to treatment when I’m sick and my second tool — proper warm-ups always come first — in taking care of my voice, I’ve never gotten more mileage out of a health-related gadget.
Other remedies we like …
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