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Gag reflex triggers.

hewryhewry Member Posts: 5
in Vocal Health and Wellness
Hey Ken, when I sing, especially when I try to shoot up my volume as well as the notes, my gag reflex is often triggered. Why could it be? And sometimes it happens while speaking too.
Also, often a burp makes the situation go away, back to normal. But it still keeps coming up.
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  • Klaus_TKlaus_T Moderator, 2.0 PRO Posts: 2,439
    edited September 2022
    it might be that your throat isn't open, and then you kind of choke and you start coughing. if you watch the video "how to sing like Kurt Cobain" on Ken's channel, you hear him speak about this. not sure how the burp thing ties in here, that wouldn't really explain it. you need to work on the muscle memory for your throat to stay open. this is the centerpiece of Ken's lessons: open throat singing, and the whole course will help you build the necessary technique. if you can't afford the course, your second best option is the free YT lessons.
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  • hewryhewry Member Posts: 5
    No, i don't cough at that point mostly. it feels like the vocal muscles touch something just below the adam's apple and the gag reflex occurs.
    maybe the burp helps that choke open up and something is relaxed thereafter.
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  • hewryhewry Member Posts: 5
    and i feel this gag reflex also coming up after a point while i'm continously speaking. what about that?
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  • TerenceTerence Moderator, 3.0 Streaming Posts: 471
    hewry said:

    and i feel this gag reflex also coming up after a point while i'm continously speaking. what about that?

    A visit to a chiropractor might be good:

    "several cervical vertebrae out of place, especially the C2 through which the nerve playing a big deal in vision and gag reflex among other things"

    https://www.medhelp.org/posts/Undiagnosed-Symptoms/How-to-cure-gag-reflex-when-singing-or-talking/show/3017246
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  • hewryhewry Member Posts: 5
    no i haven't visited the chiropractor yet. "several cervical vertebrae out of place", does this have other symptoms too?

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  • hewryhewry Member Posts: 5
    also, does this condition have anything to do with an irritated or overexcited vagus nerve?
    i ask this because my bowel movements are also set off around a reflex sometimes.
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  • TerenceTerence Moderator, 3.0 Streaming Posts: 471
    hewry said:

    also, does this condition have anything to do with an irritated or overexcited vagus nerve?
    i ask this because my bowel movements are also set off around a reflex sometimes.

    No idea, but the singer quoted in that article I linked to had symptoms very similar to the ones you've described.
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