When your vocal cords are inflammed and you can barely whisper, you need to help the natural process of healing along with the following natural remedies using essential oils. 

I do a lot of singing, so laryngitis is a big problem unless I can quickly get rid of the hard, dry mucous on my enflamed vocal cords and sing again. I always spring into action with my oils at the first sign of a cold, and I can usually limit the laryngitis stage to about one or two days and still sing all the others.

Antihistamines or any over-the-counter remedy that is designed to stop or dry up a cough would make the laryngitis worse, so I always stay away from cold and cough remedies. Using these synthetic remedies tends to drive the infection deeper into my body and actually allow it to manifest itself elsewhere later. I want to work with my body to naturally loosen the mucous and allow the infection to run its course quickly and naturally, and then be cleansed completely from my body. Here’s how I do it with essential oils.

Try a Compress

I prepare a simple compress with four to five drops of a respiratory blend in a half cup of hot water. I sometimes use a mixture of oils like rosemary, eucalyptus radiata, tea tree, fir, peppermint, ravensara, or spearmint. I use one or two of these oils alone as well. I dip a washcloth in the mixture, wring it out and apply it to the base of my neck covered with a dry cloth.

Try Boiling Water with Oils in the Steam

Boil a few cups of water and add a few drops of a respiratory blend or one of the single oils mentioned above. Put a towel over your head to contain the steam and inhale deeply until the fragrance goes away. You can blow into the water to agitate the steam.  Add more drops and inhale. Keep doing this until you’ve inhaled about 20 drops of oil. You can keep reheating the water as often as you need to keep the steam going.

Don’t try diffusing oils in a dry room. That will only contribute to hardening the mucous. You can diffuse them in a steamy bathroom as you shower or bathe, however. In fact dropping about 20 drops of oil in a hot Epsom salts bath and turning on the diffuser, also loaded with about 20 drops of oil will help to break up the mucous as you soak for about 20 minutes. 

Mix a drop of peppermint or spearmint essential oil in all your drinking water every day, even for a month after you feel better. This will give you a deep cleansing, and you’ll love the refreshing, cooling taste of the water. Drink more water than usual to help break up the mucus on your vocal cords.

Throughout all the stages of my cold I'm taking essential oil capsules, using oils topically, and diffusing regularly. Where most colds take about 14 days to run their course, I can usually get through them in about 7 or 8 if I'm faithful with my oils.