We’ve seen it happen all the time, singers have to cancel their shows because they have strained vocal cords, but what does that mean? Shakira recently had to cancel her concert in Germany due to strained vocal cords, which often leaves fans asking why this happens?
“As much as it pains me, I know I need to heed the advice of my doctors and recover so I can give you all everything I’ve got once I’m on the road and not risk any further injury,” she writes on Instagram. In the case of singers, they often suffer from chronic vocal fatigue, which is caused by the overuse of the voice. Overuse or singing too much can cause damage to the vocal cords. Most voice therapists recommend that for every 90 minutes of singing, you need at least 10 minutes of voice rest. 
When you sing, you consequently have to use more air pressure from the lungs to drive the vocal cords into vibration. Often, singers develop growths or nodules on their vocal cords that can bleed and eventually scar. This scarring can make them go hoarse or even make them lose their voice, which is why they need to take a break. Things, like staying quiet, getting a good rest, and keeping hydrated, can help singers maintain their voices in top shape. Some singers even have to undergo surgery to remove the growths, but advances in technology have made things run smoother.
It’s very important that singers take a rest, especially when their vocal cords have been abused after too much practice. In some cases, when they ignore the pain or don’t take the necessary time to recover or ignore doctor’s orders, they run the risk of doing permanent damage which limits the range of the tone of their voice, which is why they don’t sound the same after time.