how to fix a voice that became throaty bc of cigarettes

22 years old guy, never smoked until 6 months ago.

my voice and my body were clear and clean until i started smoking and i really got carried away. my body wasn't used to it.

I noticed the damage it causes when i started to cough a lot but I didn't really care because i was in a very bad state of mind. one day i woke up without a voice, like totally, couldnt speak.

then i decided to stop altogether.

im clean for 2 month, but my voice is still not what it was, it's getting back but my vibrato is very throaty and weak. also my voice is shakey and now its harder for me now to breathe.

my question is, how can i get my voice back without demeging it on the way becausre i literally force my throat after a 10 minute train and also, I fake, is it even possible to return to what it was?

im so depressed, i had a very strong beautiful voice....

Hey, Ron!

I feel for you. And I first want to say: congratulations on quitting! That's the best thing you could have done for your voice. 

After some searching on forums with past smokers, it sounds like it's possible to get your voice back, but that it can take several months. Here's an interesting timeline I found: https://www.healthline.com/health/what-happens-when-you-quit-smoking#six-months. Based on that info, I'd expect to hear results closer to the 6-month mark, when the irritation has gone down and your voice is starting to heal. 

The question that I can't answer for you is: what do your vocal folds look like right now? Is there damage that would warrant treatment, or is there just residual swelling and irritation causing the changes you're describing?

My recommendation is to have you rest your voice completely (or as much as possible) and take a break from vocal training until you get some advice from your doctor. They can give you a more accurate timeline and let you know if it would be worth coming in for a checkup. The reason is: if you do have some vocal damage, then exercises won't fix that, and can even make it worse. Vocal rest is sometimes the only treatment needed (depending on the type of damage), but sometimes other treatment is required. Without seeing your vocal folds, we can't know for sure!

The safest (and cheapest) option is to go on vocal rest. Your voice will heal faster if it's not in use. The typical rule of thumb for seeing your doctor is if you're experiencing hoarseness (or other symptoms like loss of range, inability to sing quietly, etc) for 2 weeks or longer. But in your case, we know there's most likely swelling and irritation as the result of smoking and coughing. 

Once your swelling and irritation have gone down, then you can start training with the gentlest exercises possible: singing through a straw is great, as is singing on an MM, NN, or NG. But I'm not recommending singing at all until you get the okay from a doctor to do so! See if you can get a telephone appointment and ask for their advice on the best course of action: vocal rest (and for how long) or getting seen. 

Time is on your side, Ron! You didn't smoke for that long, and you're young. I know it's so hard to wait, but I truly think waiting and resting are the best thing you can do right now. 

thank you so much.

You're welcome, Ron!

Hey everyone! This is a topic that keeps coming up, so I'd like to provide some more tips on how to repair your voice after smoking. Come of these tips may sound counterintuitive, but they are all great ways to help repair your voice. Here are some additional tips from The Mayo Clinic on vocal repair after smoking:

Rest your voice as much as possible. Avoid talking or singing too loudly or for too long. If you need to speak before large groups, try to use a microphone or megaphone.

Avoid whispering. You might think that whispering might be more efficient since it's a lower volume. However, whispering puts even more strain on your voice than normal speech does.

Drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration (avoid alcohol and caffeine).

Moisten your throat. Try sucking on lozenges, gargling with salt water or chewing a piece of gum.

Breathe moist air. Use a humidifier to keep the air throughout your home or office moist. Inhale steam from a bowl of hot water or a hot shower.

Avoid clearing your throat. This action irritates your vocal cords.

Avoid decongestants. These medications can dry out your throat.

And obviously,

Stop drinking alcohol and smoking. Avoid exposure to smoke. Alcohol and smoke dry your throat and irritates your vocal cords.

As mentioned in this thread, you can absolutely repair your voice after smoking. It might take some extra dicipline and time to fully recover. But the human body is amazing and can heal and repair itself. Just make sure to provide it with the right things to be able to do so.