Tips to protect your voice while cheering for your favorite team

Baltimore has the O's and Ravens, two teams to cheer for in this town.

But before you get carried away cheering on your team, don't overdue it.

No matter what your sport, the roar of the crowd is part of the game. But as Nicole Moyer found out, cheering too long and too loud can often leave you speechless.

"It got to a point where it was so bad where I could physically feel that I was straining and harming my voice," says Moyer.

It's a feeling most fans experience at some point, but doctors say if you ignore the warning signs, you could do damage that lasts a long time.

Dr. Arrick Forrest, with Ohio State's Wexner Medical Center says, "Anyone who has hoarseness that lasts beyond 12-24 hours should probably go see a physician because that means you have caused some damage beyond just a little bit of swelling."

Here are some tips for protecting your voice.

If you tailgate, be aware that smoke and alcohol dry out your throat and increase the risk of damage.

During the game, listen to your voice, and if it weakens, clap, don't scream. And throughout the day, make sure you drink plenty of water.

Dr. Forrest says, "It's really about hydration, keeping the vocal cords moist, drinking water during the game and don't let them dry out."

If you do damage your voice, let it rest and don't talk at all. Some people try to whisper, but doctors say that can prolong the damage.

"Whispering is even worse than talking. You cause more stress on your vocal cords by whispering than you do just by soft conversational speaking," says Dr. Forrest.

And remember, cold air constricts and dries out your vocal cords faster, so as the season goes on, the risk of injury goes up.

Doctors say before heading to the game, you might also want to warm up your voice much like a singer would.