| | | | | In chronic irritative laryngitis loss of voice quality with |
| Laryngitis is an inflammation of the voice box, or | | | | voice use, a feeling of irritation or of a lump in the |
| larynx, that causes your voice to become raspy or | | | | throat, dryness or soreness (often worst in the |
| hoars.Laryngitis can be short-term or long-lasting | | | | morning upon wakening) may be features in addition |
| (chronic). Most of the time, it comes on quickly and | | | | to hoarseness (which often comes and goes). |
| lasts no more than 2 weeks. | | | | Diagnosis of Laryngitis |
| Laryngitis Causes | | | | An ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist may be |
| Laryngitis is usually caused by a virus or occurs in | | | | asked to examine your larynx if the symptoms do |
| people who overuse their voice. Occasionally, you | | | | not clear up. This may involve a direct visual |
| may develop laryngitis from bacterial infections and, | | | | examination of the inside of your larynx using an |
| rarely, from infections such as tuberculosis, syphilis, or | | | | instrument called a laryngoscope (a flexible, tube with |
| a fungal infection. People with prolonged laryngitis | | | | a light that is used to look at your larynx). The |
| should see their doctor to be checked for tumors, | | | | specialist may also carry out an indirect examination |
| some of which may be cancerous. Smokers are | | | | of your airway using a mirror. Your larynx may be |
| especially at risk for cancer. | | | | covered with mucus, be red and swollen and your |
| Laryngitis often occurs with an upper respiratory | | | | vocal cords may look thicker, more rounded, and be |
| infection and will go away by itself. Common laryngitis | | | | stiffer than normal. |
| is not normally associated with any breathing | | | | Treatment of Laryngitis |
| difficulty. | | | | In most instances, the symptoms accompanying |
| Several forms of laryngitis occur in children and can | | | | laryngitis are more directly linked to the causative |
| lead to dangerous or fatal respiratory blockage. | | | | factor, such as infection. In cases caused by overuse |
| These include croup and epiglottitis. | | | | of the voice, symptoms other than vocal impairment |
| Although it sounds odd, sometimes your stomach can | | | | may be absent. Laryngitis, hoarseness or breathiness |
| cause laryngitis. Just like you have a tube for air to | | | | that lasts for more than two weeks may signal a |
| go into and out of your lungs, you have a tube for | | | | voice disorder and should be followed up with a voice |
| food to go into your stomach. Sometimes the | | | | pathologist. This is typically a vocology certified SLP |
| stomach acid that helps break down that food | | | | (speech language pathologist) or a laryngologist (voice |
| comes back up your swallowing tube. The acid can | | | | specialized ENT). |
| irritate your vocal cords. | | | | Treatment of viral laryngitis depends on the |
| Symptoms | | | | symptoms. Resting the voice (by not speaking), |
| Signs and symptoms of laryngitis can include: | | | | drinking extra fluids, and inhaling steam relieve |
| Hoarseness | | | | symptoms and help healing. Whispering, however, |
| Weak voice or voice loss | | | | may irritate the larynx even more. Treating bronchitis, |
| Tickling sensation and rawness of your throat | | | | if present, may improve the laryngitis. An antibiotic is |
| Sore throat | | | | given only for infection caused by bacteria. |