Overview
Laryngitis is a type of swelling called inflammation that affects the voice box. The medical name for the voice box is the larynx. The larynx can become inflamed from overuse, irritation or infection.
Inside the larynx are the vocal cords. These two bands of muscle tissue give you your voice. When they're healthy, the vocal cords open and close smoothly. They make sounds through their movement and vibration. But with laryngitis, the vocal cords become inflamed. This distorts the sounds made by air passing over them. As a result, the voice sounds hoarse. Some people with laryngitis lose their voices for a time.
Most often, laryngitis lasts for a short while. This is called acute laryngitis. A mild infection from a virus usually causes it, such as a cold or the flu. Or laryngitis can be longer-lasting, also called chronic. Some health conditions and irritating substances such as smoke can cause it.
Treatment of acute laryngitis often involves self-care or resting the voice. With chronic laryngitis, an underlying cause may need to be treated with medicine or lifestyle changes.
Help prevent laryngitis with steps such as handwashing to lower the risk of colds and other viral infections. Stay away from smoke or chemical fumes. And try not to shout or sing loudly often.
How speech occurs
Caption: Speech occurs when air flows from the lungs. The air flows up the windpipe, also called the trachea, and through the voice box, also called the larynx. This causes the vocal cords to vibrate, creating sound. Sound is shaped into words by the muscles controlling the soft palate, tongue and lips.
Vocal cords open and closed
Vocal cords open when you breathe and then close to produce sound when vibrating together.
Symptoms
Laryngitis affects the voice. It also can cause other symptoms. Laryngitis symptoms can include:
- Hoarseness, which makes the voice sound strained, rough, breathy, weak, or higher or lower in pitch.
- Short-term voice loss.
- Tickling and rawness in the throat.
- Sore throat.
- Dry throat.
- Dry cough.
- An urge to clear the throat.
These symptoms usually last less than 2 to 3 weeks.
Less often, laryngitis symptoms are caused by something more serious or long lasting. If a serious infection causes laryngitis, a person also may have symptoms such as:
- A fever.
- Trouble swallowing.
- A general sense of not feeling well.
When to see a doctor
Make an appointment with your healthcare professional if your voice is hoarse for 2 to 4 weeks. Also make an appointment if you have serious changes in your voice that last more than a few days.
Get medical care right away if you:
- Have trouble breathing or swallowing.
- Cough up blood.
- Have a fever that won't go away.
- Have pain that becomes worse.
- Weight loss.
Get medical care right away if your child:
- Makes noisy, high-pitched breathing sounds when breathing in. This symptom is called stridor.
- Has a barking cough.
- Drools more than usual.
- Has trouble swallowing.
- Has trouble breathing.
- Has a fever.
These can be symptoms of an upper airway infection called croup. They also can be symptoms of a life-threatening condition called epiglottitis. With epiglottitis, the small cartilage lid that covers the windpipe becomes swollen and blocks the airway.
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Causes
Two types of laryngitis exist, and their causes can vary.
Acute laryngitis
Acute laryngitis tends to last less than three weeks. Most often, viruses that infect the sinuses and throat cause this type of laryngitis. For example, acute laryngitis is common with colds and the flu. Vocal strain is another common cause of acute laryngitis.
Rarely, infections from germs called bacteria cause acute laryngitis.
Chronic laryngitis
Chronic laryngitis lasts longer than three weeks. It can lead to vocal cord changes over time. It also can cause growths on the vocal cords called polyps or nodules.
Things that irritate the larynx can cause chronic laryngitis These irritants include:
- Chemical fumes.
- Allergens.
- Alcohol use.
- Ongoing acid reflux, also called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). With GERD, stomach acid keeps flowing back into the tube that connects the mouth and stomach.
- A condition called chronic sinusitis with postnasal drip. The spaces inside the nose and head become inflamed, and too much mucus drips into the back of the throat.
Less common causes of chronic laryngitis include infections from bacteria, fungus or some parasites.
Common causes of acute and chronic laryngitis
Acute and chronic laryngitis have some causes in common. These include:
- Irritating substances that can be breathed in, such as chemical fumes, allergens and smoke.
- Acid reflux due to GERD.
- Repeated overuse of the voice, such as when you sing, talk loudly or shout a lot.
- Smoking.
Other causes
Other causes of ongoing hoarseness include:
- Thinning and loss of tone in the vocal cords, which can happen with aging.
- Some conditions that affect the brain or spinal cord, such as Parkinson's disease and stroke.
- Growths on the vocal cords that are not cancer, including polyps, nodules and cysts.
- Cancer.
- Loss of control over the movement of the muscles that control the voice, also called vocal cord paralysis. This can be caused by nerve injuries due to surgery, injury to the chest or neck, cancer, nerve disorders, or other health conditions.
Risk factors
Risk factors for laryngitis include:
- Having a respiratory infection, such as a cold, bronchitis or sinusitis.
- Exposure to irritating substances, such as cigarette smoke, excessive alcohol intake, stomach acid or workplace chemicals.
- Overusing your voice, by speaking too much, speaking too loudly, shouting or singing.
Complications
If a serious infection causes laryngitis, the infection could spread to other tissues or organs that help you breathe.
Prevention
To prevent drying out or irritating your vocal cords:
- Do not smoke, and stay away from secondhand smoke. Smoke dries your throat. It also can cause your vocal cords to become irritated.
- Limit alcohol and caffeine. These cause your body to lose water.
- Drink plenty of water. Fluids help keep the mucus in your throat thin and easy to clear.
- Limit spicy foods. Spicy foods can cause stomach acid to go into the throat or esophagus. This can lead to heartburn or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
- Eat a variety of healthy foods. Eat fruits, vegetables and whole grains. These have vitamins that are important for your overall health. These foods also can help keep the lining in the throat healthy.
- Try not to clear your throat. This does more harm than good. Throat clearing causes your vocal cords to vibrate and can lead to more swelling. Clearing your throat also causes your throat to feel more irritated. And that could make you want to clear your throat again.
- Take steps to prevent colds, the flu and other infections. Wash your hands often. And stay away from people who are sick.
