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Laryngitis

DEFINITION

Laryngitis is voice loss due to inflammation in the larynx or voice box. This inflammation can be due to an overuse injury, infection, or other causes of irritation. The larynx is called the “voice box” because the vocal cords which produce sound are in this area. The job of vocal cords is to open and close while air passes through them from the lungs to produce sounds. Normally the vocal cords are smooth and move fluidly. When inflammation happens to these vocal cords, the nature of a person’s voice changes, becoming hoarse or quiet. Acute laryngitis last a few days, but chronic laryngitis can last for weeks or longer. Generally, acute laryngitis is caused by a virus or voice overuse which will resolve on its own. If the hoarseness does not resolve, it may be an indication of something more serious going on. Most of the time, laryngitis is acute and will resolve. Acute laryngitis is caused by viral infections like the common cold or strain of the vocal cords caused by yelling or screaming, and far less commonly by bacterial infections like diphtheria. When laryngitis lasts longer than three weeks, it is called chronic laryngitis. Chronic laryngitis can be caused by vocal strain over time, vocal cord injury, or nodules (growths) on the vocal cord. Chronic sinusitis can be caused by inhaled fumes, smoking, chronic sinusitis, alcohol, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), chronic voice overuse (as in singers), bacterial or parasitic infection, cancer, and vocal cord paralysis. The risk of having laryngitis is increased by having a cold, smoking, drinking alcohol, having acid reflux, being exposed to chemicals on the job, and voice overuse.

SYMPTOMS
Loss of voice, hoarse voice, tickling feeling in throat, raw throat, sore or dry throat, shortness of breath, cough

DIAGNOSIS
Diagnosis of laryngitis begins with your doctor taking a history and physical exam. The symptoms you describe are extremely important in your doctor’s search into what is causing your laryngitis. Your doctor will probably have many questions about your activities (like singing), your other health conditions and habits (like acid reflux or smoking). Your doctor will listen to the quality of your voice and examine your neck. You may go to see and Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) doctor. The ENT doctor will likely do an exam called a laryngoscopy, a procedure where a flexible tube with a camera at the end is placed into your nose or mouth to get a better look at the vocal cords. Sometimes, your ENT doctor may obtain a biopsy (small tissue sample) from your vocal cords to look at under a microscope.

TREATMENT
The treatment for laryngitis is aimed at the treating the underlying cause. For acute laryngitis, usually no treatment is necessary because it will pass on its own within a week. At home, you can try the following treatments: humidify your air, rest your voice, increase your fluid intake, and use lozenges or cough drops as needed. Though it seems better, whispering can actually put more strain on the vocal cords, so resting them by not talking is best. Generally, treating the underlying cause of laryngitis is attempted to get rid of laryngitis. Treatment may include antibiotics (if your laryngitis is caused by bacteria), steroids (which may help to reduce vocal cord inflammation), or medications for acid reflux. If you have laryngitis, you should not smoke, increase your fluid intake, wash your hands frequently to avoid other respiratory infections, try not to clear your throat which can increase the swelling of the vocal cords. If you have a more serious cause of your laryngitis, like vocal cord nodule or cancer, you will need to talk to an ENT doctor about your options for surgical treatment.

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