Limiting Laryngitis
Your chest is inflamed and congested. Your throat feels sore. You dread having to talk because you can barely speak above a whisper. You may have laryngitis.
Laryngitis results from the inflammation of the mucus membrane of the larynx or voice box, at the top of the wind pipe.
The primary symptom is hoarseness, the distortion of sounds from the vocal chords. Your throat may feel dry and sore, you may have a tickle which causes you to constantly clear your throat and you may have trouble swallowing.
If the condition worsens, you may not be able to speak until the inflammation is reduced.
Laryngitis can be short-lived (acute) or long lasting (chronic). Most cases of laryngitis are triggered by a temporary viral infection. Persistent hoarseness can sometimes signal a more serious underlying condition.
Acute laryngitis usually is caused by a viral infection and goes away in a few days. It also can be caused by a bacterial infection brought on by a cold, the flu or an allergy.
Chronic laryngitis is usually caused by long-term irritation of the vocal cords, often as a result of heavy drinking of alcohol, smoking or exposure to certain chemicals or environmental factors. This condition last longer than three weeks. Chronic laryngitis can cause vocal cord strain and growths or injuries on the vocal cords (polyps or nodules).
Other causes of chronic hoarseness are cancer, vocal cord paralysis which can result from nerve injury due to surgery, injury to the chest or neck, nerve disorders or other health conditions and bowing of the vocal cords.
Risk factors for laryngitis include having a respiratory infection, exposure to irritating substances, and overusing your voice.
To protect your vocal cords from dryness and irritation you should avoid smoking and stay away from secondhand smoke, limit alcohol and caffeine, drink plenty of water, keep spicy foods out of your diet, include a variety of healthy foods in your diet, avoid clearing your throat, and avoid upper respiratory infections.
To diagnose you with laryngitis, your doctor will review your medical history, listen to your voice, examine your vocal cords and refer you to an ear, nose, and throat specialist. Your doctor may want to perform a laryngoscopy, where your doctor can visually examine your vocal cords by using a light and tiny mirror to look at the back of your throat. By using a thin tube with a tiny camera and light through your nose or mouth and into the back of the throat, your doctor can see the vocal cords as you speak.
Your doctor may also want to perform a biopsy. If your doctor sees a suspicious area, he or she may want to take a sample of tissue for examination under a microscope.
Acute laryngitis gets better on its own within a week or so. Resting your voice, drinking fluids, and humidifying your air can improve your symptoms.
Chronic laryngitis treatments are aimed at treating the underlying causes, such as heartburn, smoking, or excessive use of alcohol.
Some medications that are used are antibiotics (although only effective if the infection is bacterial) and corticosteroids (can be used to treat vocal cord inflammation).
There are some self-care measures you can take to shorten the duration of this condition such as breathe in moist air from a humidifier or inhale steam from a bowl of hot water or take a hot shower. Be sure to rest your voice as much as possible. Drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration. Moisten your throat with lozenges, salt water, or chewing a piece of gum. Avoid decongestants because these type of drugs can dry out your throat. Avoid whispering because it can put further strain on your vocal cords.
Basically in order to heal as quickly as possible, you should rest your voice. If you think you may have laryngitis, seek medical attention from your primary physician who may refer you to an ear, nose, and throat specialist.
