Patient education: Laryngitis (The Basics)

What is laryngitis? — This is inflammation of the vocal cords. It usually causes the voice to sound hoarse. It can even make someone lose their voice completely.

What causes laryngitis? — It can be caused by:

●The common cold and other infections that affect the throat

●Shouting or straining your voice too much

●Breathing in harsh chemicals, such as cleaners or gasoline

●Drinking too much alcohol or smoking

●Acid reflux, which is when the acid from your stomach backs up into your throat

There are also medical problems besides laryngitis that can make your voice hoarse or make you lose your voice. For example, people can have these symptoms because of:

●Abnormal growths on the vocal cords

●Muscle disorders affecting the voice box

●Cancer of the throat

What can I do on my own to feel better? — There are different things you can do, depending on what caused your laryngitis.

●If your laryngitis happened because you strained your voice too much, give your voice a rest. If you are a singer or need to use your voice for work, you might want to think about taking voice lessons. An experienced teacher can help you learn how to protect your voice and prevent straining it again.

●If your laryngitis was caused by drinking alcohol, limit how much you drink. If it was related to smoking, the best thing you can do is to quit smoking. Your doctor or nurse can help you.

●If your laryngitis was caused by breathing in a harsh chemical, avoid the chemical if possible. If you need to be around fumes, make sure that there is a lot of fresh air coming in and wear a "respirator" mask. If you work near chemical fumes that are making you hoarse, speak with your employer about getting masks and ventilation fans.

●If your laryngitis was caused by acid reflux, take steps to avoid acid reflux. For example:

•Take medicines for acid reflux, if your doctor recommends them.

•Avoid foods that make your symptoms worse. (Common examples include alcohol, coffee, and chocolate.)

•If you smoke, stop smoking.

•Eat many small meals each day, rather than 2 or 3 big meals.

•Do not lie down for at least 3 hours after eating, particularly after a big meal.

Should I see a doctor or nurse? — That depends on how long your symptoms last and whether you have symptoms besides hoarseness.

Most people with laryngitis get better on their own within 2 to 3 weeks. If your voice is hoarse or gone for 2 weeks or longer, and you do not seem to be getting better, see a doctor or nurse.

You should also see a doctor or nurse if you have a sore throat and:

●You have a fever of at least 101°F or 38.4°C.

●Your throat pain is severe or does not start to improve within 5 to 7 days.

Will I need tests? — Maybe. If your doctor or nurse is not sure what is causing your symptoms, you might need tests. For example, you might have a laryngoscopy, which is when the doctor puts a thin tube with a tiny camera in your throat to look at your voice box.

How is laryngitis treated? — That depends on what is causing it. If your laryngitis is caused by a cold or other minor infection, you will probably not need any treatment. If something else is causing your laryngitis, you might need treatment, depending on the situation.

What if my child gets laryngitis? — Some of the same things that cause laryngitis in adults can cause it in children, too. For instance, children can get laryngitis because of a throat infection or common cold, because of acid reflux, or because they strain their voice too much. But in children, sounding hoarse can have lots of other causes. For example, children sometimes develop bumps on their vocal cords or are born with problems affecting their voice box.

See a doctor or nurse right away if your child has trouble breathing or has pain or other symptoms that seem to be getting worse. You should also see a doctor or nurse if your child has laryngitis for more than 2 weeks, or if the laryngitis is getting worse or is making it hard for your child to interact with others. If your child has laryngitis or throat discomfort or pain that gets better and comes back, see a doctor or nurse. If your child is a baby, call the baby's doctor as soon as you notice symptoms. The doctor will tell you what to do.

More on this topic

Patient education: Sore throat in children (The Basics)
Patient education: Sore throat in adults (The Basics)
Patient education: Strep throat in children (The Basics)
Patient education: Laryngeal cancer (The Basics)
Patient education: Throat cancer (The Basics)
Patient education: Laryngeal dystonia (The Basics)

Patient education: Sore throat in adults (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Sore throat in children (Beyond the Basics)