Laryngitis is a condition in which the voice box, or larynx, becomes inflamed. In laryngitis, the voice box becomes irritated, and the voice becomes hoarse, or even lost. Due to inflammation, pain is sometimes associated with the condition. The acute type of laryngitis lasts for two or three weeks, at most. If the problem lasts for more than three weeks, it means the disease is chronic. To confirm that laryngitis is the reason for your voice loss, start with Step 1 below.
Step
Part 1 of 2: Recognizing Symptoms
Early Symptoms
Step 1. Watch out if your voice is hoarse or missing
This is a key symptom of laryngitis. The voice becomes rough, hoarse, or gritty or, sometimes, too soft or low. In acute laryngitis, there is swelling of the vocal cords that interferes with normal vibrations.
Voice changes can occur in stroke patients in whom there is vocal cord paralysis. You may find that you cannot speak at all. However, there will be other symptoms such as changes in the corners of the mouth, weakness of the limbs, drooling, difficulty swallowing, etc
Step 2. Watch out for a dry cough
Irritation of the vocal cords will trigger an urge to cough. In infection, the cough will be dry at first and somewhat uncomfortable. There is involvement of only the upper respiratory tract. (This is because phlegm is produced in the lower respiratory tract in the lungs).
In noninfectious laryngitis the cough is always dry. Infectious laryngitis is a slightly different condition
Step 3. Watch out for sore throats
This occurs in acute laryngitis due to infection. The organism also infects the nasopharynx (the junction between the airways and the food passages) or the throat. You will feel a full or rough feeling in your throat due to the roughness and swelling of the walls of the nasopharynx.
There may be pain when swallowing as food passes over this rough surface
Step 4. Take body temperature
In cases of moderate laryngitis, you will have a fever. Initially, the fever may be high in viral infections. However, the fever should clear up in a few days. If not, it indicates something else (another type of infection).
If the fever persists or becomes more severe, you should seek medical attention immediately as it can be a sign of pneumonia
Step 5. Watch out for a runny nose
For the record, this is also a symptom of the common cold. In children, colds are often caused by a virus known as the respiratory syncytial virus. Usually this condition improves within a week without any treatment.
A runny nose can also be caused by allergies. However, there will be no hoarseness or fever if the cause is allergies and not laryngitis
Step 6. Watch out for any serious breathing difficulties
It occurs mainly in children under 5 years of age. The laryngeal cartilage is immature, so it is still soft. When air is inhaled through the swollen and inflamed vocal cords, the cartilage can collapse and block the airways.
If the airways are severely narrowed, there may be a high-pitched sound when you breathe in known as stridor. This should be treated immediately as it indicates that the airway will soon become completely blocked
Advanced Symptoms
Step 1. Watch out for a completely hoarse voice
In chronic laryngitis, there is thickening of the vocal cords due to irritation or the formation of small nodules or polyps on the vocal cords. Hoarseness must last for at least two weeks to be considered chronic laryngitis.
- Hoarseness is characterized by a low, hoarse voice that gets tired easily.
- Tumors in the chest or neck may press on nerves, causing hoarseness. There may be tumor symptoms such as long-term cough, bloody sputum, weight loss, loss of appetite, swelling of the face and arms, etc.
Step 2. Feel for a bulge in the throat
If you have polyps or nodules on your vocal cords or if you have a tumor on the inside or outside of your larynx, you may feel a bulge in your throat. It's not always painful, but it's uncomfortable.
This sensation can trigger the urge to clear the throat. Therefore, you may try to cough to get rid of the lump or clear your throat frequently. If you do have the urge, try to resist it -- clearing your throat can make your throat wall worse
Step 3. Difficulty swallowing
If there is a large tumor in the larynx, it may press on the food passage (oesophagus) and cause difficulty swallowing. This is certainly a symptom that deserves medical attention!
In laryngitis due to gastroesophageal reflux disease, there will be chronic irritation of the esophagus due to stomach acid. As a result, there may be an ulcer or narrowing in the esophagus that manifests as difficulty swallowing
Part 2 of 2: Understanding Laryngitis
Step 1. Know what acute laryngitis is
Acute laryngitis is the most common type of laryngitis. This condition occurs suddenly and reaches its peak in severity within a day or two. The condition will then begin to heal and you will feel much better by the end of the week. Resting the voice is the main step in treating this condition.
- Viral infection is the most common cause. Usually this is accompanied by a cold or flu. You can infect other people by spreading droplets when you cough or sneeze. Practice proper hygiene to avoid infecting others.
- Bacterial infections such as diphtheria can, although rare, cause acute laryngitis. There will be development of a whitish membrane in the throat that can spread to the larynx and trachea causing difficulty breathing.
- Excessive and sudden use of the voice, such as shouting, singing, giving long lectures, can cause fatigue and swelling of the vocal cords.
Step 2. Know what chronic laryngitis is
If inflammation continues for more than three weeks, it is called chronic laryngitis. Usually the voice changes develop gradually over a few weeks. This condition often gets worse with prolonged use of the voice box.
- Long-term inhalation of irritating substances such as chemical fumes, cigarette smoke, and allergens are all proven causes.
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease is also a factor. During sleep there is a backflow of acidic gastric contents into the esophagus and mouth. When breathing in, the liquid contents may be inhaled inadvertently, irritating the larynx. Chronic irritation causes swelling of the vocal cords that can change the voice.
Step 3. Know who is at high risk
A number of groups may be susceptible to laryngitis. If you fall into one of the following categories, you are prone to vocal cord inflammation.
- Alcohol drinker. Alcohol consumption will relax the laryngeal muscles, so that the voice becomes hoarse. Prolonged alcohol intake irritates the mucous membrane of the larynx, causing laryngitis.
- Patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease. When suffering from this disease, gastric juice is excreted from the stomach into the esophagus. Due to the acidity of gastric juices, the throat becomes irritated, thereby causing laryngitis.
- Patients with lower respiratory tract infections. If you have a lower respiratory tract infection of any kind, you run the risk of developing laryngitis from the infection, which can spread to the larynx.
- Smoker. This is a common risk factor for all respiratory conditions, both upper and lower respiratory tract. The laryngeal tissue will become damaged and irritated by the cigarette smoke you inhale.
- Patients with upper respiratory tract infections. A cold, pharyngitis, influenza, or chronic cough will increase your chances of developing laryngitis. Laryngitis can occur as a secondary infection from the initial infection.
- Patients with polyps on the vocal cords. A polyp is an abnormal growth of tissue on the mucous membrane. As they develop on the vocal cords, polyps can also irritate the voice box, causing laryngitis.
- Allergy sufferers. When the body undergoes all allergic reactions, all tissues become inflamed, including the larynx. Sore throat and inability to breathe properly are symptoms that you will experience in addition to laryngitis.
- Excessive voice user. These include singers, teachers, street vendors, mothers of many children, etc. There is fatigue and thickening of the vocal cords when you overuse your voice.
Tips
- Avoid dust. Breathing dusty air can irritate the throat, so avoid dusty environments.
- The chronic form of laryngitis has a greater prevalence in middle-aged people. This condition also has a greater percentage in men, than in women.
- If you find that you do have laryngitis, read an article on how to treat laryngitis to cure it.
