Recognizing and Treating Laryngitis

Laryngeal inflammation is an inflammation of the vocal chords and the mucous membrane of the larynx. How the disease develops and what helps is explained here.

What is laryngitis?

A laryngitis is characterized by an inflammation of the vocal chords and the mucous membranes of the larynx. It usually develops from previous respiratory tract infections, such as a cold. Primarily, an acute laryngitis causes hoarseness, but it can also lead to complete loss of voice. If the symptoms persist for weeks, chronic laryngitis has developed. Depending on the pathogen, laryngitis is possibly contagious.

Why is it so hard for me to speak when I have laryngitis?

The larynx is connected to both the vocal chords and the vocal lips and is thus involved in our ability to make sounds. In laryngeal inflammation, the larynx can no longer fully perform its task, which is why we either become hoarse or lose our voice completely.

Symptoms of laryngitis

In addition to hoarseness, the following symptoms can occur with laryngitis:

• Cough: barking and rough, often as a dry irritable cough
• Sore throat
• Swallowing difficulties
• Language problems
• Strong clearing of the throat
• Lump in the throat
• Possible fever
• Difficulty breathing (in rare cases with severe swelling of the mucous membrane)
• Pain behind the breastbone (in these cases the trachea is also inflamed)

As a rule, laryngitis heals without consequences within days, provided the patient spares his voice. Even after two weeks, hoarseness, sore throat and the like do not go away, but the ENT physician should be consulted. The laryngitis could become chronic – or the symptoms may not be caused by laryngitis but by a so-called laryngeal carcinoma, a malignant tumour.

Laryngitis in children: Croup cough

In children, a virus-induced laryngitis often leads to croup cough. This is usually accompanied by sudden, dry coughing fits, whistling noises when breathing and, in the worst case, shortness of breath when the child panics. It is important to remain calm and also to calm the child. In most cases, the symptoms will stop soon after the child is given fresh air and the room air is humidified. However, the emergency doctor should be called immediately if respiratory distress sets in.

What are the causes of laryngitis?

In most cases, laryngitis can be traced back to a viral infection, but sometimes bacteria are also the trigger. People who have to use their voice a lot – singers or teachers, for example – are particularly at risk. There are also risk factors that increase the likelihood of illness. These include:

• Smoke
• Dry air
• Dust
• Chemical vapours
• Other diseases, e.g. a chronically blocked nose, sinusitis or reflux, in which gastric juice flows into the oesophagus in large quantities

Treatment of laryngitis

Most patients go to the doctor for general cold complaints in the case of laryngitis, so that laryngitis is often a coincidental finding. The disease can only be treated if bacteria are the trigger – in this case the doctor can prescribe antibiotics. Decongestant preparations can also be used. Otherwise, the only treatment that helps is to spare the throat and voice so that the mucous membranes can decongest at rest. The following tips can help speed up the healing of the inflammation:

• Drink a lot – at least two, better three litres. Especially water and warm herbal tea.
• Pay attention to a humid room climate – and avoid dry heating air. A room humidifier, for example, can help here.
• Save your voice – speak as little as possible, preferably not at all.
• Smoking should be avoided.
• Spicy food and alcohol should also be avoided.