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Salem Health: Infectious Diseases & Conditions, 2nd Edition

Laryngitis

by Laurie LaRusso

Category: Diseases and conditions

Anatomy or system affected: Larynx, throat, upper respiratory tract

Definition

Laryngitis is swelling of the mucous membrane of the larynx (voice box). This swelling usually involves the vocal cords and leads to hoarseness or even complete loss of voice.

Causes

Common causes of laryngitis, hoarseness, or voice loss are upper respiratory tract infection (most often caused by a virus, such as the common cold), irritation caused by voice overuse (overuse by yelling, singing, and speaking loudly for extended periods of time), airborne irritants (includes cigarette smoke, pollen, dust, and mold allergens), and vocal nodules (benign lesions, like calluses, that are caused by thickening of the epithelial tissue of the vocal cords). Other causes of laryngitis are vocal polyps (soft, fluid-filled lesions on the vocal cords, which can be caused by one episode of voice overuse), which can become cancerous, particularly in smokers; infections including tuberculous laryngitis and fungal laryngitis; and gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, in which stomach acid rises up in the esophagus and, in the case of laryngitis, irritates the vocal folds.

Other less common causes of hoarseness or voice loss include functional dysphonia (abnormal use of the vocal mechanisms despite normal anatomy), laryngeal papilloma (growths on the larynx caused byhuman papilloma viral infection), muscle tension dysphonia (a voice disorder caused by excessive or unequal tension while speaking), Reinke’s edema (an accumulation of fluid in the vocal cords, usually associated with smoking), spasmodic dysphonia (a condition resulting in irregular voice breaks), vocal cord paralysis (weakness or immobility of the vocal cords), and side effects from inhaled medications used for asthma.

Risk Factors

Risk factors for laryngitis include smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke; excessive use of thevoice, as in singing, public speaking, or yelling orscreaming; allergies to dust, mold, and pollen; excessive alcohol consumption; respiratory infection; uncontrolled GERD; dehydration; and stress.

Symptoms

Symptoms of laryngitis include hoarseness (raspiness, breathiness, and strain) or loss of voice, changes in volume (loudness) or in pitch (how high or low the voice is), sore throat, and a sensation of a lump in the throat.

Screening and Diagnosis

One should consult a doctor if experiencing hoarseness that has no obvious cause or has lasted more than two to three weeks, has hoarseness with difficulty swallowing or breathing, is coughing up blood, has a lump in the neck, or has throat pain out of proportion to that usually experienced with the common cold. For some of these symptoms, persons should seek emergency medical care, especially if experiencing a complete loss of voice or a severe change in voice lasting more than a few days.

A doctor will ask about symptoms and medical history, will perform a physical exam, and may refer the patient to an otorhinolaryngologist, also called an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) doctor, if the laryngitis does not have an easily identified cause or cure. An ENT doctor will examine the patient’s larynx using a flexible, lighted scope that is passed through the nose and down the back of the throat. In some cases, the doctor will place a mirror in the back of the mouth to see the larynx. Under some circumstances, other tests may be indicated to evaluate swallowing mechanisms or other processes related to normal voice functioning.

Treatment and Therapy

Laryngitis caused by seasonal allergies, cold or flu, or other viral respiratory infections usually resolveswithin two weeks. To relieve symptoms during this time, one should rest the voice, drink increased amounts offluids, avoid smoking, take nonprescription pain relievers (such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen) as needed, and try steam inhalation.

Managing underlying illnesses, such as GERD or viral infections, often relieves laryngitis. Surgery may be performed to treat growths on the vocal cords, treat vocal cord paralysis, or treat some other laryngeal disorders. Laryngitis from voice overuse usually resolves within a few days. Voice therapy is often used to treat voice problems, especially those related to vocal overuse. Voice therapy consists of voice education, healthy use of the voice, instruction in proper voice technique and use of the breathing muscles, and the Alexander technique (a method to treat voice impairment by practicing proper breathing and posture).

Prevention and Outcomes

Some of the illnesses and disorders that can cause laryngitis are not preventable. However, to prevent and treat mild hoarseness related to laryngitis, the American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery recommends that one should quit smoking; avoid secondhand smoke; avoid agents that can dehydrate the body, such as alcohol and caffeine; drink increased amounts of fluids; humidify one’s home; avoid acidic or spicy foods if prone to GERD; avoid using one’s voice for too long or too loudly; seek professional voice training; and avoid speaking or singing when one’s voice is hoarse.

Further Reading

1 

American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery. “Fact Sheet: Common Problems That Can Affect Your Voice.” Available at http://www.entnet.org/healthinformation/throat.cfm.

2 

Colton, Raymond H., Janina K. Casper, and Rebecca Leonard. Understanding Voice Problems: A Physiological Perspective for Diagnosis and Treatment. 3d ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2006.

3 

Icon Health. Laryngitis: A Medical Dictionary, Bibliography, and Annotated Research Guide to Internet References. San Diego, Calif.: Author, 2004.

4 

Lustig, L. R., et al. “Common Laryngeal Disorders.” In Current Medical Diagnosis and Treatment 2011, edited by Stephen J. McPhee and Maxine A. Papadakis. 50th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Medical, 2011.

5 

Ossoff, Robert H., et al., eds. The Larynx. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2003.

6 

Sataloff, Robert T., ed. Reflux Laryngitis and Related Disorders. 3d ed. San Diego, Calif.: Plural, 2006.

Web Sites of Interest

American Academy of Family Physicians

http://familydoctor.org

American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery

http://www.entnet.org

Public Health Agency of Canada

http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca

See also: Bronchiolitis; Bronchitis; Common cold; Croup; Epiglottitis; Inflammation; Influenza; Mononucleosis; Nasopharyngeal infections; Pharyngitis and tonsillopharyngitis; Pneumonia; Strep throat; Tuberculosis (TB); Viral infections; Viral pharyngitis; Viral upper respiratory infections.

Citation Types

Type
Format
MLA 9th
LaRusso, Laurie. "Laryngitis." Salem Health: Infectious Diseases & Conditions, 2nd Edition, edited by H. Bradford Hawley, Salem Press, 2020. Salem Online, online.salempress.com/articleDetails.do?articleName=Infect2e_0326.
APA 7th
LaRusso, L. (2020). Laryngitis. In H. B. Hawley (Ed.), Salem Health: Infectious Diseases & Conditions, 2nd Edition. Salem Press. online.salempress.com.
CMOS 17th
LaRusso, Laurie. "Laryngitis." Edited by H. Bradford Hawley. Salem Health: Infectious Diseases & Conditions, 2nd Edition. Hackensack: Salem Press, 2020. Accessed September 16, 2025. online.salempress.com.