Laryngitis – Symptoms, Causes and Treatment

Laryngitis – Symptoms, Causes and Treatment.  In addition, Laryngitis is an inflammatory process that affects the larynx, it can be acute or chronic, infectious or not, localized or present in a systemic condition. Among the causes of the disease are viral infections (which is the most common), bacterial infections (which can be acute or chronic), fungi, allergic reactions , inflammation due to intense use of the vocal cords, excessive coughing, smoking and alcohol consumption. .

What it is: Laryngitis is an inflammation of the larynx that causes your voice to be rough or hoarse. Laryngitis can be short-term or long-term (chronic). Most often, it comes on quickly and lasts for no more than two weeks.

Chronic symptoms are those that last two weeks or more. So make an appointment with a doctor if the symptoms persist for longer. In these cases, laryngitis can be caused by more serious problems.

Causes: Most laryngitis is acute and self-limiting, lasting less than 3 weeks. Acute laryngitis is usually caused by viral infections that affect the upper airways. It is very common for laryngitis to be accompanied by other infections, such as flu , cold, pharyngitis or sinusitis. Allergy attacks that affect the airways can also cause acute laryngitis.

Another common cause of acute laryngitis is overuse of the vocal cords, causing irritation. Vocal cords can be injured when we shout repeatedly, sing out loud for a long time, or when we use our voice for prolonged periods without rest. Coughing bouts can also cause vocal cord damage.

Treatment: It will depend on the symptoms and the cause. In cases of acute viral laryngitis, symptoms disappear without treatment. In cases of chronic infection, after a week of rest, the patient is likely to improve. Medications to relieve allergy symptoms may be recommended. In some chronic cases, surgery may be necessary. Other measures can be taken, such as: avoid inhaling irritating smoke, dust or vapors; rest or decrease your activities, sleep as much as you can; rest the voice; drink a lot of fluid.

How to Prevent:  Prevention is done through simple and efficient care. The vocal cords need to stay hydrated, so it’s important to prevent them from drying out and irritating them. Here are some ways to do this:

• Avoid cigarettes and stay away from those who smoke. Smoke damages the throat and irritates the vocal cords;
• Drink lots of water;
• Avoid excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages and caffeine – these beverages cause dehydration;
• Try not to clear your throat – When you do this, it causes an abnormal vibration of the vocal cords which can cause swelling and irritation.
• Wash your hands often and avoid contact with people who have a cold – By avoiding contaminating yourself with infections of the respiratory tract, your chances of developing laryngitis are lower.

Complications: The first point to be considered is that not taking the disease into account can aggravate other serious problems that are causing it.

What can also happen is that the lack of treatment or the delay for it to happen, can cause the virus, bacteria or fungus, to end up migrating to other parts of the body, especially the organs of the respiratory tract, causing delicate problems.