Laryngitis (patient information): Difference between revisions

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Revision as of 18:08, 18 September 2017

Laryngitis

Overview

What are the symptoms?

What are the causes?

When to seek urgent medical care?

Diagnosis

Treatment options

Where to find medical care for Laryngitis?

What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?

Possible complications

Prevention

Laryngitis On the Web

Ongoing Trials at Clinical Trials.gov

Images of Laryngitis

Videos on Laryngitis

FDA on Laryngitis

CDC on Laryngitis

Laryngitis in the news

Blogs on Laryngitis

Directions to Hospitals Treating Laryngitis

Risk calculators and risk factors for Laryngitis

For the WikiDoc page for this topic, click here

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Assistant Editor-in-Chief: Alexandra M. Palmer

Overview

Laryngitis is swelling and irritation (inflammation) of the voice box (larynx) that is usually associated with hoarseness or loss of voice.

What are the symptoms of Laryngitis?

What causes Laryngitis?

The voice box (larynx) is located at the top of the airway to the lungs (trachea). The larynx contains the vocal cords. When the vocal cords become inflamed or infected, they swell. This can cause hoarseness, and may sometimes block the airway.

The most common form of laryngitis is an infection caused by a virus. It may also be caused by:

Laryngitis often occurs with an upper respiratory infection.

Several forms of laryngitis occur in children that can lead to dangerous or fatal respiratory blockage. These forms include:

When to seek urgent medical care?

Call your health care provider if:

  • A small child who is not teething has difficulty breathing, swallowing, or is drooling
  • A child less than 3 months old has hoarseness
  • Hoarseness has lasted for more than 1 week in a child, or 2 weeks in an adult

Diagnosis

A physical examination can determine whether hoarseness is caused by a respiratory tract infection. Patients with lasting hoarseness (especially smokers) will need to see an ear, nose, and throat doctor (otolaryngologist) for tests of the throat and upper airway.

Treatment options

Because most common laryngitis is caused by a virus, antibiotics may not help. Your health care provider will make this decision.

Resting your voice helps by reducing inflammation of the vocal cords. A humidifier may soothe the scratchy feeling that comes with laryngitis. Decongestants and painkillers may relieve the symptoms of an upper respiratory infection, if you have one.

Where to find medical care for Laryngitis?

Directions to Hospitals Treating Laryngitis

What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?

Laryngitis that is not caused by a serious condition should get better.

Possible complications

Rarely, severe respiratory distress may develop. This will require medical attention.

Prevention

Stopping smoking may help prevent tumors of the head and neck or lungs, which may lead to hoarseness.

Sources

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001385.htm Template:WH Template:WS