Laryngitis is commonly caused by a viral infection, such as a cold or flu. Bacterial infection may also cause laryngitis, although this is rare. You can also get laryngitis if you strain or overuse your voice by yelling or after long periods of talking, shouting or singing.
Risk factors for laryngitis include: Having a respiratory infection, such as a cold, bronchitis or sinusitis. Exposure to irritating substances, such as cigarette smoke, excessive alcohol intake, stomach acid or workplace chemicals. Overusing your voice, by speaking too much, speaking too loudly, shouting or singing.
Other Possible Causes
Experiencing unexpected hoarseness or voice loss can indicate an underlying health condition. Other possible causes include: Acid reflux, known as heartburn or gastroesophageal reflux (GERD). Growths on your vocal cord tissue, also called vocal nodules, polyps, cysts, and contact ulcers.
A hoarse voice without a sore throat can occur when a non-inflammatory condition has caused loss of vocal cord function. This can be caused by overuse like yelling or speaking in an abnormal tone for long periods of time.
Laryngitis is when your voice box or vocal cords in the throat become irritated or swollen. It usually goes away by itself within 1 to 2 weeks.
“Laryngitis itself is not contagious,” Peña said. “However, the viral upper respiratory infections that cause laryngitis can be.” As long as you don't have any other severe symptoms, you should be able to continue your daily activities while you have laryngitis.
If you're losing your voice regularly or if your voice doesn't return to normal after a few weeks, it's time to consult a laryngologist (ENT voice specialist). He or she can investigate whether it's a sign of a larger, more serious medical issue."
An upper respiratory infection such as a cold, cough, bronchitis, laryngitis or sinusitis. Seasonal allergies that cause sinus drainage, throat clearing and laryngitis. A vocally demanding job that requires you to use your voice frequently over the course of several hours, such as teaching or working in a call center.
Yes, stress (mental/emotional) is one of the more common causes of hoarseness.
If your laryngitis is caused by an infection, you're contagious. The most common cause of laryngitis is a viral upper respiratory infection. If your laryngitis is caused by a viral illness, you'll be most contagious for the first three days, but could pass the infection for up to three weeks.
Drink lots of water and warm fluids like decaffeinated herbal tea and broth to soothe your throat. Avoid beverages with alcohol and caffeine. Give your vocal cords plenty of rest. Avoid talking altogether when you can, or communicate in a soft voice—but avoid whispering.
Drinking warm water helps relieve pain and inflammation, and honey is a natural antibacterial and anti-inflammatory substance. By fighting inflammation, it may help reduce pain and discomfort in the throat. Honey can also act as a cough suppressant.
Most cases of acute laryngitis can be treated with home therapy including: Pain reliever/anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen, aspirin or naproxen. Warm, hydrating fluids. Vocal rest — use your voice as little as possible.
Notably, the omicron variant is prone to cause severe laryngitis, resulting in fatal upper airway stenosis.
Is Laryngitis Contagious? The viruses that laryngitis comes from aren't that contagious. The time laryngitis is most contagious is during the time frame when you have a fever. Bacterial and fungal infection-causing laryngitis is potentially contagious, but these occur less frequently.
Important red flags include a history of smoking, dysphagia, odynophagia or otalgia, stridor, haemoptysis and recent fevers, night sweats and unexplained weight loss. If any of these are present and the hoarseness is persistent, an urgent referral to an otorhinolaryngologist should be made.
If you have a hoarse voice but cannot rest it, it's better to talk at a low volume in a consistent tone — but don't whisper! Whispering too much can put more strain on your voice box than regular speech.
Most cases of laryngitis get better without treatment within a week. To help your vocal cords heal, it's important not to smoke, to avoid smoky environments, drink plenty of fluids (particularly water) and try to rest your voice as much as possible.
Laryngitis is commonly caused by a viral infection, such as a cold or flu.
Antibiotics. If laryngitis is caused by a bacterial infection, your healthcare provider may prescribe antibiotics. Antifungals. If the laryngitis is related to a candida or yeast infection, you may be given an antifungal.
Loss of voice can accompany many conditions that affect the throat such as viral sore throat, laryngitis, or mononucleosis. All of these conditions can be associated with fatigue as well. Fatigue is a nonspecific symptom that can be present along with almost any type of illness.
Conclusion: Previous variants of SARS-CoV-2 infection affected predominantly the lower respiratory tract and were associated with loss of smell and taste in many patients. The Omicron variant seems to affect predominantly the upper airways and cause acute laryngitis without olfactory dysfunction.
Laryngitis can also be caused, or made worse, by irritants to the vocal cords, such as alcohol, smoking, allergies, direct trauma, vocal overuse / misuse or reflux of stomach acid into the oesophagus and throat (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease - GORD).