Do you have a severely sore throat that will not go away, accompanied by a terrible cough? There is a chance that you have developed laryngitis, a painful inflammation of the larynx.
The larynx is the voice box that allows us to speak, shout, whisper, sing, and do everything else we like to do to communicate. The larynx is made up of a cartilage skeleton that houses the vocal cords, which are covered by a lining of mucus.
Muscles inside the larynx adjust the position, shape, and tension of our vocal cords, allowing us to make different sounds when we communicate. Any change in the airflow across the vocal cords will affect the voice, and the quality of the sound.
Our larynx is located at the junction of the mouth and trachea, and has a flap-like covering called the epiglottis, whose job it is to prevent food from entering the larynx during swallowing. Laryngitis, by definition, is an inflammation of the voice box, causing a hoarse or gravelly-sounding voice or even an inability to speak.
Most commonly, this painful problem is caused by an infection that inflames the vocal cords. In infants and young children, the classic signs and symptoms of an inflamed larynx include a hoarse cough, croup, and often a fever.
Similarly, in adults, a viral upper respiratory tract infection may be associated with a bad cough, a runny nose, and a loss of the voice. It can take the form of other symptoms as well, including a fever and headache.
On rare occasions, since most people are immunized and protected against this infection, diphtheria may cause laryngitis-like symptoms. This problem can also be caused by voice overuse with excessive talking, singing, or shouting.
A more chronic issue of this kind, often described as lasting for more than three weeks, may be caused by prolonged alcohol use, smoking, and excess coughing. Gastroesophageal reflux disease may cause laryngeal inflammation and a chronic cough, if acid and digestive juices from the stomach reflux up into the esophagus and back of the throat.
Sometimes people are aware of the presence of the acid and experience waterbrash, a sour taste in their mouth. Repeat spills of acid onto the vocal cords will cause a chemical irritation and result in inflammation of the vocal cords, that hinders appropriate vibration and generation of sound.
Chronic irritation of the vocal cords may also cause polyps or nodules to form on the vocal cords, which may affect their ability to vibrate, again causing hoarseness. The muscles that control their shape and position need to work properly for the voice to sound normal.
Damage to the muscles or to the nerves that control them will lead to hoarseness. These nerves may be damaged if there has been any trauma to the neck, or if surgery has been performed and the nerves inadvertently irritated or severed.
Tumors in the neck and chest can compress the nerves and cause them to function poorly. Thyroid inflammation and enlargement can also cause irritation of the nerves that supply the vocal cord muscles.
Stroke may also cause paralysis of these muscles, and lead to a weak, hoarse voice, and swallowing problems. Thus, if you are feeling any of these symptoms, you should consult a doctor right away, to ensure something more serious is not going on.
As with any other structure in the body that gets inflamed, rest is the key to recovery. For laryngitis, that means limiting the amount of talking.
If talking is required, you may want to avoid whispering and instead talk in a regular voice, regardless of how it sounds. Whispering requires the vocal cords to be stretched tightly, and requires more work by the surrounding muscles.
The treatment for the viral form is supportive: plenty of fluids, humidified air, acetaminophen or ibuprofen for pain, and the investment of time for recovery. For patients with a more severe form, a short course of steroids may be used to decrease the inflammation and shorten the course of symptoms.
If you drink or smoke, this should be stopped immediately. If you feel you may be suffering from this problem, seek the opinion of a doctor right away, and do your best to keep from spreading it to others.
Author Resource:-
Tommy Greene has worked in surgical equipment sales for the past 15 years. He has great advice and information on an Electrosurgery Generator.
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