What is acute laryngitis?

Laryngitis is an inflammation of the voice box, or larynx (say "LAIR-inks"), that causes your voice to become raspy or hoarse.

Laryngitis can be short-term or long-lasting (chronic). Most of the time, it comes on quickly and lasts no more than 2 weeks.

Chronic symptoms are those that last 2 weeks or longer. Check with your doctor if your symptoms last longer than 2 weeks. Laryngitis may be due to other causes.

The main symptom of laryngitis is hoarseness. Your voice may sound raspy, be deeper than normal, or break now and then. You may lose your voice completely. Other symptoms may include a dry or sore throat, coughing, and trouble swallowing.

A doctor will check your symptoms and listen to your voice. Your doctor may also do an exam. During the exam, the doctor may feel your neck for lumps and check your nose, mouth, ears, and throat.

If you have voice problems and hoarseness that don't have an obvious cause and that last longer than 2 weeks, your doctor may refer you to a specialist (otolaryngologist). The way your vocal cords look and the sound of your voice will help the specialist find out if your laryngitis will go away on its own or if you need treatment.

With most cases of laryngitis, home treatment is all that you need.

• Rest your voice as much as you can. When you have to talk, speak softly but don't whisper. (Whispering irritates your larynx more than speaking softly.) Don't talk on the telephone or speak loudly unless you have to.
• Try not to clear your throat. If you have a dry cough, a nonprescription cough suppressant may help.
• Drink plenty of fluids.
• Don't smoke. And stay away from other people's smoke.

If acid reflux (GERD) is causing your laryngitis, you may need to take steps to reduce the reflux.

Chronic laryngitis may need more treatment. For example, if you keep getting laryngitis because of a problem with the way you talk or sing, you may need speech training. This can help you change habits that can cause laryngitis. It can also help your larynx heal.

You may need surgery if your vocal cords have been damaged, such as by sores or polyps.

• Follow your doctor's directions for treating the condition that caused your child to lose his or her voice.
• Have your child rest his or her voice. Your child does not have to stop speaking but should use his or her voice as little as possible. Teach your child to speak softly but not whisper; whispering can bother the larynx more than speaking softly. Have your child avoid talking on the telephone or trying to speak loudly.
• Have your child drink plenty of water to keep the throat moist.
• Be careful with cough and cold medicines. Don't give them to children younger than 6, because they don't work for children that age and can even be harmful. For children 6 and older, always follow all the instructions carefully. Make sure you know how much medicine to give and how long to use it. And use the dosing device if one is included.
• If your child has acid reflux, try to keep stomach acid from backing up into the throat. Have your child avoid eating just before bedtime. Have your child avoid or limit foods such as tomatoes, spicy foods, and chocolate. If the doctor says to, giving over-the-counter acid reducers can help when these steps are not enough. In some cases, your child may need prescription medicine.
• Tell your child to try not to clear his or her throat. This can cause more irritation of the larynx. Use an over-the-counter cough suppressant (if your doctor recommends it) if your child has a dry cough that does not produce mucus.
• If your child has problems breathing because of a stuffy nose, squirt a few saline (saltwater) nasal drops in one nostril. For older children, have your child blow his or her nose. Repeat for the other nostril. For infants, put a drop or two in one nostril. Using a soft rubber suction bulb, squeeze air out of the bulb, and gently place the tip of the bulb inside the baby's nose. Relax your hand to suck the mucus from the nose. Repeat in the other nostril. Do not do this more than 5 or 6 times a day.
• If the doctor prescribed antibiotics, give them as directed. Do not stop using them just because your child feels better. Your child needs to take the full course of antibiotics.
• Keep your child away from smoke. Do not smoke or let anyone else smoke around your child or in your house.