Laryngitis
Laryngitis occurs when the larynx (voice box) becomes irritated and swollen. It's usually caused by an infection or damage to the larynx.
Viral infections such as a Cold or flu are the most common type of infection associated with acute laryngitis.
Rarer types of infection include:
People with weakened immune systems,causedby conditions such as HIV or as a result of chemotherapy or steroid medication , are thought to be most at risk from fungal laryngitis.
Laryngitis caused by a viral, bacterial or fungal infection is known as infectious laryngitis.
Laryngitis is also often caused by straining your voice, such as speaking or singing for long periods or shouting and singing loudly.
Straining your voice can cause your vocal cords to vibrate at a faster rate than they should. This excessive vibration can damage the surface of your vocal cords, causing them to become inflamed.
Laryngitis caused by damage to thelarynxisknown asmechanical laryngitis.
Less common causes of mechanical laryngitis include:
As well as infection and damage to the larynx, laryngitis can also be caused by:
These causes are most often associated with long-term (chronic) laryngitis.
Laryngitis is inflammation of the larynx (voice box). Symptoms of laryngitis can begin suddenly and usually get worse over a period of two to three days
Laryngitis occurs when the larynx (voice box) becomes irritated and inflamed (swollen). It is mostly caused by an infection or damage to the larynx.
Laryngitis often gets better without treatment, so you don't usually need to see your GP unless you have particularly severe or long-lasting symptoms.
In most cases, laryngitis gets better within a week without treatment. See your GP if your symptoms dare severe or haven't improved after two weeks