Laryngitis

In most cases, laryngitis gets better within a week without treatment. See your GP if your symptoms are severe or haven't improved after two weeks.

Treatment at home

Youmay be able to help your recovery by:

• notsmoking and avoiding smoky, dry or dusty environments
• drinking plenty of fluids to avoid Dehydration particularly water (avoid alcohol and caffeinated drinks), even though swallowing may be painful
• taking painkillers, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen which may ease any associated pain, headaches and fever(children under the age of16shouldn't take aspirin)
• gargling with a mouthwash of warm, salty water or an over-the-counter solution, or sucking lozenges this may help to soothe a sore throat
• using menthol inhalation and air humidifiers which may soothe yourairways and help keepthem clear
• avoiding speaking when possible and only speaking softlywhen you need to but don't whisper because this canput more strain on your larynx

Treating underlying causes

In some cases, it's possible to treat the underlying cause of laryngitis. For example:

• bacterial infections (but not viral infections) can be treated with antibiotics
• if smoking oralcohol misuse is causing laryngitis, stopping smoking or cutting down how much you drink can help
• gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) can be treated with medication to reduce the amount of acid your stomach produces see treating GORD for more information
• if an allergy is causing laryngitis, you may be able to avoid the substance you're allergic to or take antihistamines to control your body's response to the substance see treating allergies for more information
• if straining your voice is causing laryngitis, you may benefit from vocal therapy (see below)

Vocal therapy is a type of speech and language therapy that involves studying how you use your voice and how this may contribute to your symptoms.You maybe given information and advice about any changes you can make or voice exercises you can doto prevent further damage to your larynx.

Acute

Acute means occurring suddenly or over a short period of time.

Antibiotics

Antibiotics are medicines that can be used to treat infections caused by micro-organisms, usually bacteria or fungi. Examples of antibiotics include amoxicillin, streptomycin and erythromycin.

Dehydrated

Dehydration is an excessive loss of fluids and minerals from the body.

Fever

A high temperature, also known as a fever, is when someone's body temperatureis 38C (100.4F) or above.

Inflammation

Inflammation is the body's response to infection, irritation or injury, which causes redness, swelling, pain and sometimes a feeling of heat in the affected area.

Nodules

A nodule is a small growth or lump of tissue.

Pain

Pain is an unpleasant physical or emotional feeling that your body produces as a warning sign that it has been damaged.

Painkillers

Analgesics are medicines that relieve pain. Examples includeparacetamol, aspirin and ibuprofen.