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- What is laryngitis?
- Symptoms of laryngitis
- Causes of laryngitis
- Prevention of laryngitis
- Risk factors for laryngitis
- Complications of laryngitis
- When to see a doctor about laryngitis
- Diagnosis of laryngitis
- Conventional treatment of laryngitis
- Alternative/complementary treatment of laryngitis
- Living with laryngitis
- Caring for someone with laryngitis
Laryngitis may be unpreventable in certain circumstances:
- Allergies - people with allergies can often experience a sore throat due to their condition and this can easily develop into laryngitis which is not easily preventable due to the allergic condition
- Epiglottitis - if the epiglottis, which is located at the back of the throat becomes infected (epiglottitis), it can also cause infection of the larynx resulting in laryngitis. People with epiglottitis must seek medical treatment to prevent complications
- GERD - people with gastro-eosophageal reflux disease (GERD) have some of the acidic content of the stomach rise up the eosophagus which can sometimes go as far as the throat and into the lungs. This can cause coughing and asthma-like symptoms, which can irritate not just the eosophagus but the whole upper respiratory area, including the larynx, which can become very inflamed and result in laryngitis
- Pneumonia - the condition pneumonia causes inflammation and infection of one or both of the lungs by an invading pathogen (viral, bacterial or fungal) and laryngitis can develop through the act of coughing constantly due to the pneumonia. People with suspected pneumonia must seek medical treatment to prevent complications
- Tuberculosis - the lung condition tuberculosis, is rare in developed countries today, but it does still occur in random outbreaks. The tuberculosis infection can also cause the larynx and throat to be irritated, inflamed and infected causing laryngitis. People with tuberculosis must seek medical attention as it is a highly contagious bacterial condition
- Viral infection - any type of upper respiratory infection due to a virus (cold, flu, bronchitis, pleurisy and croup in babies) can also irritate, inflame and infect the larynx (voice box) and cause laryngitis. This form of laryngitis is acute and temporary but highly unpreventable if it occurs
- Vocal chord polyps - nodular growths on the vocal chords are a common reason for the development of laryngitis as the vocal chords sit on top of the larynx and if the vocal chords are inflamed due to the polyps, the larynx can also become inflamed and hoarse, which are typical symptoms of laryngitis
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There are ways to prevent laryngitis from occurring:
- Don't drink alcohol excessively - excessive alcohol intake can not only cause GERD (gastro-eosophageal reflux disease) which can result in laryngitis, but the excessive alcohol intake itself can irritate the larynx even if GERD does not occur. Maintain a moderate alcohol intake to prevent laryngitis from this cause
- Manage health conditions - people with any type of upper or lower respiratory health conditions (allergies, bronchitis, pneumonia, croup, cold, flu, pleurisy, tuberculosis) need to ensure they are following their doctor's treatment plan, to reduce risk of any other associated infections such as laryngitis, which is a secondary infection and may lengthen time of recovery
- Stop smoking - smoking is a very well-known cause of irritant laryngitis and it can be prevented simply by not smoking at all
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< 3: causes 5: risk factors > Last reviewed: 10 November 2007 || Last updated: 3 January 2009
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NOTE: Mega doses of any type of vitamin, mineral, amino acid or herbal supplement cannot cure illnesses and in fact can be very dangerous and produce toxic side effects and interfere with medicine you are taking. Always ensure you consult your doctor before taking any type of complementary supplements.
Disclaimer: This guide is not intended to be used for diagnostic or prescriptive purposes. For any treatment or diagnosis of illness, please see your doctor.
