How long does laryngitis last: Laryngitis 9 Causes, Treatments
Laryngitis may be, relatively a new term but definitely, most of us have experienced it at some point or other. Laryngitis is nothing but the strain of the larynx, which is the voice box.
We could have asked this question many times. When do my voice my turn regular? How long am I going to suffer from this throat infection? This hoarse voice is irritating me.
You can club all these questions into a simple question, how long does laryngitis last? Before we move on see how long does laryngitis, let us know what laryngitis is?
What is Laryngitis?
Laryngitis refers to inflammation and irritation of your voice box, Larynx. It makes your voice rough and hoarse. Sometimes, you may not be able to speak correctly. The primary cause of inflammation of voice box is a viral infection. Rarely, bacterial infection and overuse of voice box (you speak or scream too much!) cause laryngitis.
It is difficult for us not to speak appropriately. Throat inflammation causes pain and irritation whenever you try to talk about something. We look for quick remedies or treatment to get back the voice. Especially, if your career or work involves a lot of talking to do or needs your voice support, you need to get rid of it quickly.
How laryngitis affects you?
The voice box is made of two muscle bands. The band of muscles is stretchable, and it stretches across the top of the trachea, called windpipe. These muscles are responsible, instead allow you to speak, sing or make any noise.
The vibrations and movements of these bands of muscles are referred as vocal cords. When the vocal cords are injured or inflamed due to infection, it affects the way you speak. Eventually, the voice turns hoarse, rough and croaky.
So, this vital question revolves around your mind, how long does laryngitis last!
How long does laryngitis last?
There is no single answer to this question, how long does laryngitis last. Laryngitis cure in 5 days or may take up to 50 days. It depends on the actual cause of laryngitis. However, this is not a dreadful condition. Usually, the throat muscles heal on its own. However, in case of chronic infection, medical intervention is essential.
How long does laryngitis last differ in each person, age, and of course, the actual causes!
In a majority of cases, acute laryngitis cure naturally in one week to ten days time. Even in case of severe viral infection, the condition subsides when the infection is treated.
How long does laryngitis last for an acute condition – one to three weeks!
When the symptoms last for more than three weeks, be assured that it is chronic laryngitis.
The term ‘chronic’ means long term. Some of you may have experienced hoarse voice and swelling of the throat for a more extended period. So, it indicates chronic laryngitis.
If the symptoms don’t subside in two or three weeks or if the symptoms aggravate gradually, or if you are unable to speak over time, it is an indication of chronic laryngitis.
How long does laryngitis last can help you figure out the cause of laryngitis?
Causes of Laryngitis:
Let us classify the causes of laryngitis into two, acute and chronic. Many people suffer from acute laryngitis, which is not a severe condition. If you suffer from acute laryngitis, how long does laryngitis last may have a solid answer for you! You can get laryngitis cure in a few days to a couple of weeks.
Causes of Acute Laryngitis:
Viral Infection:
A viral infection is the primary cause of acute laryngitis. The virus affects the vocal cords and inflames it. The inflammation affects the natural rhythm/movement of the muscles in your throat. So, when you talk, it irritates and your voice turns hoarse.
Overuse of Throat:
As we mentioned earlier, overuse of throat is another primary cause of laryngitis. Singers, speakers, teachers, and many professions call for constant speaking. Sometimes, even excessive talking leads to inflammation of the vocal cords. Overuse of throat due to talking, shouting or singing affects your voice.
Laryngitis is often seen in teachers and singers. Their voices change hoarse or odd for a few days. However, it doesn’t need any treatment. Rest your voice; laryngitis goes away.
Causes of Chronic Laryngitis:
While a viral infection is the primary cause of acute laryngitis, chronic laryngitis causes are different.
Prolonged use of alcohol:
Alcohol causes some ailments in the body. Change of voice over a specified period is seen in many people who drink alcohol regularly.
Smoking:
Similar to alcohol, tobacco is a killer! It is poisonous to the respiratory system. The toxins affect the soft tissues and muscles. The voice box is not an exception.
Exposure to secondhand smoking:
Even if you are not a culprit as a smoker, exposure to tobacco causes laryngitis. Smoking not only kills the smoker but the people, the environment and everything around.
Environmental/Air Pollution:
While this can be a typical scenario that everyone poses to some degree of air pollution, constant exposure causes laryngitis. Polluted air has foreign objects or chemicals which may affect the soft tissues inside your throat, as you breathe.
Frequent Coughing :
A cough is not so uncommon, yet it may affect your vocal cord when you get a cough frequently. Coughing may be due to pollution exposure, smoking, infection or food allergy.
Acid Reflux:
Acid reflux affects not only the food pipe but also the throat. It also leads to chronic coughing.
People who suffer from acid reflux or indigestion problem experience the presence of the acid as they carry a sour taste in their mouth. Repeated spills of acid reflux from the stomach to food pipe, causes inflammation and chemical irritation of the throat muscles.
Prolong/Repetitive Use of Inhalers:
People develop the habit of using inhalers for a more extended period. The inhalers affect the linings of the muscles and irritate.
Signs of Laryngitis:
In most of the cases, laryngitis symptoms do not last for more than a week. Some of the signs of laryngitis include:
- Loss of natural or regular voice
- Loss of voice (in rare cases)
- Hoarse or croaky voice
- Weak or thin voice
- Rawness in the throat
- Mild irritation of the throat
- A sensation of tickling in the throat
- Throat soreness and dryness
- A dry Cough
- Respiratory tract infection
- Swollen nodes in the neck
The signs mentioned above and symptoms of laryngitis are commonly seen in viral infection. How long does laryngitis last may end up with experiencing the symptoms for no more than two weeks?
Less often, it can be triggered by a serious underlying condition, where the symptoms last longer.
In kids, signs of laryngitis vary mildly.
Laryngitis also affects infants and children. In younger ones, it often occurs with an inflammation of the bronchial tubes. Children don’t develop the trachea or bronchial tubes fully.
The underdeveloped structure makes them prone to quick inflammation, which is called croup. Sings of laryngitis in kids are visible with swollen glands in the neck. Croup is a nighttime disease. It affects sleep routine in children and makes the parent anxious.
Children may find it hard to swallow food or drink water. In many cases, children who suffer from laryngitis also develop the fever. How long does laryngitis last in children vary from one to two weeks?
How to get rid of laryngitis – Treatment:
In general, laryngitis does not need any treatment for a few days. You may feel mild to moderate discomfort due to laryngitis even if is due to viral infection.
How long does laryngitis last and treatment for laryngitis goes hand in hand. As stated above, giving enough rest to your throat is the best remedy to get rid of laryngitis.
As with any part of the body that becomes inflamed, rest plays a vital role in recovery. How to get rid of laryngitis is all about not taking physical rest, but rest your voice. Limit the amount you talk.
The treatment for laryngitis caused by viral infection includes the following:
- Staying hydrated to control the aggravation of
- Get humidifier
- Analgesic to control pain and inflammation
- Give adequate rest to your voice
- Gargle with sterile water or salt water solution to curb down the irritation
- Avoid smoking and alcohol to reduce the recurrence or occurrence of laryngitis
- In rare occasions, for bacterial triggered laryngitis, antibiotics will be helpful.
For treatment of chronic laryngitis diagnosis of the cause is essential. For instance, for acid reflux, the hoarseness may subside but may not cure entirely until you get treated for acid reflux.
How long does laryngitis last and When to see a doctor:
Sometimes, the fundamental question that revolves around how long does laryngitis last makes you alarming. You need the medical intervention when the situation goes out of control.
When you suffer from fever, and throat infection, you may need immediate treatment. You can reach out a doctor when the home remedies are unsuccessful.
Watch how long does laryngitis last. If it lasts for more than two weeks, do not hesitate to visit a doctor. As stated above, how long does laryngitis last can give you the answer about what could have caused laryngitis?
When it comes to children, do not wait until it aggravates. When you notice the difficulty in your children, who hesitate to eat or drink due to pain, consult a doctor immediately.
References:
- https://patient.info/health/laryngitis-leaflet
- https://www.medicinenet.com/laryngitis/article.htm
- https://www.healthline.com/health/laryngitis
- https://www.medicinenet.com/laryngitis/article.htm
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/laryngitis/symptoms-causes/syc-20374262
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/laryngitis/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20374267