Laryngitis; A Condition That Affects The Voice.

I once read about an artist who talked about having laryngitis and how it affected her performance at a concert, this of course made me read more about it, I was concerned about what sort of infection could affect such a thriving career. So, today we will be looking at laryngitis together and what its effect is on those affected by it.

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Hoarseness is the most common sign of laryngitis, the condition is an inflammation of the voice box usually happening from an overuse of the voice, infection, or irritation. The larynx houses the vocal cords, two folds of mucous membranes that cover the cartilage and the muscle.

Usually, the vocal cords of humans close and open frequently, with this movement, sounds, and vibrations are produced. Most cases of laryngitis would usually only last for a couple of weeks, and are usually caused by a minor case. It is not so common to have others caused by a more serious or long-lasting situation. It comes with symptoms like; a weak voice, sore throat, dry throat, dry cough, hoarseness, loss of the voice, and tickling sensation in the throat.

Having established the fact that, most cases of laryngitis are not so severe, it is also important to establish the fact that, they can be handled with easy self-care steps like the consumption of plenty of fluids, and resting the voice when the need occurs. The voice should be rested especially during an episode of acute laryngitis.

Laryngitis happens in two phases, we have the acute and the chronic phases.
Acute laryngitis is a temporary phase and will most likely improve as the condition gets better. It is possibly caused by; vocal strain caused by the yelling or overuse of the voice, viral infections similar to a cold, and bacterial infections which are usually less common.

Chronic laryngitis, on the other hand, could last for over three weeks, usually caused by exposure to irritants as time goes by. In the presence of chronic laryngitis, it could lead to; vocal cord strain, injuries, or growth of the vocal cords. Chronic laryngitis could as a result of; smoking, excessive use of alcohol, inhaled irritants, acid reflux, and chronic sinusitis.

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Vocal cord paralysis which could be a result of nerve injury, cancer, bowing of the vocal cords, infections with some parasites, and bacterial or fungal infections is also a possible cause of chronic laryngitis. Anyone can have laryngitis, but some people have a high chance of getting laryngitis.

• Those who overuse their voices, either through speaking excessively, too loudly, or through singing.
• Those who have a respiratory infection.
• Those who are exposed to irritating substances.

When laryngitis is caused by an infection, the possible complication that affects it is that it could spread to other parts of the respiratory tract. If your case of laryngitis is caused by a virus, there is a possibility of spreading it to others, a good example is anytime you cough, tiny droplets are released into the environment, and other people could breathe in the germs and fall sick as well.

There are different medical treatment options for laryngitis, in a situation when there is an urgent need to speak, corticosteroids are recommended. It is a class of man-made drugs that tend to mimic certain hormones the body naturally produces, a good example is cortisol, and they reduce swelling.

Pain relief medications also do so much when administered. If it is a bacterial infection, then antibiotics are administered. A voice therapist will also begin to teach patients how to care for their voice and reduce any type of behavior that will strain them.

References.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/laryngitis/symptoms-causes/syc-20374262

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/laryngitis/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20374267

https://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/what-is-laryngitis

https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/ears-nose-and-throat/laryngitis/

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Hi, I am Tobi a writer, speaker, relationship blogger, and lover of good music. I love making friends and learning from people. If you want to hear me speak on relationships and general life issues, you can find my YouTube channel where you can watch any episode for free, please do not forget to subscribe, friends. I sincerely appreciate every love I get from here, Kindly do well to keep them coming.