Some of the most common causes are:

- Upper respiratory tract infections, especially respiratory viruses (common cold) or flu

- Excessive use of vocal cords by talking long and loudly by screaming or singing

- Allergies

- Exposure to irritants such as smoke or chemicals

- Gastro esophageal reflux disease: In this case is a laryngeal reflux.

Chronic symptoms are those which last two weeks or more and show a more severe damage to vocal cords than a simple inflammation, such as nerves, lesions or polyps of the larynx and a possible appearance endured areas, so-called laryngeal nodules.

These problems are caused most frequently:

- Chronic viral infections

- Gastro-esophageal reflux disease

- Appearance cancer

- Lesions of the larynx

Deepened voice can occur naturally, with age, as the vocal cords become thinner and lose their tonicity.

The most common causes of laryngitis are:

 

- respiratory tract infections higher viral cause, such as the most common of them - respiratory virus, In most cases laryngitis occurs while or after an upper respiratory tract infection, and may be associated with the presence of mucous secretions or excessive mucopurulente, entering the posterior wall of the pharynx and cause, caughing.Other symptoms may be: this mucus in the nostrils and a slight increase in temperature

- sinusitis, which is an inflammation of the sinuses

- Exposure to hazards in the environment, this cough and secretions in the back of the throat can also lead to laryngitis, if the person was exposed to different allergens or irritants, tobacco smoke, including passive smoking may be considered one of the main irritants

- Excessive and prolonged speech: voice hoarse, whispered bold or may occur after excessive use of it as it happens to support your favorite team in a sporting event

- Gastro-esophageal reflux disease: reflux gastric acid from the stomach can irritate and inflame the larynx, the so-called laryngeal reflux, one of the symptoms of reflux, such as heartburn  may not always be noted, laryngitis is sometimes the first sign of reflux occurrence.

 

Although rare, respiratory infections caused by fungi may lead to laryngitis especially in people with weak immunity.

The main symptom of laryngitis is the changing nature of speech, it may be hoarse, thin, bold or faint. In some cases, laryngitis can lead to inability to speak. It can happen that, before the advent of voice changes, neck pain there (which may worsen as they emphasize) and change vocal character.

 

The first voice-related changes occur in the morning upon awakening, when the effort of speaking voice is much higher and not sound the same as before. There also need to cough and to quickly clean neck, especially when cases are related laryngitis infection, especially viral ones.

 

These symptoms are usually temporary, unless there may be another condition. If symptoms also include severe pain in the neck, difficulty swallowing, cough with expectoration of blood or a formation visible in the neck, you really need to be present at the emergency physician. A child who shows severe pain in the neck, drooling and has difficulty breathing, may have epiglottises (Inflammation of the epiglottis), an acute condition requiring emergency treatment.

 

Symptoms of chronic laryngitis

 

In most cases of laryngitis, no improvement after several days and can heal even without treatment. However, if symptoms become chronic mean that the larynx may be affected. For example, if the patient has a chronic laryngeal reflux may develop nodules in the larynx area ulcerations and thus there is an increased risk of cancer at this level.

 

Not decrease symptoms improved after two weeks, may indicate a chronic disease or another disease that can occur in the larynx. It is important that people with these symptoms to be obtained to diagnose the causes of these changes that persist for more than two weeks.

Although symptoms of laryngitis usually go away in less than a few days, may take up to two weeks to disappear completely, but there are a total recovery. Consult doctor in case symptoms occurred suddenly and without a specific cause and not decrease in intensity in a few days. If there is severe pain on swallowing and weight, and when there is a person coughs expectoration sanguinolent, you should really consult your doctor.

 

To diagnose laryngitis doctor will ask the patient about his medical history and perform a physical exam. The doctor will look for potential areas of sensitivity or nodules in the neck, then look at the nose, mouth and neck areas of inflammation. These exams will help the doctor to realize if symptoms are related to laryngitis or no possibility of other pathologies.

If other changes are present, such as polyps or areas of ulceration of the larynx, laryngitis will be eliminated as diagnostic possibilities. But it is difficult to observe these changes quickly, so it is better to have a new specialized medical evaluation.

Consult an ENT specialist (which deals with the diseases of the nose, ears and neck) when:

- Symptoms have not improved or disappeared after two weeks

- Suddenly appeared a series of changes that cause severe pain (pain that radiate to the ear), difficulty swallowing or cough with expectoration this sanguinolent

- There is another suspected after physical examination and there is a risk given the personal medical history

- Family doctor thinks that the possibility exists to become chronic laryngitis or lead to another condition, for example, a professional singer may develop occasional episodes of acute laryngitis, but it is better to be advised by an ENT specialist to preventing the occurrence of polyps or nodules of the larynx.

If your doctor believes the patient's voice changes beyond the diagnostic criteria of a simple inflammation of the larynx, he may recommend a series of additional tests, such as:

 

- laryngoscope: for this exam the doctor will insert a flexible tube (fibro copy) throat, which will allow you to see in detail the larynx, during this test, the doctor may take a piece of tissue from the larynx to perform a biopsy, examination pathological this tissue may preclude diagnosis of laryngeal cancer or other serious diseases, there is the risk of cancer if the patient is a smoker and shows nodules of the larynx;

- Laringostroboscopie: This test allows the doctor to observe the vocal vibrations to study their mobility, using an instrument light. Most often, laryngitis is the result of an infection present in the upper respiratory tract, such as respiratory virus. Home treatment modalities similar to those cold such as voice rest and good hydration are often all that is necessary. If laryngitis is due to the appearance of prolonged and excessive use of voice, voice rest with a series of other measures of home care represents the best treatment. However, if problems persist or constant returns, we must consider special training and a voice.

 

Medications can be administered to treat laryngitis or to solve a series of symptoms that can worsen the evolution of laryngitis. For example, prescription nasal decongestants may be useful for the release of secretions, if stuffy nose is caused by a cold or triggered by an allergy. When congestion is removed, the nose can achieve humidification process, which decreases inflammation of the larynx. Your doctor can recommend appropriate treatment specifically for each patient.

 

Gastro esophageal reflux disease is a common cause of laryngitis. Outpatient treatment to decrease gastric acid production may help to resolve laryngitis. However, prescribing a prescription by a specialist may be necessary. If gastro-esophageal reflux disease is not treated and becomes a chronic disease can lead to long-term voice hoarse and even areas of ulceration of the larynx.

 

Other conditions with symptoms similar to laryngitis will require treatment specific to them.

Laryngitis symptoms resolve on their own in less than two weeks.

For better recovery may take a number and home treatment measures, such as:

- Voice rest: not made a total voice rest, but use as little voice would be very good, have to speak slowly, but whispered, as this can irritate the larynx more than speaking slowly, should be avoided talking on the phone or aloud

- Do not be trying to clean the neck: this can cause more problems and may increase inflammation of the larynx, a cough suppressive therapy eventually may be helpful if the patient has a dry cough that produces no mucus

- Should the patients to stop smoking and passive smoking and also to avoid: cigarette smoke irritates the throat and larynx and aggravate inflammation

- Be patient as the home have a certain degree of humidity: Which allows decreasing the amount of mucus, avoiding stuffy nose or drainage of secretions in the posterior wall of pharynx

- To have a good hydration

- Runny nose issue: this can be helped by keeping moisture in the room, and a saline infusion could be helpful

- prevention and treatment of gastro esophageal reflux: to prevent or lessen reflux that can irritate or even cause damage to the larynx, you should avoid to eat before bedtime, to reduce the amount of coffee and alcohol and to try a Eating as healthy, medication to reduce stomach acid can help when these measures are not hygiene-sufficient diet.