Laryngitis

Date Updated: 09/20/2025

Overview

Laryngitis is a type of swelling called inflammation that affects the voice box. The medical name for the voice box is the larynx. The larynx can become inflamed from overuse, irritation or infection.

Inside the larynx are the vocal cords. These two bands of muscle tissue give you your voice. When they're healthy, the vocal cords open and close smoothly. They make sounds through their movement and vibration. But with laryngitis, the vocal cords become inflamed. This distorts the sounds made by air passing over them. As a result, the voice sounds hoarse. Some people with laryngitis lose their voices for a time.

Most often, laryngitis lasts for a short while. This is called acute laryngitis. A mild infection from a virus usually causes it, such as a cold or the flu. Or laryngitis can be longer-lasting, also called chronic. Some health conditions and irritating substances such as smoke can cause it.

Treatment of acute laryngitis often involves self-care or resting the voice. With chronic laryngitis, an underlying cause may need to be treated with medicine or lifestyle changes.

Help prevent laryngitis with steps such as handwashing to lower the risk of colds and other viral infections. Stay away from smoke or chemical fumes. And try not to shout or sing loudly often.

Symptoms

Laryngitis affects the voice. It also can cause other symptoms. Laryngitis symptoms can include:

Hoarseness, which makes the voice sound strained, rough, breathy, weak, or higher or lower in pitch.
Short-term voice loss.
Tickling and rawness in the throat.
Sore throat.
Dry throat.
Dry cough.
An urge to clear the throat.

These symptoms usually last less than 2 to 3 weeks.

Less often, laryngitis symptoms are caused by something more serious or long lasting. If a serious infection causes laryngitis, a person also may have symptoms such as:

A fever.
Trouble swallowing.
A general sense of not feeling well.

When to see a doctor

Make an appointment with your healthcare professional if your voice is hoarse for 2 to 4 weeks. Also make an appointment if you have serious changes in your voice that last more than a few days.

Get medical care right away if you:

Have trouble breathing or swallowing.
Cough up blood.
Have a fever that won't go away.
Have pain that becomes worse.
Weight loss.

Get medical care right away if your child:

Makes noisy, high-pitched breathing sounds when breathing in. This symptom is called stridor.
Has a barking cough.
Drools more than usual.
Has trouble swallowing.
Has trouble breathing.
Has a fever.

These can be symptoms of an upper airway infection called croup. They also can be symptoms of a life-threatening condition called epiglottitis. With epiglottitis, the small cartilage lid that covers the windpipe becomes swollen and blocks the airway.

Causes

Two types of laryngitis exist, and their causes can vary.

Acute laryngitis

Acute laryngitis tends to last less than three weeks. Most often, viruses that infect the sinuses and throat cause this type of laryngitis. For example, acute laryngitis is common with colds and the flu. Vocal strain is another common cause of acute laryngitis.

Rarely, infections from germs called bacteria cause acute laryngitis.

Chronic laryngitis

Chronic laryngitis lasts longer than three weeks. It can lead to vocal cord changes over time. It also can cause growths on the vocal cords called polyps or nodules.

Things that irritate the larynx can cause chronic laryngitis These irritants include:

Chemical fumes.
Allergens.
Alcohol use.
Ongoing acid reflux, also called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). With GERD, stomach acid keeps flowing back into the tube that connects the mouth and stomach.
A condition called chronic sinusitis with postnasal drip. The spaces inside the nose and head become inflamed, and too much mucus drips into the back of the throat.

Less common causes of chronic laryngitis include infections from bacteria, fungus or some parasites.

Common causes of acute and chronic laryngitis

Acute and chronic laryngitis have some causes in common. These include:

Irritating substances that can be breathed in, such as chemical fumes, allergens and smoke.
Acid reflux due to GERD.
Repeated overuse of the voice, such as when you sing, talk loudly or shout a lot.
Smoking.

Other causes

Other causes of ongoing hoarseness include:

Thinning and loss of tone in the vocal cords, which can happen with aging.
Some conditions that affect the brain or spinal cord, such as Parkinson's disease and stroke.
Growths on the vocal cords that are not cancer, including polyps, nodules and cysts.
Cancer.
Loss of control over the movement of the muscles that control the voice, also called vocal cord paralysis. This can be caused by nerve injuries due to surgery, injury to the chest or neck, cancer, nerve disorders, or other health conditions.

Risk factors

Risk factors for laryngitis include:

Having a respiratory infection, such as a cold, bronchitis or sinusitis.
Exposure to irritating substances, such as cigarette smoke, excessive alcohol intake, stomach acid or workplace chemicals.
Overusing your voice, by speaking too much, speaking too loudly, shouting or singing.

Complications

If a serious infection causes laryngitis, the infection could spread to other tissues or organs that help you breathe.

Prevention

To prevent drying out or irritating your vocal cords:

Do not smoke, and stay away from secondhand smoke. Smoke dries your throat. It also can cause your vocal cords to become irritated.
Limit alcohol and caffeine. These cause your body to lose water.
Drink plenty of water. Fluids help keep the mucus in your throat thin and easy to clear.
Limit spicy foods. Spicy foods can cause stomach acid to go into the throat or esophagus. This can lead to heartburn or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
Eat a variety of healthy foods. Eat fruits, vegetables and whole grains. These have vitamins that are important for your overall health. These foods also can help keep the lining in the throat healthy.
Try not to clear your throat. This does more harm than good. Throat clearing causes your vocal cords to vibrate and can lead to more swelling. Clearing your throat also causes your throat to feel more irritated. And that could make you want to clear your throat again.
Take steps to prevent colds, the flu and other infections. Wash your hands often. And stay away from people who are sick.

Diagnosis

To find out if laryngitis is the cause of your symptoms, your healthcare professional reviews your medical history and symptoms. Your healthcare professional also may listen to your voice and check your vocal cords.

If your symptoms are serious or long lasting, you might be referred to an ear, nose and throat doctor called an otolaryngologist. This healthcare professional may use the following tests to find out if you have laryngitis or another condition:

Laryngoscopy. This procedure lets your healthcare professional check your vocal cords. A laryngoscopy can be done using a light and a tiny mirror to look into the back of your throat. Or a thin, flexible tube with a tiny camera and light may be placed into your nose or mouth. Then the tube is moved down into the back of your throat. This lets your healthcare professional watch the motion of your vocal cords as you speak. You may be given medicine to help you relax or sleep during this procedure.
Biopsy. If your healthcare professional sees a suspicious area, a small sample of tissue may be taken. This is called a biopsy.

Treatment

Treatment partly depends on whether you have acute or chronic laryngitis.

Acute laryngitis

Acute laryngitis often gets better on its own within three weeks. In the meantime, the following self-care measures can help ease your symptoms:

Rest your voice.
Drink plenty of fluids such as water.
Use steam or a device called a humidifier to add moisture to the air in your home.

Chronic laryngitis

Chronic laryngitis may have an underlying cause that needs to be treated or managed with lifestyle changes. Examples include:

Medicines to treat allergies or ongoing acid reflux.
Staying away from chemical fumes, allergens or other irritating substances in the air.
A plan to quit smoking or drink less alcohol.

Medicines

Medicines that sometimes are used to treat laryngitis include:

Antibiotics. These medicines clear up infections caused by germs called bacteria. But bacteria rarely cause laryngitis. So, antibiotics aren't a common treatment.
Antifungals. These medicines clear up infections caused by fungus. Fungus can build up on the vocal cords, causing laryngitis.
Corticosteroids. These medicines can help lessen vocal cord swelling. But corticosteroids are used only when there's an urgent need to treat laryngitis. For example, they may be used if a person with acute laryngitis needs to give a speech or vocal performance for work.

Therapies

A treatment called voice therapy also may help for laryngitis. A healthcare professional called a speech-language pathologist teaches you ways to protect your voice.

Surgery or other procedures

Sometimes, surgery is a treatment choice for chronic laryngitis. For instance, chronic laryngitis can lead to growths on the vocal cords that cause hoarseness. Some growths may need to be removed with surgery.

Self care

Some self-care methods and home treatments may relieve the symptoms of laryngitis and strain your voice less:

Breathe moist air. Use a humidifier to keep the air throughout your home or office moist. Inhale steam from a bowl of hot water or a hot shower.
Rest your voice as much as you can. Try not to talk or sing too loudly or for too long. If you need to speak before large groups, try to use a microphone or megaphone.
Drink plenty of fluids such as water. Limit alcohol and caffeine, which can leave the body without enough water.
Moisten your throat. Try sucking on lozenges, gargling with warm salt water or chewing a piece of gum. But do not let a younger child gargle saltwater.
Do not use decongestants. These medicines can dry out your throat.
Do not whisper. This strains your voice even more than talking at regular volume does.

Preparing for your appointment

You're likely to start by seeing your family healthcare professional. You may be referred to a doctor called an otolaryngologist who is trained in ear, nose and throat conditions.

Here's some information to help you get ready for your appointment.

What you can do

Be aware of any instructions you need to follow before your appointment. When you make the appointment, ask if there's anything you need to do in advance.
Write down your symptoms. Include any that may not seem related to the reason for which you made the appointment.
Write down key personal information, including major stresses or recent life changes.
Make a list of all medicines, vitamins and supplements you're taking. Include the amounts you take, called the doses.
Take a family member or friend along, if you can. Someone who joins you may remember information you missed or forgot.
Write down questions to ask your healthcare professional.

Writing down a list of questions for your healthcare professional helps you make the most of your time together. For laryngitis, some basic questions to ask include:

What is likely causing my symptoms or condition?
What are other possible causes?
What tests do I need, if any?
Is my condition likely short term or long term?
What is the best course of action?
What are the treatment choices other than the main one you're suggesting?
I have other health conditions. How can I best manage them together?
Are there any restrictions I need to follow?
Should I see a specialist?
Is there a generic version of the medicine you're prescribing?
Are there brochures or other printed material I can take home? What websites do you recommend?

Feel free to ask any other questions.

What to expect from your doctor

Your healthcare professional is likely to ask you questions such as:

When did your symptoms start?
Have your symptoms been constant, or do they happen once in a while?
How serious are your symptoms?
What, if anything, seems to make your symptoms better?
What, if anything, seems to make your symptoms worse?
Do you smoke?
Do you drink alcohol?
Do you have allergies? Have you recently had a cold?
Have you recently overused your vocal cords, such as by singing or shouting?