Laryngitis Overview
Learn About Laryngitis
Laryngitis is swelling and irritation (inflammation) of the voice box (larynx). The problem is most often associated with hoarseness or loss of voice.
Hoarseness - laryngitis
The voice box (larynx) is located at the top of the airway to the lungs (trachea). The larynx contains the vocal cords. When the vocal cords become inflamed or infected, they swell. This can cause hoarseness. Sometimes, the airway can get blocked.
The most common form of laryngitis is an infection caused by a virus. It may also be caused by:
- Allergies
- Bacterial infection
- Bronchitis
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
- Injury to the throat
- Irritants and chemicals
- Overuse of the voice
Laryngitis often occurs with an upper respiratory infection, which is typically caused by a virus.
Several forms of laryngitis occur in children that can lead to a dangerous or fatal respiratory blockage. These forms include:
- Croup
- Epiglottitis
Symptoms may include:
- Fever
- Hoarseness
- Swollen lymph nodes or glands in the neck
Laryngitis is often caused by a virus, so antibiotics likely will not help. Your health care provider will make this decision.
Resting your voice helps to reduce inflammation of the vocal cords. A humidifier may soothe the scratchy feeling that comes with laryngitis. Decongestants and pain medicines may relieve the symptoms of an upper respiratory infection.
Johns Hopkins Outpatient Center
Lee Akst, M.D., specializes in treating the larynx (voicebox), in particular the treatment of voice and swallowing disorders. He is a leading laryngologist in office-based procedures such as vocal fold injection augmentation, pulsed KTP laser treatment, and laryngeal botox injection. In the operating room, Dr. Akst specializes in phonosurgery for the treatment of vocal cord disease, with emphasis on voice restoration and improvement. A strong focus of his practice involves the use of pulsed angiolytic lasers, which allow for subspecialized care of laryngeal papillomas, laryngeal dysplasia, and early vocal cord cancers while preserving the quality and strength of the voice. Dr. Akst is a national leader in the field of laryngology and serves in leadership roles for the American Laryngological Association, the American Broncho-Esophagological Association, and the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. He lectures extensively on the treatment of laryngeal disease, teaching other physicians how to care for patients with voice and swallowing concerns. His research interests include the development of robotic laryngeal surgery, the study of voice and swallowing complaints in the elderly, and the advancement of pulsed lasers for the treatment of laryngeal diseases with a focus on leukoplakia. This provider is registered with the Florida Department of Health to perform telehealth services for patients in Florida. Dr. Akst is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Laryngitis. His top areas of expertise are Spasmodic Dysphonia, Laryngitis, Perichondritis, Endoscopy, and Laryngectomy.
Cleveland Clinic Main Campus
Paul Bryson is an Otolaryngologist in Cleveland, Ohio. Dr. Bryson has been practicing medicine for over 26 years and is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Laryngitis. His top areas of expertise are Laryngitis, Spasmodic Dysphonia, Palatopharyngeal Incompetence, Cordotomy, and Endoscopy.
Proliance Surgeons
Craig Villari, MD, is a board-certified otolaryngologist. He treats a broad spectrum of ear, nose, and throat conditions in both adults and children. He has a special interest in caring for voice, airway, and swallowing concerns and is a post-graduate member of the American Laryngologic Society. He takes great pride in making sure his patients understand their diagnoses and treatment options.Dr. Villari grew up in Buffalo, New York but spent other parts of his childhood in Saint Louis, Missouri and Fort Worth, Texas. He graduated summa cum laude from Emory University where he also completed medical training and otolaryngology residency. He completed an extra year of subspecialty training in laryngology at the University of California, San Francisco and then practiced for four years at Emory University in Atlanta, GA. He has published multiple peer-reviewed articles and book chapters, serves as a peer-reviewer for top journals, and has been an invited national and international speaker for his field.He lives on the Eastside with his wife, their son, daughter, and basset hound, Pickles. Outside of medicine, he enjoys reading, golf, and following professional sports. He's a Kraken fan and optimistic the NBA will make a return to the Emerald City. Dr. Villari is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Laryngitis. His top areas of expertise are Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis, Spasmodic Dysphonia, Vocal Cord Dysfunction, Throat Cancer, and Laryngectomy.
Laryngitis that is not caused by a serious condition often gets better on its own.
In rare cases, severe respiratory distress develops. This requires immediate medical attention.
Contact your provider if:
- A small child who is not teething has difficulty breathing, swallowing, or is drooling
- A child less than 3 months old has hoarseness
- Hoarseness has lasted for more than 1 week in a child, or 2 weeks in an adult
To prevent getting laryngitis:
- Try to avoid people who have upper respiratory infections during cold and flu season.
- Wash your hands often.
- Do not strain your voice.
- Stop smoking. This can help prevent tumors of the head and neck or lungs, which can lead to hoarseness.
Summary: The overall aim of the study is to develop a nutritional preventive vitamin D supplementation strategy in pregnancy for early childhood asthma/persistent wheeze during the first three years of life as we hypothesize that supplementation in higher doses than recommended could reduce the risk of disease development.
Summary: The overall aim of the study is to develop a nutritional preventive fish oil supplementation strategy in pregnancy for early childhood asthma/persistent wheeze during the first three years of life as we hypothesize that both supplementations in higher doses than recommended could reduce the risk of disease development.
Published Date: October 09, 2024
Published By: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Clinical Professor, Department of Family Medicine, UW Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
Allen CT, Nussenbaum B, Merati AL. Acute and chronic laryngopharyngitis. In: Flint PW, Francis HW, Haughey BH, et al, eds. Cummings Otolaryngology: Head & Neck Surgery. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 61.
Flint PW. Throat disorders. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 397.
Rodrigues KK, Roosevelt GE. Acute inflammatory upper airway obstruction (croup, epiglottitis, laryngitis, and bacterial tracheitis). In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, et al, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 22nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier;2025:chap 433.


