The typical diagnosis for a case of sore throat and loss of voice is laryngitis. This is a condition that is typified by the inflammation of the larynx of the voice box, so called because this organ is where the vocal cords are situated. Laryngitis should not be mistaken for the voice changes that may happen during puberty in collusion with a upper respiratory tract infection at the time.
Laryngitis manifests itself by flu-like symptoms, just as in other upper respiratory tract infections, like sinusitis, pharyngitis and the common cold. However, it is differentiated by a breakdown of the voice box’s ability to vocalize as normal. The voice of a patient could range from resembling the jerky, cracking voice of pubescent teenager to a complete loss of vocalization except in a whisper. Laryngitis should be distinguished from pharyngitis, which is an inflammation of the pharynx – an organ located above the larynx, and can manifest itself with similar symptoms without affecting the voice of the patient. Laryngitis can be chronic – which means that it onset has happened over a period of time or acute – which means that it suddenly struck the patient down. Chronic laryngitis is usually caused by nodules in the larynx or excessive smoking and vocal cord use – as in orators and singers. This form of laryngitis is more difficult to cure and may at times even require surgery. Acute laryngitis, on the other hand, is caused by sudden stress to the larynx from an infection, excessive shouting, sustained temperature shock or the continuation of an upper respiratory tract infection. The medical treatment for acute laryngitis is the use of antibiotics or antifungal treatments, based on what time of pathogen is the cause of the infection, and resting the larynx to allow it to heal. During this time, anti-inflammatory drugs maybe administered to reduce the swelling caused by the inflammation.
Good home remedies for tackling laryngitis include honey, ginger, spicy foods, and lozenges. Honey and ginger have anti microbial properties and since the larynx is close to the food pipe, these work well to combat infection or the onset of infection. Honey can be taken raw while ginger, being a pungent challenge to fragile palette can be mixed with tea and had several times a day to alleviate the condition. In case the infection and inflammation will, and in most cases, should cause a mucous secretion, spicy foods have a decongestant effect and helps keep the larynx clear for breathing. Steam treatments are also advised with menthol added to the boiling water.