What are the Most Common Laryngitis Causes?

Some of the most common laryngitis causes include inflammation of the larynx from coughing and infections in the larynx. Other laryngitis causes that happen with relative frequency include overuse of the voice, acid reflux, and injuries to the throat. From a more mechanical perspective, laryngitis is generally a result of some kind of inflammation, and anything that can cause the voice box to become inflamed or interfere with its functioning has the potential to cause laryngitis.

Most laryngitis causes emerge during some kind of cold or flu episode. People may be suffering with a virus or bacterial infection, and the sickness will spread to the voice box. In other cases, it could be something like a case of bronchitis, and the person may cough enough to generate inflammation in the voice box. It can even be caused by a combination of these effects, and telling the difference between one cause and the other isn’t always important, partly because dealing with either is generally the same.

People also often get laryngitis after something like a sporting event where they yell too much for too long. If the voice is used too aggressively without a break, the larynx can become inflamed, and hoarseness will generally follow. Singers also have this problem, and for them, there is a more serious possibility. Sometimes people who strain their voices constantly can develop small sores called polyps on their voice boxes. This leads to a chronic kind of hoarseness that never goes away, and sometimes surgery is required to get rid of the polyps.

For most laryngitis causes, the solution is generally resting the voice and waiting for the sickness to go away. In a few cases, antibiotics can also be helpful. People often drink warm fluids as a therapeutic method while they wait for the symptoms to heal, and this can potentially be soothing to the throat. A typical laryngitis case will heal on its own within days, and it’s generally rare for a case to linger for more than a week. Sometimes laryngitis can be a symptom of something relatively serious like throat cancer, so cases that linger for a long time might require more medical inquiry.

One of the more common laryngitis causes that can lead to recurring problems is acid reflux disease. When people suffer with this problem, their digestive system will regurgitate acid up into the area where their voice box resides. This often happens while people sleep, but it can also occur when they're awake. The exposure to this acid can have a highly inflammatory effect on the voice box and potentially lead to frequent bouts with laryngitis or a constantly hoarse voice.