Laryngitis
Laryngitis is when your voice box or vocal cords in the throat become irritated or swollen. It usually goes away by itself within 1 to 2 weeks.
Check if you have laryngitis
Laryngitis usually comes on suddenly and gets worse during the first 3 days.
The main symptoms are:
- a hoarse (croaky) voice
- sometimes losing your voice
- an irritating cough that does not go away
- always needing to clear your throat
- a sore throat
Children can also:
- have a temperature of 38C or above
- be off their food or drink
- have difficulty breathing (but this is rare)
Laryngitis is often linked to other illnesses, such as colds and flu, so you may also have other symptoms.
If you're not sure it's laryngitis, check other sore throat symptoms.
How you can treat laryngitis yourself
Laryngitis usually goes away on its own after 1 to 2 weeks and you do not need to see a GP.
There are some things you can do to help ease the symptoms.
Do
try to speak as little as possible
drink plenty of fluids
keep the air moist by putting out bowls of water – central heating and air conditioning make the air dry
gargle with warm salty water (children should not try this)
Don't
do not talk loudly or whisper – both strain your voice
do not smoke
do not spend time in smoky or dusty places
do not drink too much caffeine or alcohol – they can cause dehydration
- Dissolve half a teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water. Warm water helps salt dissolve.
- Gargle with the solution then spit it out. Do not swallow it.
- Repeat as often as you like.
This is not suitable for younger children.
A pharmacist can help with laryngitis
Speak to a pharmacist about your sore throat.
They can give advice and suggest treatments, including:
- paracetamol or ibuprofen
- cough syrup to help with your cough
- solutions to gargle or lozenges for the pain
See a GP if:
- your symptoms do not improve after 2 weeks
- you keep getting laryngitis or voice problems
What happens at the GP appointment
The GP will try to work out what has caused your laryngitis.
They may:
- look inside your throat using a small mirror
- wipe a cotton bud around the back of your throat for testing
- arrange a blood test
- refer you to an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist (if you keep getting laryngitis)
If your laryngitis is caused by an infection, the GP might prescribe antibiotics.
Contact 111 now if:
- it's very painful or it's difficult to swallow
You can call 111 or get help from 111 online.
Call 999 or go to A&E if:
- you or your child are having difficulty breathing
What causes laryngitis
Laryngitis usually happens when you have an infection from a virus, such as cold or flu. A flu vaccination will help prevent you getting flu.
Other things that cause laryngitis include:
- allergies to things like dust and fumes
- acid from your stomach coming up your throat (acid reflux)
- coughing over a long time
- clearing your throat all the time
