Laryngitis (cont.)
What are the symptoms of laryngitis?
Hoarseness and loss of voice is the primary symptom of laryngitis.
If the cause of laryngitis is infectious, patients most
often will also present with symptoms of upper respiratory tract infection or
cold. There may also be:
- a dry cough,
- sore throat,
- fever,
- swollen lymph nodes (lymph
glands) in the neck,
- perhaps pain with swallowing, and
- a feeling of fullness in the throat or neck.
In children with croup, there may also difficulty
breathing. Since the way we
get air into our lungs functions like a bellows, as the child tries to breathe
through a swollen and narrow larynx, the cartilage may collapse, just like when
attempting to breathe through a straw. As we age, the cartilage becomes stiffer
and is able to withstand deeply indrawn breaths, but in children the cartilage
is weaker and with each inspiration, the child may need to work hard to inhale.
When the cause of laryngitis is not infectious, cough may be a significant
complaint along with the hoarseness.
If the cause is vocal cord paralysis,
the swallowing mechanism may also be affected, and food particles may enter the
larynx and lungs, leading to coughing. This process can also lead to pneumonia
and its accompanying symptoms (fever, cough, shortness of breath) when the food is aspirated deep into the
lungs and causes irritation of the lung tissue.
Is laryngitis contagious?
Most respiratory infections and colds are contagious, and
the same is true for laryngitis, if it is caused by an infection. It is most
commonly a viral infection spread by aerosol droplets. It is an important to
remember to cover your nose and mouth when coughing and sneezing and to wash
your hands often and routinely to help prevent transmission of viruses.
However, not all people who have lost their voice have an infection.
Next: How is laryngitis diagnosed? »
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