Laryngitis
is an illness whereby the larynx becomes inflamed and swollen. It can
be in acute or chronic form, although in most cases, it has no
serious consequences. The larynx (also known as the voice box) is the
home to the vocal cords in your throat area. The larynx is used in
the process of breathing, swallowing and talking.
What
is laryngitis?
In
normal conditions, the vocal cords open and close smoothly to produce
sound. When a person is suffering with laryngitis, his vocal cords
are inflamed and change the flow of the air in the throat.
Types
of laryngitis:
Laryngitis
is characterized by a voice that becomes hoarse and can sometimes be
too low in volume to hear the person properly. It is mainly
categorized in two forms resulting from different factors:
Acute
laryngitis: The most common cause of laryngitis is a viral infection,
often similar to those that cause cold or flu. Overusing the voice or
cheering at an event can also cause inflammation of the larynx.
Chronic
laryngitis: Chronic laryngitis is typically caused by irritation of
the larynx resulting from acid reflux, or GERD disease, bacterial,
fungal, or parasitic infection, excess coughing, exposure to inhaled
irritants, smoking, high alcohol intake, habitual misuse or overuse
of the voice, etc.
Treatments
for laryngitis:
If
your chronic laryngitis is due to bad habits such as smoking, alcohol
use, work-related exposures or voice overuse, your doctor will refer
you to a voice or a speech-language therapist for voice therapy. The
Royans Institute for Non-Surgical Voice Repair, based out of Toronto,
Canada, is the best place to go for alternative therapy. Their unique
and revolutionary non-surgical voice repair program will not only
help you to treat your chronic laryngitis, but you will also be
taught how to use your voice correctly and how to avoid speaking in
ways that might injure your vocal cords.