What is Laryngitis?

Laryngitis is a chronic inflammation caused by a bacterial infection or improper use of the laryngeal mucosa. Due to the different degree of disease, it can be divided into chronic simple laryngitis, chronic hypertrophic laryngitis and chronic atrophic laryngitis.

Basic Information

English name

laryngitis

Visiting department

ENT

Common causes

Mainly pathogen infection, improper use, etc.

Common symptoms

hoarse voice

Contagious

no

Causes of laryngitis

1. The result of recurrent or unhealed acute laryngitis.

2. Excessive use and improper vocalization. Common in teachers, actors, singers, etc.

3. Inhaling harmful gases such as industrial gases, smoking, and chemical dust can easily cause vocal cord thickening.

4. Infection of the nose, sinuses, and pharynx is also the source of chronic irritation of the throat.

5. Purulent secretions from lower respiratory tract infections are prone to chronic laryngitis if they are in prolonged contact with the throat.

6. Certain systemic diseases (such as heart and kidney diseases, diabetes, rheumatism, etc.) cause vasomotor contractions and disorders, chronic congestion in the throat, and chronic laryngitis.

Clinical manifestations of laryngitis

1. Hoarseness is the most important symptom. The sound becomes deep and rough, and the symptoms become heavier in the morning. As the activity increases, the throat secretion gradually improves. The hoarseness was reduced after the ban, and the symptoms were aggravated by repeated speeches, which were intermittent and gradually became continuous.

2. Throat secretions increase, often feel sputum adhesion, whenever you speak, you must cough to clear sticky sputum.

3. There is often discomfort in the throat, such as dryness, tingling, burning, and foreign body.

4. Atrophic laryngitis may have a spasmodic cough. Crusting is the cause of spasmodic cough, so lumps or sticky secretions are often discharged with the cough, sometimes with a small amount of blood.

Laryngitis examination

Indirect laryngoscopy, according to the degree of the lesion, there are the following three types of changes:

Chronic simple laryngitis

The laryngeal mucosa was diffusely hyperemic, red and swollen, and the vocal cords lost their original pearly white color, pink, and the edges became dull. Thick mucus can be seen on the mucosal surface, often forming mucofilaments between glottis.

2. Chronic hypertrophic laryngitis

The laryngeal mucosa is hypertrophic, which is more obvious in the intercondylar area. The vocal cords are also thick and cannot be tightly closed to the centerline. The ventricular zone is often thick and covers part of the vocal cords. The epigastric epicondylosis can also be thickened.

3. Chronic atrophic laryngitis

The laryngeal mucosa is dry, thin, and shiny. There is often yellowish green or dark brown dryness in the intersacral area and under the glottis. If the crust is cleared, a small amount of bleeding on the mucosal surface can be seen. The vocal cords become thinner and their tension weakens.

Laryngitis diagnosis

A diagnosis can be made based on the patient's symptoms, course, and laryngoscopy.

Laryngitis treatment

Remove irritants

Quit smoking and drinking. Pay attention to proper rest of the vocal cords, reduce vocalization, prohibit shouting, and correct pronunciation. Actively treat nasopharyngeal and lower respiratory tract infections and reduce irritation of the throat by secretions from adjacent organ lesions.

2. Apply nebulization as appropriate

Drugs such as penicillin, gentamicin, and dexamethasone are injected into the nebulizer. The patient's mouth contains the nozzle of the nebulizer, and is connected to oxygen or a high-pressure air pump to atomize the liquid. Take deep breaths continuously to inhale the atomized liquid.

3. Select Jinshou Qingyin Pill, Huang's Xiangsheng Pill and other traditional Chinese medicine.

Laryngitis prevention

1. Treat acute laryngitis in a timely manner to prevent it from becoming chronic.

2. To prevent excessive voice use, teachers and literary and art workers should pay attention to the correct sounding method, especially during colds.

3. Strengthen labor protection, and properly deal with the harmful gas and dust in the production process.

4. In the acute phase, drug treatment should be selected in time. No antibiotics are needed in the chronic phase.

5. Treatment of nasal, oral and lower respiratory tract diseases, including diseased teeth.

6. Avoid spicy and sour condiments, quit smoking and alcohol.

7. Improve working and living environment, reduce dust and harmful gas stimulation.

8. Treat various chronic diseases in time, keep laxative daily, gargle with fresh saline or drink a small amount in the morning.

9. Control sound appropriately.