Causes And Symptoms Of Laryngitis

Laryngitis is an inflammation of the larynx, the organ responsible for allowing inhaled and exhaled air to pass. This is the most important area for phonetics since the vocal cords are located there. So, what are the symptoms of laryngitis?

According to experts from the Sociedad Española de Otorrinolaringología (SEORL), this pathology is considered acute if the patient recovers after a short time (hours or days). If the symptoms last for more than three weeks, the case is chronic.

As you will see in this article, laryngitis is a very common disease that is usually caused by a virus. It is therefore important to know the causes and symptoms of laryngitis. Below we will tell you everything you need to know.

Prevalence of the disease in the general population

It is important to know the epidemiology of laryngitis, ie who it affects and its incidence (number of infected people in a given population), in order to address it. Epidemiological studies provide a number of very interesting data:

• Acute laryngitis accounts for 15-20% of respiratory diseases.
• The incidence in infants is 3 to 6%. Thus, approximately 6 out of 100 children under the age of six suffer from this pathology in a given period.
• The typical profile of an affected person is a two-year-old boy who suffers from the disease in autumn and winter.
• Acute laryngitis has a distinct family-related component. According to pediatric journals, children with relatives who have suffered from this disease are three times more likely to suffer from it as well.

As you have seen, this is a disease that dominates the children’s environment. This is due to the fact that young children, up to six years, have higher glottis and looser and less fibrous submucosal tissue, factors that predispose them to infection.

Causes and symptoms of laryngitis

Scientific research says that various causes can cause laryngitis in the population. They are as follows:

• Contagious. Due to viruses (colds, flu or herpes), bacteria (mycoplasma or diphtheria) or fungi (candidiasis or aspergillosis).

• Non-communicable. Due to allergies, trauma, medications or autoimmune disorders.

Viral laryngitis

According to several studies, parainfluenza viruses 1, 2 and 3 cause 65% of all cases. Influenza A and B viruses (which cause influenza) and several types of adenovirus are also common causes.

These pathogens are associated with upper respiratory tract infections, leading to typical clinical manifestations of influenza. Some of them are:

• Fever
• Dry and sore throat
• Dysphagia (difficulty swallowing)
• Difficulty breathing and continuous coughing
• Swollen lymph nodes in the neck / neck
• Earache

These symptoms stem from inflammation of the pharyngeal mucosa, which is red and edematous, in other words with accumulated extracellular fluid. When it comes to treatment, the patient should rest his voice and use antipyretic and painkillers.

In acute cases, this disease resolves itself. It actually disappears after a few days. The immune system fights the causative agent and it does not have lasting effects.

Bacterial laryngitis

This variant is less common than viral laryngitis. According to various bibliographic sources, this variant is also self-dissolving and quick to cure.

One of the most common causes is mycoplasma bacteria, of which there are more than 100 different species. The symptoms are very similar to those we mentioned above: fever, non-productive cough, painful swallowing and dysphonia (change in some of the acoustic properties of the voice).

In these cases, the treatment is based on antibiotics. Erythromycin, clarithromycin or azithromycin are effective in killing bacteria in the larynx.

Non-communicable laryngitis

Some cases of this disease are not pathogenic, which means that the disease is not due to microorganisms, but excessive use and the environment that surrounds the person:

• Allergies. Acute inflammation of the vocal cords and the rest of the larynx after inhalation of allergens. It causes varying symptoms, from wheezing to severe airway obstruction.
• Inhalation. In direct contact between the throat tissue and harmful elements, such as smoke or very hot air. This is common in survivors of a fire or firefighters.
• Trauma or vocal effort. Irritation of the larynx caused by a blow or constant overexertion of the vocal cords.

Do not forget about the causes and symptoms of laryngitis

In this article, we have explained that laryngitis is a multifaceted pathology since it has various causes ranging from infectious substances to simple injuries. Nevertheless , they cause all the common symptoms, such as dysphonia and non-productive cough.

Due to the fact that infectious variants are the most common, they are transmitted between population sectors by direct contact or liquid inhalation. Therefore, they manifest themselves with certain epidemiological patterns and reach their peak in winter and autumn.

These respiratory pathologies are quite common in infants. However, there is no need to worry, as they usually resolve themselves. However, if the symptoms last for more than two weeks, it is important that you consult a doctor.