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Laryngitis

Karlynn Sievers, MD and Bethany Price, DO Reviewed 04/2024
 


BASICS

DESCRIPTION

  • Laryngitis is inflammation, erythema, and edema of the mucosa of the larynx and/or vocal cords characterized by hoarseness, loss of voice, throat pain, coughing, and often a negative...

DIAGNOSIS

HISTORY

  • Hoarseness, throat “tickle,” dry cough, and rawness

  • Dysphonia (abnormal-sounding voice)

  • Constant urge to clear the throat

  • Possible fever

  • Malaise

  • Dysphagia/odynophagia

  • Regional cervical lymp...

TREATMENT

  • Limited but good evidence that treatment beyond supportive care is ineffective (1)

  • Supportive care consists of hydration, voice rest, humidification, and limitation of caffeine (1) .

  • Antibiot...

ONGOING CARE

PATIENT EDUCATION

  • Educate on the importance of voice rest, including whispering.

  • Provide assistance with smoking cessation.

  • Help the patient with modification of other predisposing habits or...

REFERENCES

1
Gupta G, Mahajan K., Acute Laryngitis. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing. 2022.
2
Francis D, Smith L. Hoarseness Guidelines Redux. Otolaryngol Clin North...

ADDITIONAL READING

  • Carpenter P, Kendall K. MRSA chronic bacterial laryngitis: A Growing Problem. Laryngoscope. 2018;128(4):921-925.2.

  • Reveiz L, Car...

CODES

ICD10

  • J37.0 Chronic laryngitis

  • J04.0 Acute laryngitis

  • J05.0 Acute obstructive laryngitis [croup]

SNOMED

  • 29951006 Chronic laryngitis

  • 45913009 Laryngitis

  • 64375000 Acute laryngotracheitis

  • 6655004 Acute lar...

CLINICAL PEARLS

  • Laryngitis is usually self-limited and needs only comfort care. Standard treatment is voice rest, hydration, humidification, and limit caffeine intake.

  • Refer to ENT for direct visualiza...

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