Laryngitis information please for adult

[happy Dis planner]

Hi, First off I am going to see my doctor either tomorrow or Wed. I just thought I would hit up my favorite community of strangers to see if I could get any information. 'd like to know what your experiences were, etc.
I had a cold and cough a month ago. The cough lasted 3 weeks but that was what was going around my area. I stopped coughing finally and thought no more about it.
Yesterday I started sounding like a frog. I squeaked but didnt think anything of it.
I didn't talk all that much yesterday or anything. I started coughing again. It's somewhat productive as I am bringing up stuff. Still clear though.
This morning I am not laughing. I'm not squeaking or anything. There is close to no noise at all. If I whisper I can get my point across but I have read whispering is a bad idea as it's hard on ones vocal cords. I have never been quite like this. It's rather disconcerting.

I hit up Dr. Google to get a sense about this. I gather if viral and due to the past cold, it probably is, there is no treatment. Just plenty of fluids like for a URI, stop smoking ( I don't smoke), rest and this will spontaneously resolve in a week or two.Also I've been reading that coughing is bad. Well that is hard to stop doing. Plus really most cough syrups really do not work.

So, is this what all you have experienced? Any other things that you or your friends have found to be helpful? Any alternative treatments? (I'm all for giving everything a fair shake!) Anything I should look out for?

Thanks so much. I'm kind of alarmed by this. I live alone and it certainly has curtailed me talking on my phone! People have a hard time hearing me! I want this over with but I'm not sure there is much that can be done.Thanks again!!

Liz

 

[tigercat]

You should rest your vocal cords. I am not really a great person to advise you though as in the past I have gotten laryingitis that lasted a couple of months. They finally figured out for me that I needed Nexium to settle my stomach. Even though I didn't have heartburn it was affecting me.
If you have had a cold though it probably is related to that and they usually can't do anything about it except rest it. It will go away.
tigercat

 

[Gigi22]

Not to alarm you, but this could be more than laryngitis. Your vocal cords may be damaged. Until you see your dr., take plenty of warm liquids, do not talk, and especially no whispering.

If you must communicate, text or email.

If your condition is serious, your g.p. will refer you to an ENT for treatment.

 

[anniemae]

Hmmmmmm, I remember losing my voice a long long time ago. I think I drank tea with honey and just didn't talk. I also sucked on soothing drops/hard candy and drank a lot of water. If I remember correctly, it came back in a few days. I thought I remember hearing it is the vocal cords are inflamed and need to rest. Can you e-mail your dr.? They can let you know if you need to be seen, or if you can wait a few days to see if it gets better.

 

[DisneyDebbie]

I lose my voice with a cold frequently. I never knew whispering was bad, I would just whisper for a day or two. My voice comes back a little rough, then it's fine. I don't usually go to the doctor for it, unless I feel strep is coming on. I work with children so I'm exposed to a lot of viruses and germs! haha

 

[minnie mum]

Its probably just viral. If you aren't feverish or in pain it probably isn't serious and will be self limiting, but go ahead and see your MD for your own peace of mind. Drink plenty of warm/hot liquids and don't talk or whisper any more than you can help. The extra hydration will help loosen the mucus you're coughing up, too. A humidifier in your bedroom wouldnt hurt, either.Texts and email is a wonderful thing.

 

[happy Dis planner]

Thank you for all the replies. Upon further consideration of my last couples weeks I realized that I really have not felt well since having my cold. Despite my symptoms going away I still felt unwell. I also ate very, very,late the last couple nights and woke up with indigestion. I see that acid reflux could be a culprit too.

Now I am sitting with my nice cup of herb tea with a large spoon full of honey added. I also ate a teaspoon of honey since I have heard honey does good things for you. Ok, I was talking to a friend and she said specifically Manuka honey is great at helping out a multitude of conditions. Any thoughts on that? Actually I will start another thread asking this question about Manuka honey.
Meanwhile it's lots of fluids and rest for me until I can see my MD. I will let you all know what the outcome was in all of this and what I have learned. (I admit to being one of those that likes follow up in what happens to people.)

 

[minkydog]

Dh has laryngitis right now. He has had some sinus-y stuff going on and last week he started coughing up green stuff (I know, TMI.) This week his voice is hoarse. No fever, cough hasn't changed. I'm pretty sure it's viral. I'm making sure he gets a lot of fluids--tea, water, and juice, mainly. Also, making sure he rests--this has always been an issue for us. DH needs to nap for a couple hours each day, but he likes to try to power through things and then he's exhausted. But this virus has really fatigued him, so this week he has been more amenable to the naps.

So there you have my recommendations: rest and fluids. You can also use a humidifier, if that helps.

 

[POOHDRMR]

I get this after having a cold that turns into sinus problems-I get a lot of sinus infections.My doctor has given me Flonase nasal spray-it helps inflamed sinuses and swelling in my throat.It is now over the counter.I have it going on right now and have been using it for a few days

 

[tina.tina]

Hi, First off I am going to see my doctor either tomorrow or Wed. I just thought I would hit up my favorite community of strangers to see if I could get any information.

I am thrilled to be in your favorite community of strangers! I kept getting laryngitis one winter when I worked at a small grocery store during college. The cashiers were all right in front of the doors that opened directly to the outside with no lobby. We all kept colds. Mine just eventually went away when I stopped getting colds that spring. So, I don't have any advice but I hope you feel better soon.

It got to the point, though, that I could barely even whisper but I couldn't afford to miss work. I wrote "I can't talk" on my hand because I didn't want the customers to think I was being rude (now I would fit right in). One couple came through my line. I greeted them by waving and showed them my hand. The lady said very loudly in a very patronizing tone, "Isn't it nice that they hire people with disabilities." Of course, it didn't matter to me whether anyone thought I had a disability, but I thought it would be so rude for her to say that if I were disabled!

 

[minnie mum]

The lady said very loudly in a very patronizing tone, "Isn't it nice that they hire people with disabilities." Of course, it didn't matter to me whether anyone thought I had a disability, but I thought it would be so rude for her to say that if I were disabled!

I literally laughed out loud when I read this. Of course the woman was out of line and inexcusably patronizing. But let's face it - you were disabled. Temporarily, but nonetheless, disabled. I would have handed my boss a note thanking him for hiring the handicapped.

 

[PigletsPal2]

I'm sorry you're not feeling well. I hope your doctor can come up with something to help. The only thing I know about laryngitis is that, contrary to DD#2's interpretation when she first saw the word in print at age six, it's NOT pronounced La-rig-a-nee-tus (although we all call it that now).

Queen Colleen

 

[donac]

A few years ago I kept getting laryngitis every 4 to 6 weeks. I was yelled at by the speech therapist at my school that whispering is bad for it. Just don't talk but as a school teacher it was hard. I would get ear infections along with this. I finally went to an ear nose and throat guy. I had a sinus infection but I had to be antibiotics for a month since a sinus infection could be very difficult to get rid of.

 

[happy Dis planner]

OP here. It took about 5 days of lots of tea with honey and not talking. It was just a horrible sensation of really not being able to talk even if I had to. Im glad Im well again. There really wasnt anything I could do about the laryngitis to speed up healing. Luckily I was able to take a bit of time off from work so I didnt have to try to function!

 

[nkereina]

I have had two instances, several years apart, of laryngitis. Mine came out of nowhere, and I didn't feel ill at all. I just progressively lost my voice. From the time I started losing it until it was back to normal was about a week. Same thing has happened to my mom. Likely viral. Feel better!