Home Remedies for Laryngitis

Have you woken up with a sore throat and find yourself having to struggle to utter even a few words? Maybe you’ve lost your voice entirely and can only communicate in hoarse whispers. This condition, which is known as laryngitis, is caused due to an inflammation in the voice box, or larynx.

Symptoms of Laryngitis

The primary symptom of laryngitis is hoarseness. You may lose your voice to some extent or completely. You may also experience constant irritation in your throat and may feel the need to clear it. In addition to a sore throat, laryngitis may be accompanied by fever, congestion, and cough.

Causes of Laryngitis

There are a number of things that can cause laryngitis. Let us take a look at some of them:

• The most common cause of laryngitis is a bacterial, viral, or fungal infection.

• Infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and syphilis are also prime causes of laryngitis.

• Allergies and respiratory conditions such as bronchitis and sinusitis can also precipitate laryngitis.

• Overuse of the vocal chords may also cause laryngitis. This can be usually experienced when you’ve been to an event where you’ve been cheering or yelling at the top of your lungs. Public speakers and vocalists can also frequently experience bouts of laryngitis.

• Excessive smoking or consumption of alcohol may also cause laryngitis.

• A prolonged cough can also strain the vocal chords and lead to laryngitis.

• Exposure to atmospheric irritants or harsh chemicals can also lead to laryngitis.

• Those suffering from gastroesophageal reflux may also experience laryngitis.

Home Remedies for Laryngitis

If laryngitis is caused due to a viral, bacterial, or fungal infection, or sue to some other underlying disease, the treatment prescribed by your doctor should be followed. In addition, here are some simple home remedies that will to speed up healing process and help you get your voice back quicker.

• A saltwater gargle is the best home remedy for laryngitis and a sore throat. Simply mix half a teaspoon of salt in a cup of warm water and gargle with it several times a day. The salt water helps to soothe your throat and kills any infections.

• Gargling with an antiseptic and antibacterial mouthwash can also help to kill the germs that have infected your larynx.

• A solution made from equal amounts of vinegar and water can also be used to kill the bacteria. Gargle with this solution four to five times a day.

Diet for Laryngitis

In addition to these home remedies, what you eat can also have a significant effect on curing laryngitis. Let us see how:

• Garlic and ginger have strong anti-microbial properties. In addition, they also boost your immune system. So make sure that you use plenty of garlic and ginger in your food when you’ve laryngitis.

• A hot cup of ginger tea can do wonders for your throat and your larynx.

Other Suggestions for Laryngitis

When combined with proper medication, these home remedies and diet tips are more than enough to cure laryngitis. Here are some more things to keep in mind when you’ve lost your voice:

• Give your voice some rest. Laryngitis is a great opportunity to not speak. Do not try to strain your vocal chords unnecessarily. Also, if you do have to speak, try to speak normally instead of whispering, because whispering places additional strain on your vocal chords.

• If the air is very dry it makes sense to use a humidifier to moisten the air. Dry air only irritates your throat and further aggravates the situation.