| Hoarseness / Laryngitis
When you have inflammation of your vocal cords it is called laryngitis. This usually causes your voice to sound hoarse or can make you lose your voice completely.
Causes of laryngitis include:
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The common cold and other infections of the throat
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Post nasal drip
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Chronic cough
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Acid reflux
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Shouting or straining your voice too much
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Breathing in harsh chemicals such as cleaners or gasoline
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Drinking too much alcohol or smoking a lot
Sometimes hoarseness may be due to other medical problems like abnormal growths on the vocal cords, muscle disorders affecting the voice box or cancer of the throat.
How can you resolve your laryngitis?
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Give your voice a rest if your laryngitis may be from straining your voice too much
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Limit how much you smoke or drink. Better yet, quit smoking completely
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Avoid harsh chemicals, at least make sure there is a lot of fresh air coming in when you work around fumes
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If it is due to acid reflux, control this by
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Taking medicines for reflux if your doctor recommends
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Avoid foods that make your symptoms worse (including alcohol, coffee, and chocolate.)
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Stop smoking
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Eat many small meals each day, rather than 2 or 3 big meals
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Do not lie down for a least 3 hours after finishing a meal
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If you suffer from post nasal drip or chronic cough, see your board-certified allergist to help resolve these conditions.