Symptoms of laryngitis can begin suddenly and usually get worse over a period or two to three days. After this time, your symptoms should improve and you will usually feel much better within a week.
The symptoms of laryngitis include:
- hoarse voice
- difficulty speaking
- sore throat
- mild fever
- headache
- irritating cough
- a constant need to clear your throat
If you have laryngitis, you may not be able to talk at all, or you may only be able to whisper or croak. This will usually get worse as the day progresses and it happens because the vocal cords are inflamed. Your croaky voice may last for a week after the other symptoms have gone.
Related symptoms
Laryngitis is often linked to another illness, such as a cold, flu, throat infection (pharyngitis) or tonsillitis. Therefore, you may also experience other symptoms, such as swollen neck glands, runny nose, pain on swallowing and feeling tired and achy.
Chronic laryngitis takes longer to develop and can last for weeks or even months. It can lead to lasting hoarseness as a result of permanent damage to the larynx. Chronic laryngitis often comes back, particularly in people who overuse their voice, such as professional singers or teachers who are unable to rest their voice for any length of time.
Occasionally, swelling of the larynx may cause breathing difficulties. This is not common in adults but can occur in young children who have smaller, narrower windpipes.
Seek medical help from your GP as soon as possible if you or your child experience difficulty breathing.
