Why does alcohol cause laryngitis

Journal Archive. Current Issue. Most Read Articles. Most Cited Articles. Author Index. Background and Objectives : Although many studies have examined the effect of drinking on voice change, its cause and degree remain unclear.

Since voice change occurs more frequently the day following drinking, rather than immediately afterwards, we examined whether the voice change was correlated with reflux laryngitis due to gastroesophageal motor disturbances. On the day of drinking, the subjects had to drink more than their usual amount of Soju Korean liquor and were not allowed to talk much. The stroboscopy findings were quantified using the PC Belafsky score. I am supposed to hold my breath for about 40 seconds under the water and float on water as part of training programme.

Does this have any relation to laryngitis? A: Laryngitis means inflammation of the voice box and any functional speaking loudly or for long hours and physical smoking, alcohol, hot food etc factor can cause this inflammation. This can recur every time the irritants are present.

Swimming and holding breath has nothing to do with this complaint. What Is Zika Virus? Here's All You Should Know. Close [X]. We only support the recent versions of major browsers like Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge.

Overview Laryngitis is an inflammation of your voice box larynx from overuse, irritation or infection. Symptoms In most cases laryngitis symptoms last less than a couple of weeks and are caused by something minor, such as a virus. Laryngitis signs and symptoms can include: Hoarseness Weak voice or voice loss Tickling sensation and rawness in your throat Sore throat Dry throat Dry cough When to see a doctor You can manage most acute cases of laryngitis with self-care steps, such as resting your voice and drinking plenty of fluids.

Make an appointment with a doctor if your laryngitis symptoms last more than two weeks. Seek immediate medical attention if you: Have trouble breathing Cough up blood Have a fever that won't go away Have increasing pain over weeks Seek immediate medical attention if your child: Makes noisy, high-pitched breathing sounds when inhaling stridor Drools more than usual Has trouble swallowing Has difficulty breathing Has a fever These signs and symptoms may indicate croup — inflammation of the larynx and the airway just beneath it.

Causes Acute laryngitis Most cases of laryngitis are temporary and improve after the underlying cause gets better. Causes of acute laryngitis include: Viral infections similar to those that cause a cold Vocal strain, caused by yelling or overusing your voice Bacterial infections, although these are less common Chronic laryngitis Laryngitis that lasts longer than three weeks is known as chronic laryngitis.

Chronic laryngitis can be caused by: Inhaled irritants, such as chemical fumes, allergens or smoke Acid reflux, also called gastroesophageal reflux disease GERD Chronic sinusitis Excessive alcohol use Habitual overuse of your voice such as in singers or cheerleaders Smoking Less common causes of chronic laryngitis include: Bacterial or fungal infections Infections with certain parasites Other causes of chronic hoarseness include: Cancer Vocal cord paralysis, which can result from nerve injury due to surgery, injury to the chest or neck, cancer, nerve disorders, or other health conditions Bowing of the vocal cords.

Risk factors Risk factors for laryngitis include: Having a respiratory infection, such as a cold, bronchitis or sinusitis Exposure to irritating substances, such as cigarette smoke, excessive alcohol intake, stomach acid or workplace chemicals Overusing your voice, by speaking too much, speaking too loudly, shouting or singing.

Complications In some cases of laryngitis caused by infection, the infection may spread to other parts of the respiratory tract. Prevention To prevent dryness or irritation to your vocal cords: Avoid smoking and stay away from secondhand smoke. Smoke dries your throat. It can also cause your vocal cords to become irritated.

Limit alcohol and caffeine. These cause you to lose total body water. Drink plenty of water. Fluids help keep the mucus in your throat thin and easy to clear. Keep spicy foods out of your diet.

Spicy foods can cause stomach acid to go into the throat or esophagus. This can lead to heartburn or gastroesophageal reflux disease GERD. Include a variety of healthy foods in your diet. Eat fruits, vegetables and whole grains. These have several vitamins, such as vitamins A, E and C, that are important for overall health.

These foods can also help keep the mucous membranes in the throat healthy. Avoid clearing your throat. This does more harm than good, because it causes an abnormal vibration of your vocal cords and can increase swelling. Clearing your throat also causes your throat to secrete more mucus and feel more irritated, making you want to clear your throat again. Avoid upper respiratory infections. Wash your hands often, and avoid contact with people who have upper respiratory infections such as colds.

Diagnosis The most common sign of laryngitis is hoarseness. These techniques sometimes are used to help diagnose laryngitis: Laryngoscopy. In a procedure called laryngoscopy, your doctor can visually examine your vocal cords by using a light and a tiny mirror to look into the back of your throat. Or your doctor may use fiber-optic laryngoscopy.

This involves inserting a thin, flexible tube endoscope with a tiny camera and light through your nose or mouth and into the back of your throat. Then your doctor can watch the motion of your vocal cords as you speak. If your doctor sees a suspicious area, he or she may do a biopsy — taking a sample of tissue for examination under a microscope.

Treatment Acute laryngitis often gets better on its own within a week or so. Medications used in some cases include: Antibiotics. In almost all cases of laryngitis, an antibiotic won't do any good because the cause is usually viral.

But if you have a bacterial infection, your doctor may recommend an antibiotic. Sometimes, corticosteroids can help reduce vocal cord inflammation. However, this treatment is used only when there's an urgent need to treat laryngitis — such as in some cases when a toddler has laryngitis associated with croup.

You may also have voice therapy to learn to lessen behaviors that worsen your voice. In some cases, you may need surgery.