Laryngitis Causes & Risks

Causes

Common causes of laryngitis, hoarseness, or voice loss are:

• Upper respiratory tract infection—This is most often caused by a virus, such as the common cold.
• Irritation caused by voice overuse—Overuse can be caused by yelling, singing, and speaking loudly for extended periods of time.
• Airborne irritants—Irritants include cigarette smoke and pollen, dust, and mold allergens.
• Vocal nodules—These are benign lesions (similar to calluses) that are caused by thickening of the epithelial tissue of the vocal cords.
• Vocal polyps—These are soft, fluid-filled lesions on the vocal cords, which can be caused by one episode of voice abuse. The polyps may become cancerous, particularly in smokers.
• Infections—Infections may include tuberculous laryngitis and fungal laryngitis.
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)—GERD is stomach acid that rises up in the esophagus and irritates the vocal folds.

Other less common causes of hoarseness or voice loss include:

• Functional dysphonia—abnormal use of the vocal mechanisms despite normal anatomy
• Laryngeal papilloma—growths on the larynx caused by human papilloma viral infection
• Muscle tension dysphonia—a voice disorder caused by excessive or unequal tension while speaking
• Reinke's edema—an accumulation of fluid in the vocal cords, usually associated with smoking
• Spasmodic dysphonia—a condition resulting in irregular voice breaks
• Vocal cord paralysis—weakness or immobility of the vocal cords
• Side effects from inhaled medications used for asthma

Risk Factors

A risk factor is something that increases your chance of getting a disease or condition.

Risk factors include:

• Smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke
• Excessive use of the voice as in singing, public speaking, or yelling
• Allergies to dust, mold, and pollen
• Excess alcohol consumption
• Recent respiratory infection
• Uncontrolled GERD
• Dehydration
• Stress
• Recent travel