There are infectious and noninfectious causes, both of which can cause you tolose your voice.
Sore throat, fever, hoarseness, trouble swallowing, and a persistentdry coughare also common.
Some infectious causes of laryngitis are contagious.
Illustration by Mira Norian for Verywell Health
Most involve a virus, includingupper respiratory tract infections (URTIs)like colds, flu, and COVID-19.
There are also bacterial and fungal causes that are spread and treated differently.
This article explains what laryngitis is and why it occurs.
Illustration by Mira Norian for Verywell Health
Do I Have Acute Laryngitis?
Inflammationis the body’s natural response to infection or injury.
One of the primary aims of inflammation is to dilate (widen) smaller blood vessels known ascapillaries.
This provides defensivewhite blood cellseasier access to the site of the assault.
With laryngitis, inflammation causes the vocal cords housed within the larynx to swell.
Is Viral Laryngitis Contagious?
Children with croup commonly experience laryngitis along with a high-pitched squeaking or whistling sound calledstridor.
Bacterial laryngitis can occur on its own or alongside a viral URTI (as asecondary infection).
The infection is not transmitted from person to person but rather by inhaling the fungal spores from contaminated soil.
Fungal laryngitis can affect healthy people but is largely opportunistic.
The same may not be true for bacterial or fungal laryngitis.
With vocal rest, most cases of viral laryngitis will clear within a week.
The duration of chronic laryngitis can vary by the cause.
Chronic laryngitis develops gradually with symptoms that come and go over a long period of time.
When Laryngitis Is Not Getting Better
Not all cases of acute laryngitis resolve quickly.
In some cases, it is possible for viral laryngitis to persist and become chronic.
This is becoming increasingly common with an antibiotic-resistant bacteria known asMRSA.
Other antibiotics likeAugmentin (amoxicillin/clavulanic acid)may be far less effective.
On rare occasions,corticosteroid(steroid) drugs like dexamethasone may be prescribed to reduce laryngeal inflammation.
This is a common approach for children with croup who develop laryngitis with severerespiratory distressand vomiting.
Fungal infections can also cause laryngitis but are not transmitted from person to person.
Chronic laryngitis causes symptoms that last longer than three weeks.
The causesincluding allergies, GERD, heavy smoking, and other conditionsare generally not contagious.
With that said, certain infections like MRSA may resist treatment and become chronic.
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