How to Treat Laryngitis
Before delving into homeopathic treatment let us first discuss the conventional or allopathic treatment available.
Allopathic Approach
Acute laryngitis gets better on its own within a week or so. Self care with the help of home remedies will reduce the duration of the suffering.
Chronic laryngitis whereas needs the help of medications as the associated causes needs to be dealt with.
Medications used in such cases include the following:
- Antibiotics: In certain cases where the bacterial invasion is the cause, antibiotics help in giving some relief. But the cases where the problem has arisen due to viral invasion antibiotics don’t seem to help at all.
- Corticosteroids: Help in reducing the inflammation of the cords but fail to achieve complete cure.
Homeopathic Approach
In my opinion, homeopathy should be the first choice of treatment in cases of laryngitis whether acute or chronic. The approach is holistic and individual specific. Proper and complete history taking of the patient itself reveals the underlying cause of the disease and then the treatment is advised accordingly.
Let us see how homeopathy works in acute cases. In acute cases of laryngitis remedies act wonderfully and quickly, contrary to the belief that homeopathy acts slowly and gradually. One of the most common causes of the problem, that is virus, is dealt well with the help of homeopathic remedies. Remedies prescribed boost the immune system of the body by creating unfavorable environment for that particular virus and provide long standing relief. There are no antibiotics and pain killers in homeopathy, but remedies can create such an atmosphere in the body where no harmful organisms can exist.
Acute symptoms such as sore throat, dry throat and dry cough can be easily relieved with the help of remedies. If laryngitis is a result of overuse of the voice or trauma to the vocal cord, then also homeopathy has specific remedies contrary to conventional treatment where prescription does not change according to the cause of the problem but remains same for everyone suffering from the same illness.
For example, Aconitum napellus helps when there is hoarseness of sudden onset especially after exposure to cold, dry wind. Similarly, we have Argentum nitricum which is used when there is overuse of the throat or voice, like in cases of singers or speakers. The dosage, potency and repetition of the above said remedies varies according to the patient’s susceptibility and sensitivity, which is known best to the homeopathic physician only. Because prescribing remedies is a combination of art, science, logic and experience on the part of the homeopath.
Homeopathic prescription is always tailor made according to a particular patient and not ready made like other system of medicines.
The pattern of the disease in terms of occurrence, intensity and manifestation differs completely in every individual case, so accordingly the remedy also differs for each and every individual case.
People usually are seen suffering from laryngitis when there is a change in the season or there is change of place. Just at the start of it, one can immediately intervene and take the medicines as prescribed. Problem will resolve then and there without any side effects and without any chances of recurrence.
Let us turn to chronic laryngitis now. Treating cases of laryngitis is a time-consuming process but betterment is inevitable. Chronic laryngitis causes more discomfort to the patient as compared to acute one. In order to treat chronic laryngitis constitutional approach is considered in which deep constitutional homeopathic treatment is given to the patient.
While treating chronic cases, the root or maintaining cause is also taken into account and should be eliminated. For example, excessive alcohol consumption should be stopped, smokers have to quit smoking, and singers have to stop singing for the time being.
Causes like acid reflux which usually lead to chronic irritation of the throat and ultimately result in inflammation of the larynx need to be treated first to establish complete symptomatic relief.
Symptoms such as pain in the throat, tickling sensation, sensitivity, roughness, hoarseness, cough and many more can be easily waved a goodbye with the help of homeopathic remedies.
Homeopathy is also a great help in old age chronic laryngitis when the vitality of the person is getting degraded and the risk of allergies and infections increases. The remedies help to boost immunity and help you fight the allergies and infections.
To sum up all you need is a good homeopathy doctor, who could study your case properly and prescribe you the best suitable remedy according to your symptoms.
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What is Laryngitis
Larynx is the voice box which helps us to whisper, talk, shout, sing or scream. Laryngitis is an inflammation of the voice box (larynx), which is a hollow muscular organ forming an air passage to the lungs and holds the vocal cords. In laryngitis, vocal cords become inflamed or irritated.
Types and Causes of Laryngitis
Laryngitis may be short lived (acute) or long lasting (chronic).
Acute Laryngitis
Inflammation of the larynx for a short time where it gets better quickly after treating the related cause. It lasts for almost a week or two but not more than that.
Most cases of acute laryngitis are triggered by viral infections similar to common cold, bacteria, allergies, exposure to certain harsh chemicals or toxins and vocal strain caused by yelling or overusing the voice.
Chronic Laryngitis
Laryngitis that lasts longer than 3 weeks is known as chronic laryngitis. Chronic laryngitis is generally caused by exposure to irritants over time.
Most common causes of chronic nature of disease is repeated attacks of acute laryngitis, excessive use of voice especially in dusty atmospheres, heavy tobacco smoking, mouth breathing from nasal obstruction, acid reflux, alcohol abuse, growths or tumors that develop on or around the vocal cords and chronic infection of nasal sinuses. Rare causes include cancer, bowing of the vocal cords in old age and vocal cord paralysis.
Symptoms of Laryngitis
The symptomatic picture varies from patient to patient. Following are the symptoms which are caused by laryngitis in general:
- Sore throat
- Dry throat
- Dry cough
- Tickling and rawness in the throat
- Irritating and painful cough
- Constant urge to clear throat
- Pain with swallowing
- Uneasiness in swallowing food or sometimes water
- Difficulty in speaking
- Hoarseness and loss of voice
- Pain when speaking
- Voice may sound raspy, deeper than normal, may break now and then
- Tingling sensation in the ear
- Dryness in the larynx with sensitivity extending to the chest
- Fever
Complications of Laryngitis
In cases of laryngitis which are caused by bacteria or virus, infection may spread to other parts of the chest causing tracheitis, bronchitis, pneumonia if not treated properly.
How is Laryngitis Diagnosed
The disease is easy to diagnose by taking proper case history. The visual examination of the throat may be performed with the help of laryngoscope.
There are two techniques used to finalize the diagnosis:
- Laryngoscopy
- Biopsy
Precautions during Laryngitis
- Don’t talk, give rest to the voice completely
- Do not strain your voice
- Drink plenty of liquids such as water, tea mixed with little honey and lemon
- Use herbal tea
- Quit alcohol and smoking
- Inhale steam from a pot of boiling water
- Eating foods like ginger, honey, lemon, garlic helps
- Apply warm compresses to the throat
- Rest the body completely
- Relax and exercise
- Yoga has the power to prevent a lot many situations