Can Laryngitis Be Accompanied by a Cough?

The inflammation of the voice box (larynx) is what is known as laryngitis. Usually, laryngitis heals in a week without the need of treatment.

Laryngitis symptoms start unexpectedly and normally worsen in two to three days. The symptoms include:

• A painful throat
• A minor fever
• Croakiness of the voice
• An exasperating cough
• Constant clearing of the throat
• Speaking difficulties

Speech problems normally worsen on a daily basis during the sickness and often last a week, even after the symptoms have disappeared.

The larynx of a few victims of laryngitis swells and causes breathing issues. This mostly occurs in very young children, whose windpipes are tiny and slender.

Other conditions like the flu, a throat infection, a cold or tonsillitis are usually related to laryngitis. More symptoms involve:

• A runny nose
• Engorged glands
• Headaches
• Achiness accompanied by exhaustion
• Pain while swallowing 

The Voice Box (Larynx)

The larynx is a tube-like structure situated at the entrance to the windpipe. It is the lump found in the front part of your throat, also referred as an Adam’s apple.

The voice box has three major functions:

• It assists in transporting oxygen through your windpipe each time you breathe
• It functions like a control device which closes the windpipe each time you swallow food to stop food plugging your airways.
• It contains the vocal cords, which shake as air goes through them, generating the sound of your voice.

Laryngitis can sometimes be severe, which may be a sign of laryngeal cancer. You should visit your doctor if you have the following:

• A painful throat and high fever
• A cough that contains green or yellow phlegm
• A bloody cough
• You are unable to drink fluids
• If you have a history of breathing or throat complications
• If symptoms persist for more than 3 weeks
• Loss of weight
• Neck engorgement
• Discomfort or pain in the throat

Children will mostly be infected with diverse microbes, unlike adults, and may be communicable depending on the organism which has infected them. Treatment for a child is similar to that of an adult only if the child has a croaky voice, showing or not showing other symptoms of a virus infection like muscle aches, nasal congestion, low fever, runny nose or a cough.

A child should be taken to the doctor if they have a sore throat, refuses to eat, has a fever or if their number of wet diapers has decreased.

When to Seek Medical Advice

Some cases may be dangerous, and medical advice should not be put off. Visit your doctor immediately if you have any of the following:

• Problems breathing
• A sense of the throat closing
• Being unable to swallow
• Dribbling
• Needing to sit straight in order to breathe

Treatment of Laryngitis

A good number of laryngitis patients heal in a week's time without treatment. You can assist in healing your vocal cords by drinking a lot of fluids, staying away from smoky surroundings, and resting your voice.

The underlying cause of laryngitis can usually be cured. For instance, if an allergic reaction is what is bringing about the symptoms, you can take drugs to balance your body’s response towards the substance or keep away from the substance triggering the allergy.