Laryngitis: Types, Causes, and Treatments

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Inflammatory processes that affect the unified airway can concurrently exert significant influence on the larynx and surrounding mucosal surfaces. Laryngeal inflammation can be present secondary to direct effects of irritants, toxins, and antigens, but can also involve mechanical and infectious effects as well as secondary inflammation from behavioral mechanisms. This review examines laryngeal inflammation in the context of the unified airway and discusses pathophysiologic mechanisms that are central to the development of acute and chronic laryngitis.

Section snippets

The inflammatory process

There are seven sequential mechanisms of tissue inflammation: (1) diminished blood flow secondary to contraction or vasoconstriction of vessels; (2) vasodilation of small blood vessels, which causes increased flow, erythema, and localized heat; (3) protein-rich plasma leakage from dilated vessels into the affected site, which causes edema, hypertension, tenderness, and dysfunction; (4) blood flow stagnation; (5) activation of eosinophil, neutrophil, monocyte, and lymphocyte molecules that

Types of inflammation

There are four fundamental forms of inflammation: acute, chronic, subacute, and granulomatous.

Unified airway

The respiratory tract is composed of a common system of upper and lower airway linkages, referred to as the unified airway [1], [2], [3]. The larynx is an integral component of this anatomic and physiologic framework. Inflammation that arises anywhere within the unified airway may induce widespread and simultaneous upstream and downstream secondary inflammatory reactions via this interconnected tissue network [4].

Laryngeal anatomy and physiology

The larynx and vocal folds within act as a biologic conduit for breathing, a physiologic valve for airway protection during swallowing, and an instrument for voice production. Whereas the first two functions depend largely on involuntary or reflexive neuromuscular activities, most vocalizations occur as a result of volitional speaking efforts. Composed of nine cartilages, two synovial joints, and various suspensory extrinsic and voice-generating intrinsic muscles, ligaments, and membranes, the

Laryngitis

The term laryngitis generically refers to inflammation of the tissues of the larynx. In acute and subacute forms the onset is usually abrupt, and the course of the illness is typically self-limiting; that is, less than 3 weeks. Chronic laryngitis usually develops gradually, and the underlying signs and symptoms can wax and wane over very long periods of time; some granulomatous forms can result from a single traumatic insult, and others may emerge when the larynx is repetitively exposed to the

Summary

In this review, the general biomolecular mechanisms of laryngeal inflammation were discussed. Infectious, contact, mechanical, and allergic laryngitis were compared and contrasted relative to their type-specific underlying causes, characteristic anatomic and pathophysiologic features, and treatments. Various references were provided within these contexts for readers interested in more detailed information on each subject. Laryngeal photographs illustrating prime examples of the various types of

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