What is laryngitis?

Laryngitis
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Laryngitis

Laryngitis is an inflammation of the voice box, or larynx. Laryngitis is usually caused by a virus, such as a cold, and is temporary, going away within a week or two.

The larynx is located in the throat just above the windpipe (trachea) and is made up of cartilage, ligaments, and muscles. The two vocal cords in the larynx are covered with a mucous membrane. When air passes through the vocal cords, they vibrate and produce sound. When the larynx is inflamed or injured, the voice may be raspy, hoarse, or lower in pitch, or it may be only a whisper. Sometimes a person with laryngitis has no voice at all.

Laryngitis

Location of larynx, vocal cords, and trachea in throat, with details of healthy vocal cords and inflamed vocal cords.

Laryngitis is the inflammation of the larynx, also called the voice box. The larynx is in the throat just above the trachea (sometimes also called the windpipe). When the vocal cords of the larynx become inflamed, the voice may get raspy, hoarse, or lower in pitch.

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