6 Tips to Help You Get Your Voice Back After Laryngitis
Key takeaways:
Laryngitis is inflammation or irritation of the voice box (larynx). It can last 1 to 2 weeks..
Some people lose their voice when they have laryngitis. Avoid irritants, like fumes and smoking, and don’t strain your voice box by shouting or whispering.
Warm liquids and humidifiers can help soothe your irritated voice box and help you get your voice back faster.
Have you ever woken up after a loud and busy day only to hear that your voice doesn’t sound quite right? Or maybe you’ve come down with a cold, and you can barely speak above a whisper? If so, you’ve had voice loss from laryngitis.
It’s frustrating to lose your voice and not be able to communicate. While there’s no quick way to get your voice back, there are remedies that can help you recover and soothe your voice.
What makes people lose their voice?
People lose their voice when they have laryngitis. Laryngitis is inflammation or irritation of the voice box (larynx).
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You can develop laryngitis if you get sick with an upper respiratory tract infection, like the common cold. You can also get laryngitis from acute voice strain. This strain develops when you talk too loudly or shout and yell a lot in a short amount of time. Many people develop laryngitis after yelling at a concert, cheering at a sporting event, or talking loudly to be heard at a loud venue.
If you develop laryngitis, you might notice that your voice sounds hoarse or raspy. You might also notice that your voice is weaker or quieter than usual. Some people can develop dry and scratchy sensations in their throat.
What happens in the voice box when someone loses their voice?
The voice box contains the vocal cords. When air passes over the vocal cords, they vibrate and produce sounds. You hear these sounds when you talk, sing, or shout.
If your vocal cords become irritated, inflamed, or swollen, they won’t vibrate properly. This changes the quality, pitch, and tone of your voice.
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Just add moisture. Humidifiers can prevent the dryness that irritates your throat. Learn more about the science behind humidifiers and health, and how to care for your device.
What can you do to get your voice back if you have laryngitis?
There’s no cure for laryngitis, and treatments like antibiotics won’t help. But there are things you can try at home that can help you get your voice back faster. Here are six voice-saving tips.
1. Rest your voice
If you have laryngitis, you should stop straining your voice. Voice strain will make your inflammation worse. And it will take longer for your voice to heal.
Let your voice rest and try to speak as little as possible. If you do need to speak, don’t shout or yell. But don’t whisper either. It may sound silly, but whispering actually causes more voice strain than speaking with a raspy voice.
Avoid clearing your throat and coughing, which can also irritate your voice box. If you have a cough or sore throat along with laryngitis, try some over-the-counter remedies to soothe your cough.
2. Avoid smoke and fumes
Smoke and fumes contain chemicals that irritate and dry out your throat and voice box. This worsens inflammation in your voice box.
Don’t smoke or vape while you have laryngitis. This may be an opportunity to consider treatment to quit smoking. And you can reap all the health benefits of not smoking.
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If people in your household smoke, ask them not to do so inside your home or around you. You should also avoid smoke from fires and wood stoves and fumes from vehicle exhaust. If you work around fumes, try to take some time off. If this isn’t an option, make sure to wear your protective respiratory equipment.
3. Drink plenty of fluids (but not alcohol)
Staying hydrated will help you feel better. And it can support your immune system’s ability to fight off viruses. But as you choose fluids, make sure to stay away from alcohol.
Alcohol can irritate your voice box and make you pee more, which can lead to dehydration. Stay away from alcohol-containing beverages until you recover from laryngitis.
4. Drink warm liquids
As you decide which fluids to add into your day, aim to drink warmer fluids. Warm fluids can help soothe sore throats and coughs as well as help you avoid further voice strain. They’ll also keep you hydrated.
Opt for caffeine-free tea, warm broth, and soup. Make sure liquids aren’t too hot so you don’t accidentally burn the back of your throat.
5. Eliminate caffeine and spicy foods
Avoid any foods that can trigger acid reflux (heartburn) until your voice is back to normal. This includes caffeinated drinks, spicy foods, fatty foods, chocolate, and peppermint.
When you have reflux, acid moves from your stomach and into your throat. That acid passes past your voice box and can lead to more irritation and inflammation. Opt for foods that fight heartburn, like vegetables and starches. If you have a history of heartburn, make sure to take your heartburn medications.
6. Turn on a humidifier
Moisturized air is easier to breathe in. And it can soothe your irritated voice box. If you have a humidifier, keep it running until your voice is back to normal.
If you don’t have a humidifier, you can leave out bowls of water throughout your home. The water will evaporate and add a little moisture to the air.
You can also breathe in steam from your shower to help soothe your voice box. But you don’t have to take extra showers each day to reap the benefits. If someone in your home is taking a shower, ask if you can sit in the room and breathe in the steam of their shower too.
How long does laryngitis usually last?
Laryngitis from colds and voice strain usually goes away within 1 to 2 weeks. If your voice is important for your profession — like if you’re a vocalist or public speaker — ask your healthcare provider about whether you should take steroids. Steroids can help you get your voice back quickly. But they do carry a risk of side effects. If you need your voice for a professional engagement, the benefits may outweigh the risks.
If your voice changes last more than 3 weeks, you should see a healthcare provider. This could be a sign that your laryngitis is from something besides colds and voice strain. You may need more tests to get to the bottom of what’s causing your voice loss.
The bottom line
Laryngitis, or voice box inflammation, causes voice changes and even voice loss. The most common reasons for laryngitis are voice strain and upper respiratory tract infections caused by viruses. While there’s no cure for laryngitis, there are things you can do to get your voice back faster. Don’t strain your voice by whispering or yelling; avoid foods that trigger heartburn; and stay away from smoke and fumes. Humidifiers, steam, and warm fluids can help soothe your voice box and help you get your voice back faster.
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References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022). Five new ways to quit with medicines.
Childs, L. (2020). Voice care: Sorting fact from fiction. UTSW Voice Care Center.
National Health Service. (2023). Laryngitis. NHS Inform
Reveiz, L., et al. (2015). Antibiotics for acute laryngitis in adults. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.
