1. Soothe Your Throat With Home Treatments
Because most cases of laryngitis are viral in nature, there's often relatively little you can do other than wait for the infection to run its course while managing your symptoms. Laryngitis can also be triggered by external irritants, such as cigarette smoke or alcohol. If your doctor suspects that an irritant caused your laryngitis, you'll have to avoid ingesting that irritant at least until your symptoms abate, if not permanently.
You can also breathe in moist air to soothe your throat pain. Many doctors recommend that you take long, hot showers and inhale the steam or boil some water and inhale the vapors. You should also take care to remain well hydrated, which necessarily means that you should avoid caffeine and alcohol, as they dehydrate you in the long run.
Other than that, the most you'll be able to do for viral laryngitis is to rest your throat by speaking as seldom as possible and using throat lozenges as needed. You can also try gargling with warm water and baking soda or salt to control your throat pain.
2. Treat Bacterial Laryngitis With Antibiotics
It's relatively rare, but sometimes laryngitis is caused by an infection of bacteria. You should always make an appointment to see your doctor if you contract laryngitis, because you can be prescribed antibiotics which will effectively cure the infection in relatively short order if it's bacterial in nature. However, remember that antibiotics will not cure viral laryngitis, which accounts for the vast majority of cases.
3. Soothe Inflammation With Corticosteroids
Sometimes you can't put your life on hold for a case of laryngitis. If you really need your voice for a particular activity that cannot be put off, you can ask your doctor about different corticosteroid products and prescriptions that can reduce the inflammation in your throat. However, this is a treatment option that usually isn't recommended except in special circumstances.
4. Is Acid Reflux Causing Your Laryngitis?
Gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, can cause acute cases of laryngitis by irritating your throat with painful stomach acids. Talk to your doctor if you have a history of GERD and acquire a case of laryngitis. You may be able to treat your throat by using acid reflux medications, which will prevent acid buildups from migrating up your esophagus.
