Do I Have Laryngitis or Bronchitis?

Описание: Do I have laryngitis or bronchitis?

The main symptoms of bronchitis are tightness in the chest, shortness of breath, fatigue, coughing up mucus that may be multi-colored and a cough.

I have a sore throat, coughing and feel like I’m losing my voice.

If you have a cold or flu, the waterfall of snot down the back of your throat can interfere with your voice, though it is not technically laryngitis.

So what exactly is bronchitis?

Bronchitis is a bacterial infection of the mucus in your lungs. Laryngitis is in the larynx.

I’m forgetting where that is.

Laryngitis is described as an infection or inflammation of the voice box. It makes the vocal cords swell up and changes your voice.

I’ve definitely had my voice go hoarse.

The main symptoms of laryngitis is a hoarse voice, but it may accompany a sore throat, coughing or trouble swallowing. But you can be pretty sure it is laryngitis if you cannot talk, or it gets worse after yelling.

So much for use it or lose it.

Laryngitis caused by straining the voice you can treat by not straining yourself.

You don’t have my kids.

Time outs can control the kids while you let your throat heal. Then talk as little as possible.

Fine, I’ll keep it at a whisper.

Whispering actually strains the voice box as bad as talking.

Aside from finishing this conversation, what can I do to treat it?

If you have bacterial laryngitis, the standard solution is anti-biotics. If it is viral, the doctor might have a prescription or say rest and wait.

What about bronchitis?

Bronchitis often requires anti-biotics, but it sometimes clears up on its own with rest, lots of fluids and fever reducers. But with laryngitis, you won’t have a high fever, though the bacteria in your lungs can certainly infect the voice box.

Oh wonderful, I could end up with both.

Any hoarseness that lasts after the cold clears up is a separate infection, potentially laryngitis lasting after the bronchitis or even starting when you started coughing the phlegm as you cleared out the bronchitis.

How can I tell if I have one or the other?

Bronchitis will give you a fever, violent coughing, extreme fatigue. Laryngitis may make you cough but the biggest inconvenience is breaking the no texting at dinner rule so the kids know what you want.

Whereas with bronchitis, I have to yell from the bed, though I’ll be straining to talk to them between coughs with either one.