What is laryngitis? This is an inflammatory process that affects the mucous membrane of the larynx. It causes a cold or infectious disease (whooping cough, measles, scarlet fever). In this case, a strong cough occurs, and very sharp changes occur in the voice. It becomes hoarse or disappears altogether. Therefore, the doctor does not advise a person with laryngitis to talk a lot, as this slows down the recovery process. There are several forms of this disease, and some of them pose a certain danger to humans. So what is laryngitis, is this disease contagious or not? Let's try to figure it out.
What is the danger of laryngitis?
This disease develops as a result of hypothermia, smoking, inhalation of cold air through the mouth, overexertion of the larynx, drinking alcohol. Inflammation of the larynx occurs, the vocal cords are irritated, the voice may disappear. Laryngitis occurs suddenly, proceeds withfever, asthma attacks may occur, which is dangerous for both adults and children. Many people have a reasonable question about laryngitis: is it contagious? To answer this question, it is necessary to consider its forms.
What is laryngitis like?
Acute laryngitis is a disease that occurs as a result of tension in the voice or severe hypothermia. The inflammatory process in this case can affect the mucous membrane of the entire larynx, epiglottis, walls of the vocal folds or subglottic cavity. The disease develops very quickly and lasts no more than two weeks.
Acute laryngitis can become chronic. The inflammatory process takes place in the throat or nose and also lasts no more than two weeks.
Laryngitis is dangerous for young children. Is this disease contagious? It is difficult to unambiguously answer this question. If the disease arose due to pathogenic viruses or bacteria, then it is likely that the sick person will be able to infect others. But it is impossible to determine whether laryngitis is contagious or not. This can only be done by a doctor after examining the patient.
Symptoms of disease
At the very beginning of its development, the disease manifests itself with unpleasant sensations of dryness and burning in the larynx, but the general condition remains stable. After a while, a convulsive cough occurs, exhausting a person, a headache appears and it becomes difficult to swallow. Voicebecomes hoarse, subsequently turning into a whisper.
Cough turns from dry to wet, sputum begins to be expectorated, sometimes with pus. Leukocytes greatly increase in the blood, and the mucous membrane of the larynx turns red sharply, capillaries begin to burst, contributing to the appearance of purple dots. If acute laryngitis occurs, the incubation period of this disease lasts from several hours to several years.
Causes of disease
Illness can occur as a result of allergies to strong odors. It can be, for example, paint or varnish that can be felt in a room that has recently been renovated. Allergens can be various pets, in addition, coughing is often provoked by fish food. If the apartment is very dusty or there are ticks that the tenant is not even aware of, this also contributes to the development of an inflammatory process in the throat.
Laryngitis can develop due to drugs. Any sprays for the throat and nose for children under three years of age must be used with extreme caution. The child's body helps protect the lower respiratory tract from the penetration of foreign elements into them, and since the spray jet hits the back wall of the pharynx with the nerve endings located there, this can cause a spasm of the vocal cords. This leads to the development of the disease.
Viruses are considered the most common cause of "barking" cough. The infection affects the upper respiratory tract, and there is an accumulation of viruses aroundvocal cords. You should not use antibiotics for treatment, since the virus does not lend itself to them. In this case, inhalation, bed rest and plenty of warm drink are prescribed. If viral laryngitis occurs, the incubation period is usually 1 to 5 days. This type of disease is considered non-contagious. Recovery is faster if a person stops smoking and regularly humidifies the air in the room.
Contagious disease
So, is acute laryngitis contagious? The infectious form of this disease occurs as a result of agents accumulated on the vocal cords that cause inflammation. In this case, laryngitis is considered highly contagious and is transmitted through the air, causing the airways to become inflamed.
The bacterial form of the disease is usually characterized by an increase in body temperature. Is such acute laryngitis transmitted or not from person to person? It is highly contagious for both adults and children. The disease spreads when a sick person coughs and sneezes. Disease-causing bacteria enter the air and begin to spread with air currents, contributing to their settling on the mucous membrane of the larynx in other people. The risk of contracting bacterial laryngitis remains for several days after a person is on the mend.
This type of disease is characterized by copious discharge from the nose, pain radiating to the throat and ears, difficulty swallowing, high fever. Bacterial laryngitis is especially acute in children. Induring exacerbation, asthma attacks are possible, while the airways overlap almost completely. It is recommended to treat the disease in a hospital under medical supervision.
How to treat laryngitis?
Whether laryngitis is contagious or not, you should see a doctor at the first signs of this disease. This is a very serious disease, which in a neglected state can cause serious consequences. With the help of various methods of treatment, it is possible to quickly get rid of this disease. Antibiotics only help with bacterial laryngitis.
During treatment, it is necessary to observe bed rest, drink as many warm drinks as possible, gargle with solutions, inhale herbs. Therapy should be carried out under the supervision of the attending physician, as some herbs can cause allergies. For inhalation, it is best to use oregano and St. John's wort, which remove sputum well and have anti-inflammatory properties.
Conclusion
Thus, whether laryngitis is contagious or not can be determined by examining the causes that caused it. Bacterial and infectious species are considered infectious. To protect yourself from such a disease, you should wear a gauze bandage, and isolate the patient in a separate room.
