Medical history to help diagnose laryngitis

Your health professional will want to determine whether your symptoms are related to typical conditions that cause laryngitis: an upper respiratory tract infection (such as a cold), a strained voice, irritants in your environment, or gastroesophageal reflux.

If an upper respiratory infection is suspected, your health professional may ask:

• Do you have a stuffed or runny nose?
• Have you had a fever recently?
• Are you getting over a cold or have you had one recently?

Strained voice:

• Have you recently attended a concert, game, or other event where you shouted or talked loudly?
• Do you have a job that requires you to talk a lot?
• Do you sing as a career or hobby?

Environmental irritants:

• Do you have any known allergies?
• Do you smoke cigarettes or are you frequently around someone who smokes?
• Do you work with chemicals?

Gastroesophageal reflux:

• Have you recently had heartburn? If so, how often?
• What time do you usually eat dinner?
• How much caffeine do you usually drink each day?
• How often do you drink alcohol?

You will also be asked questions about how long you've had symptoms and if they reappear frequently. Because laryngitis is a temporary condition, symptoms that have lasted for longer than 2 weeks or that reappear often may be related to another problem.