Causes of Laryngitis

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Acute laryngitis is caused by a viral infection, usually linked to the common cold or an upper respiratory infection. Laryngitis may also be a feature of bronchitis, pneumonia, flu or measles.

Chronic (long-term) laryngitis may be caused by recurrent acute laryngitis that does not ever fully get better. It can also be due to prolonged smoking, which aggravates the vocal cords and leads to a permanently husky voice. Hoarseness can be the first sign of cancer of the larynx. If you have had a hoarse voice for longer than four weeks, you should ask your GP to refer you to an ENT (ear, nose and throat) specialist (3).

Other causes of laryngitis or hoarseness include:

infections,
pollution,
drinking large amounts of alcoholic spirits,
suffering shock or trauma,
allergies,
voice overuse or misuse,
use of asthma inhalers,
upper gastrointestinal disease, and
irritants or chemicals.

Another cause may be a benign (non-cancerous) cyst on a vocal cord, however, a tumour (cancer) on the vocal cord is an uncommon cause.