What is the treatment for viral laryngitis?
• Not treating is an option as laryngitis usually gets better within a few days. • Have plenty to drink as it is tempting not to drink very much if it is painful to swallow. You may become mildly dehydrated if you don’t drink much. Mild dehydration can make headaches and tiredness much worse. • Paracetamol or ibuprofen ease pain, headache, and fever. To keep symptoms to a minimum it is best to take a dose at regular intervals as recommended on the packet of medication rather than ‘now and then’. For example, take paracetamol four times a day until symptoms ease. • Aspirin gargles will do little to ease soreness in the larynx. This is because a gargle does not touch the larynx, it only touches the back of the throat. However, it may ease a sore throat if this occurs with a laryngitis. (There is little research evidence to confirm that aspirin gargles are effective for sore throat. However, it is a popular treatment and may be worth a try.) If used, dissolve some soluble aspirin in water
