Reflexology for Laryngitis

Definition
Laryngitis is caused by inflammation of the larynx, often resulting in a temporary loss of voice.

Description
When air is breathed in, it passes through the nose and the nasopharynx or through the mouth and the oropharynx. These are both connected to the larynx, a tube made of cartilage. The vocal cords, responsible for setting up the vibrations necessary for speech, are located within the larynx.

Causes & symptoms
Laryngitis is primarily caused by overuse of the voice, a condition faced by people ranging from teachers to performers. Other causes of laryngitis include:
strain on the larynx from talking or singing for long periods
shouting or cheering for an extended time
allergies
colds or cough
smoking
alcohol consumption
atmospheric conditions like dust in the air
anxiety
underactive thyroid
growths on the larynx

However, the primary medical cause of laryngitis is a viral infection. The same viruses that cause the majority of simple colds are responsible for laryngitis. In extremely rare cases, more harmful bacteria or the bacteria that causes tuberculosis (TB) may cause laryngitis. In people with faulty immune systems (like AIDS patients), infections with fungi may be responsible for laryngitis.

Symptoms usually begin with a cold. The person may have a sore, scratchy throat, as well as a fever, runny nose, aches, and fatigue. Difficulty swallowing sometimes occurs, and the patient may have a ticklish cough or wheeze. Most characteristically, the patient suffers voice loss or the voice will sound strained, hoarse, and raspy.

In extremely rare cases, the swelling of the larynx may cause symptoms of airway obstruction. This is more common in infants because the diameter of their airways is so small. In that case, the baby may have a greatly increased respiratory rate and exhibit loud, high-pitched sounds with breathing (called stridor).

Reflexology
Reflexology is a healing method that involves the manipulation of certain parts of the body to bring about balance. For laryngitis, the reflexology focus is on the throat, lung, chest, lymphatic system, and diaphragm points on both feet. Also recommended is manipulation of all points on the sides and bottoms of the toes.