How to Treat an Irritated Voice Box

An irritated voice box is a symptom of laryngitis, a medical condition in which the voice box, or larynx, becomes infected or irritated from overuse. It's a common condition that can be acute (short-lived) or chronic (long-term). More often than not, an acute case of laryngitis is triggered courtesy of a simple viral infection or strained vocal chords. Regardless, to treat an irritated voice box, you'll need to start by resting your voice.

Instructions

• 1

  Rest your voice box by not singing, smoking or whispering. Also, avoid talking too much. Continue to rest your voice even as the symptoms begin to improve. Refrain from returning to normal voice activities until the condition has completely disappeared.

• 2

  Keep your throat and body hydrated by drinking lots of water. Avoid beverages that contain alcohol, caffeine or sugar, as they may irritate your voice box further.

• 3

  Avoid foods that might make your irritated voice box worse. These include fatty foods, acidic foods, spicy foods, chocolate, peppermint, citrus, pineapple and salad dressing.

• 4

  Consider using a humidifier in your bedroom at night to keep your voice box adequately moisturized as you sleep.

• 5

  Refrain from using decongestants such as Mucinex, Suphedrine and Sudafed if you have a cold, as these medications can further dry out and irritate your voice box.

• 6

  Try a folk remedy like one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in half a glass of water; or mix 1/4-teaspoon of cayenne pepper and a little bit of lemon juice in a cup of boiled water; or have a cup of eucalyptus tea.

• 7

  Pour boiling water into a bowl and then hover over it with a towel over your head. Alternative breathing in the steam through your nose and mouth. It'll loosen phlegm from your voice box.