Ask a doctor on the topic of Otorhinolaryngology

Hoarseness and stabbing pain in the throat

June 14, 2015 | 15,00 EUR | answered by Dr. med. Jörgen Kohl

Dear Sir or Madam,

For 14 days now, I have been experiencing the following issue: A stronger cold accompanied by hoarseness and a slight cough, with a sharp pain in my throat when swallowing and a very weak voice. This cold disappeared surprisingly quickly after only 3-4 days, all symptoms are gone, except for my ongoing problem... Since then, I have had a constant feeling of soreness in my trachea, which worsens when speaking. If I don't talk for a long time, I hardly feel any pain, and I am symptom-free at night. Additionally, my voice has been strained, I sound normal but I have to clear my throat more frequently (mucus on the vocal cords), and the soreness in my throat increases when I clear my throat. My voice is weak, it keeps breaking (like in puberty, but only for a fraction of a second, especially when I start talking), and I can't produce very high notes. Unfortunately, I have to talk a lot in my profession, and I manage the situation quite well, but I feel the inflammation more strongly in the evenings. The first 4-5 days, I also had an uncomfortable sharp pain when swallowing, especially with very cold drinks. The pain when swallowing is now gone, but the weak voice and hoarseness persist, even though I try to avoid speaking too much on weekends. I have been taking Locabiosol for 2 days to alleviate the presumed laryngitis or tracheitis, but with limited success. I also take Emser lozenges, eucalyptus candies, etc.

My question is, can a viral infection cause such long-lasting hoarseness? I also constantly have a slight urge to dry cough, which I can suppress.

Therefore, here are my questions again:

1. Can a simple cold cause hoarseness for around 14 days?
2. Why does it sometimes hurt (at the beginning) when swallowing, even though it is not the esophagus but likely the larynx or trachea that is inflamed?
3. Should I be concerned? Do you think it is also laryngitis or could there be something else behind the symptoms?
4. What else can I do to get better?
5. Could the slight cough also be caused by the laryngitis?
6. Two years ago, I had a laryngeal examination for a similar issue. Back then, it was said: Only slightly red. Went away after a few days. When should I see a doctor again?
7. For these 14 days, I have been waking up around 7am with night sweats, but only in the throat area, all other areas are dry. It is not a lot of sweat, but it still worries me. However, there were 2-3 days in between without sweat. Could this be related to the inflammation?

Thank you for your answers!

Dr. med. Jörgen Kohl

Dear questioner,

First of all, I can reassure you. The symptoms you describe are all within the possible range as a consequence of a cold with laryngitis. The main problem is the lack of voice rest, which you probably have not adhered to or have been able to adhere to so far. This is a very important aspect in cases of laryngitis. If not done, the above-mentioned problems may arise. The second therapy option is salt inhalations. Only in this way can your vocal cords be "nourished". Mouth rinses do not reach this area of the mucous membrane. Furthermore, you should try to avoid clearing your throat. Each time you do that, it is a significant trauma for the vocal cords.

In general, hoarseness lasting longer than three weeks should be investigated. If voice rest and salt inhalations do not lead to the desired effect, I would recommend making an appointment with an ENT doctor. Vocal cord cysts, polyps, or other changes may have formed that need to be treated. These can also trigger the mentioned problems of hoarseness, coughing, and throat clearing. Since the larynx is also involved in the beginning of the swallowing process, swallowing difficulties are also possible. Based on the medical history provided and your non-smoker status, I consider a cancer diagnosis to be highly unlikely.

Best regards, Jörgen Kohl