Laryngitis ?

A common disorder, laryngitis is acute or chronic inflammation of the vocal cords and is
characterized by hoarseness. Acute laryngitis may occur as an isolated infection or as part of a
generalized bacterial or viral upper respiratory tract infection. Repeated attacks of acute
laryngitis cause inflammatory changes associated with chronic laryngitis.

Causes of Laryngitis

Acute laryngitis usually results from infection (primarily viral) or excessive use of the voice, an
occupational hazard in certain vocations (teaching, public speaking, singing), and occasionally
allergy (hay fever). It may also result from leisure-time activities (such as cheering at a sporting
event), inhalation of smoke or fumes, or aspiration of caustic chemicals. It may also be
associated with group A streptococcus and Moraxella catarrhalis. Causes of chronic
laryngitis include chronic upper respiratory tract disorders (sinusitis, bronchitis, nasal polyps,
allergy); mouth breathing; smoking; constant exposure to dust or other irritants; and alcohol
abuse.

Tuberculosis may also cause a form of laryngitis, and may be mistaken for laryngeal cancer. In
this case, fever and night sweats are possible symptoms, with chest radiography revealing apical
thickening and fibrosis. Biopsy reveals granulomas with acid-fast bacilli. The diagnosis is
confirmed by culture and sensitivity testing.

Fungal infections causing laryngitis include histoplasmosis, blastomycosis, and candidiasis in

immunocompromised patients or in those with chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis.

Signs and Symptoms of Laryngitis

Acute laryngitis typically begins with hoarseness, ranging from mild to complete loss of voice.
Associated clinical features include pain (especially when swallowing or speaking), dry cough,
fever, laryngeal edema, and malaise. In chronic laryngitis, persistent hoarseness is usually the
only symptom. In reflux laryngitis, hoarseness and dysphagia are present but heartburn is not.
Prevention Tips for Laryngitis

• Minimize the need to talk by trying to anticipate the patient's needs.

• Urge him to complete the course of prescribed antibiotics.
• Obtain a detailed patient history to help determine the cause of chronic laryngitis.
Encourage modification of predisposing habits.
• Suggest that the patient maintain adequate humidification by using a vaporizer
or humidifier during the winter and by avoiding air conditioning during the summer
(because it dehumidifies). Suggest using medicated throat lozenges.
• If pertinent, all patients with hoarseness who smoke or chew tobacco should be strongly
encouraged to quit.

Treatment for Laryngitis

Primary treatment consists of resting the voice. When required to speak, the patient should use a
moderate voice and not whisper. Hot tea with sugar and lemon may be helpful. For viral
infection, symptomatic care includes analgesics and throat lozenges for pain relief. Humidity
(such as a hot steam shower, or breathing through a hot, moist towel) may also be beneficial.
Occasionally, a vasoconstricting spray and analgesics are used by professionals when use of their
voice is absolutely necessary. Bacterial infection requires antibiotic therapy. Severe, acute
laryngitis may necessitate hospitalization. When laryngeal edema results in airway obstruction,
tracheotomy may be necessary. In chronic laryngitis, effective treatment must eliminate the
underlying cause. In reflux laryngitis, postural and dietary changes along with antacids and H 2
antagonists combine for effective treatment.
Back pain?

Back pain is an all-too-familiar problem that can range from a dull, constant ache to a sudden,
sharp pain that leaves you incapacitated. It can come on suddenly—from an accident, a fall, or
lifting something heavy—or it can develop slowly, perhaps as the result of age-related changes
to the spine. Regardless of how back pain happens or how it feels, you know it when you have it.
And chances are, if you don’t have back pain now, you will eventually

Types of Low Back Pain

Low back pain is typically classified as either acute or chronic:

• Acute lower back pain is short term, generally lasting from a few days to a few weeks.
Some acute pain syndromes can become more serious if left untreated.
• Chronic lower back pain is generally defined as pain that persists for more than three
months. The pain may be progressive, or may occasionally “flare up” and then return to a
lower level of pain. With chronic pain, the exact cause of the pain can sometimes be
difficult to determine.

.What Are the Risk Factors for Back Pain?

Although anyone can have back pain, a number of factors increase your risk. They include:

Age: The first attack of low back pain typically occurs between the ages of 30 and 40. Back pain
becomes more common with age.

Fitness level: Back pain is more common among people who are not physically fit. Weak back
and abdominal muscles may not properly support the spine.

Diet: A diet high in calories and fat, combined with an inactive lifestyle, can lead to obesity,
which can put stress on the back.

Heredity: Some causes of back pain, such as ankylosing spondylitis, a form of arthritis that
affects the spine, have a genetic component.

Race: Race can be a factor in back problems. African American women, for example, are two to
three times more likely than white women to develop spondylolisthesis, a condition in which a
vertebra of the lower spine—also called the lumbar spine—slips out of place.
The presence of other diseases: Many diseases can cause or contribute to back pain. These
include various forms of arthritis, such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, and cancers
elsewhere in the body that may spread to the spine.

Occupational risk factors: Having a job that requires heavy lifting, pushing, or pulling,
particularly when this involves twisting or vibrating the spine, can lead to injury and back pain.
An inactive job or a desk job may also lead to or contribute to pain, especially if you have poor
posture or sit all day in an uncomfortable chair.

Cigarette smoking: Although smoking may not directly cause back pain, it increases your risk
of developing low back pain and low back pain with sciatica. (Sciatica is back pain that radiates
to the hip and/or leg due to pressure on a nerve.)

How Is Back Pain Diagnosed?

Diagnosing the cause of back pain requires a medical history and a physical exam. If necessary,
your doctor may also order medical tests, which may include x rays.

During the medical history, your doctor will ask questions about the nature of your pain and
about any health problems you and close family members have or have had. Questions might
include the following:

• Have you fallen or injured your back recently?

• Does your back feel better—or hurt worse—when you lie down?
• Are there any activities or positions that ease or aggravate pain?
• Is your pain worse or better at a certain time of day?
• Do you or any family members have arthritis or other diseases that might affect the
spine?
• Have you had back surgery or back pain before?
• Do you have pain, numbness, or tingling down one or both legs?
During the physical exam, your doctor may:

• watch you stand and walk

• check your reflexes to look for slowed or heightened reflexes, either of which might
suggest nerve problems
• check for fibromyalgia by examining your back for tender points, which are points on the
body that are painful when pressure is applied to them
• check for muscle strength and sensation
Stress?
People react to stress in different ways. Certain things give evidence that a person has too much
stress in their lives.

he following represent some of the signs of someone suffering from stress:

• Frequent stomach upsets

• Trouble sleeping
• Feeling tired all of the time
• Feeling burned-out at work
• Frequent migraine or tension headaches
• Being impatient with other people

In order to learn to deal with stress effectively, individuals need to understand what is triggering
the stress behavior. Stress is anything that places demands on the body physically, mentally or
emotionally. A little bit of stress is normal and it keeps people motivated in their daily lives.
However, too much stress can have a negative effect on the body and in personal relationships
both at home and in the workplace.

Avoiding Stress
Managing stress can help people live longer and have better relationships with those they interact
with each day. People that are under stress can have health problems that are a direct result of not
managing stress properly. The purpose of teaching stress management techniques is to provide
people with the tools they need to deal with life's problems on a daily basis.The following tools
can help people avoid stress in their lives:

• Use the Serenity Prayer

• Learn to say "no"
• Avoid negative people
• Exercise
• Eat healthy
• Avoid hot-button topics
• Control the environment
• Keep a short to-do list and eliminate things that can be done later
Altering Stressful Situations
Adaptation techniques are effective ways for people to deal with stress when they cannot control
the environment they are in. Ways to alter an environment include:

• Express your feelings in a respectful way

• Be assertive and honest
• Compromise when necessary
• Use time wisely - plan ahead to avoid being late and to get things done on schedule

Accepting Situations
No one can control everything in their life and all situations. When people learn to accept the
things they cannot change, they can alleviate some of the stress in their lives.

• Accept that no one can control everything

• Look for the bright side of a situation
• Share problems with others - friends, family, or therapists
• Forgive others

Adapt to the Situation

Sometimes the only thing that can be done to change a stressful situation is to adapt to it. Regain
control of the situation by using these techniques:

• Try to view a situation from all angles

• See the "big picture"
• Adjust standards
• Focus on the positive
 PERPETUAL HELP COLLEGE OF MANILA

Sir/Mam kindly rate how satisfied you are on our health teaching for our top 3 common health
problems among call center agents.

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Health Teaching:

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Back pain 1 2 3 4 5

Laryngitis 1 2 3 4 5

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