Laryngitis

Your voice is gone. Or it rasps, breaks off, scratches like raw wood in the throat. Swallowing hurts, speaking hurts, sometimes even breathing. The larynx is inflamed, the vocal cords are swollen, and the very instrument with which you want to communicate yourself to the world is failing you. Medically, laryngitis is an inflammation of the larynx — usually triggered by viruses, vocal overuse, irritants, or bacterial infections. Psychosomatically, a different, more uncomfortable question arises: What words am I holding back right now with such force that my body has to close the channel to protect me from myself?