Laryngoscopy

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How It Feels

Indirect laryngoscopy

You may feel like gagging when the mirror is placed in your throat. It may be uncomfortable when the doctor pulls on your tongue. If this becomes painful, signal your doctor by pointing to your tongue, since you will not be able to speak. If a spray anesthetic is used, it tastes bitter, it can make you feel like your throat is swollen, and it may make you feel that it is hard to swallow.

Direct flexible laryngoscopy

It may feel strange to have the doctor put the scope up your nose. But it should not hurt and you will still be able to breathe. If a spray anesthetic is used, it may taste bitter. The anesthetic can also make you feel like your throat is swollen, and it may make you feel like you can't swallow anything.

Direct rigid laryngoscopy

You will be asleep and feel nothing during the laryngoscopy. After the procedure, you may have some nausea, general muscle aches, and may feel tired for 1 to 2 days. You also may have a sore throat and sound hoarse. Suck on throat lozenges or gargle with warm salt water to help your sore throat.

If a biopsy was taken, it is normal to spit up a small amount of blood after the laryngoscopy. Talk to your doctor about how much bleeding to expect and how long the bleeding may last. Call your doctor immediately if you:

Have a lot of bleeding or if the bleeding lasts for 24 hours.
Have any difficulty breathing.

Risks

All types of laryngoscopy have a small chance of causing swelling and blocking the airway. If you have a partially blocked airway because of tumors, polyps, or severe inflammation of the tissues at the back of the throat (epiglottitis), you may have a higher chance of problems.

If complete blockage of the airway occurs, which is rare, your doctor may need to put a tube in your throat to help you breathe. Or, very rarely, your doctor may have to make a cut (incision) in your neck (a tracheotomy).

If a biopsy was taken, there is a very small chance of bleeding, infection, or a tear in the airway.

Results

Laryngoscopy is an examination that lets your doctor look at the back of your throat, your voice box (larynx) , and vocal cords with a scope (laryngoscope). If a biopsy was done, it may take several days for your doctor to know the results.

**Laryngoscopy**
Normal:	The throat (larynx) does not have swelling, an injury, narrowing (strictures), or foreign bodies. Your vocal cords do not have scar tissue, growths (tumors), or signs of not moving correctly (paralysis).
Abnormal:	Your larynx has inflammation, injury, strictures, tumors, or foreign bodies. Your vocal cords have scar tissue or signs of paralysis.

Answer:

Never
(0)

Good
(1-3)

Better
(4-6)

Best
(7)

You are currently

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SOURCES:

American Dental Association, Healthy People 2010

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