Laryngitis is an illness of the voice box and the throat around it. Those parts swell, so talking hurts and your voice may go rough, quiet, or disappear for a few days. People often get it after a cold, after shouting, or after singing too hard. You rest the voice, drink, and wait; a doctor may also treat the swelling. The word sounds medical, and that is mostly where you will hear it — from a doctor, a teacher who has “lost their voice,” or a singer cancelling a show. Though actually, everyday speakers sometimes call any sore throat laryngitis. A simple sore throat can be only the back of the throat; with true laryngitis it is the voice box that is swollen, which is why the voice itself changes.