A laryngoscopy is primarily a medical procedure that allows a doctor to get a closer look at the back of the throat and is widely used in the diagnosis of a number of conditions such as in the case of a sore throat, a long standing cough, irritation in the air passages as well as blockage in the airways. The procedure of a laryngoscopy allows a doctor to understand the primary causes of problems such as a breathy voice or ear and throat pain as well as difficulty in swallowing. There are three main types of procedures that are used when talking about a laryngoscopy. A direct laryngoscopy is the type most commonly performed by an ear, nose and throat specialist, usually within the confines of his or her clinic. This form of the procedure does not require the use of general anesthesia; however local anesthesia is regularly used. When performing indirect laryngoscopy, the doctor will direct the light emitted from the headlamp that he or she will be wearing, right toward the back end of the throat. A small hand mirror will then be guided through the patients throat as far back as possible to allow the doctor to get as clear a view as he or she can. One of the biggest drawbacks with performing an indirect laryngoscopy is the fact that gag reflexes will, more often than not, take hold of the situation - causing significant discomfort to the patient.
Given that metallic instruments are going to be introduced into your body during the procedure, it is important to make sure that you take certain precautions before its commencement. For instance, in the event that you are allergic to any medication such as anesthetics, it is extremely important to make the presiding doctor aware of the same. Also let the doctor know if you are pregnant or suffering from any kind of heart problems. You may be asked to avoid eating or drinking anything for upto 8 hours prior to the commencement of the procedure and make it a point to get someone to help you get back home once the procedure has been completed as you may find it a bit hard to drive yourself back. The examination itself should take too long and most procedures will generally get over in about 5 to 10 minutes. You may be asked to make a low pitch sound when the doctor examines the back of the throat for him or her to see better movement of the larynx.