Laryngoscopy
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.
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| Author: | Monica Rhodes | Last Updated: July 3, 2008 |
| Medical Review: | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine Donald R. Mintz, MD - Otolaryngology | |
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| Topic Contents | |
| Test Overview | |
| Why It Is Done | |
| How To Prepare | |
| How It Is Done | |
 | How It Feels |
| Risks | |
| Results | |
| What Affects the Test | |
| What To Think About | |
| References | |
| Credits | |