Laryngitis is not a disease, but a catch-all word that means you've lost your voice. If it happens suddenly, it's called acute laryngitis. You can get it from a cold or overusing your voice.
You can get long-term laryngitis if you breathe in something irritating, like smoke or chemical fumes. It also develops if you get yeast infections of the vocal cords, which can happen if you use asthma inhalers or have problems with your immune system.