A head cold, dehydration, or sleeping with your mouth open are common causes of a dry throat. There are efficient at-home remedies, but if symptoms persist for more than a week, consider consulting a doctor.
Is This Cause For Concern?
A common symptom is a dry, scratchy throat, especially in the chilly winter months when the air is dry and upper respiratory infections are on the rise. Usually, a dry throat indicates a small issue, such as dryness in the air or a cold. You can determine the source of your dry throat and decide whether to consult your doctor by considering your other symptoms. Read on to discover more.
Dehydration
Your throat's dryness can just be a symptom that you haven't consumed enough liquids. Your body produces less saliva, which generally keeps your mouth and throat wet when you are dehydrated. Dehydration can also cause:
- Dry mouth
- Increased thirst
- fatigue
- darker urine, and less urine than usual
- dizziness
Treatment Options
Take in more liquids throughout the day. Although there are many different suggestions for how much fluid to consume, a reasonable average is 15.5 cups for men and 11.5 cups for women. According to one study, fruits, vegetables, and other foods provide between 27 and 36%Trusted Sources of the fluid humans need. The water content of foods varies greatly, and a variety of factors affect daily food choices.
Make sure you're hydrating yourself by drinking water or sports drinks. Caffeinated beverages like coffee and soda should be avoided because they can make your body lose more water.
Opening Your Mouth While Sleeping
If you frequently get dry mouth in the mornings, it may be because you sleep with your mouth open. The saliva that often keeps your mouth and throat wet dries up in the air.
Mouth breathing can also cause:
- Snoring
- Bad breath
- Daytime fatigue
Snoring may be a symptom of obstructive sleep apnea, which causes frequent pauses in breathing during the night. Mouth breathing can also result from nasal obstructions including a deviated septum, chronic allergies, or cold-related congestion.
Options for Treatment
Apply an adhesive strip to the bridge of your nose if you suffer from sinus or congestion issues to keep your nose open as you sleep.
Your doctor may recommend continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy to keep air moving into your airways throughout the night or an oral device to realign your jaw for obstructive sleep apnea.
Hay Fever or Allergies
Hay fever, often known as seasonal allergies, is brought on by an overreaction of your immune system to ordinarily benign elements in your surroundings.
Common causes of allergies include:
- grass
- pollen
- pet dander
- mold
- dust mites
Histamines are molecules that are released by your immune system when it detects one of your triggers.
Symptoms caused by this include:
- stuffed, runny nose
- sneezing
- Cough
- Itchy eyes, mouth, or skin
If your nose is congested, you can find yourself breathing through your mouth, which can dry up your throat. Postnasal drip is the term for the excess mucus that may dribble down the back of your throat. Your throat may become sore as a result.
Options for Treatment
As much as you can, stay away from your triggers to prevent allergy symptoms. It might be beneficial to:
- During the worst of allergy season, stay inside with the windows closed and the air conditioner on.
- Put bed covers that are resistant to dust mites.
- Use hot water to wash your sheets and other linens once a week.
- To collect dust mites, vacuum your carpets and dust your floors.
- If your home has any mold, remove it.
- Do not allow pets in your bedroom.
With these medications, allergy symptoms:
- Antihistamines
- Decongestants
- Allergy shots
- Eye allergy drops
Cold
A cold is a typical ailment that is brought on by several viruses. The infection may cause a dry, itchy feeling in your throat.
You'll also experience the following symptoms:
- body aches
- a slight temperature
- and a stuffy
- runny nose
Options for Treatment
Most colds last a few days before they are gone. Since viruses are not affected by antibiotics, they are ineffective in treating colds.
Try these treatments to feel better as your body recovers from the cold:
- To treat a sore throat and body aches, take an over-the-counter pain medicine like acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil).
- Take a throat lozenge in.
- Consume warm liquids like hot tea and broth.
- Use warm water and 1/2 teaspoon salt to gargle.
- To treat a stuffy nose, spritz a decongestant nasal spray.
- Increase your fluid intake to avoid dehydration and to keep your mouth and throat moist.
- Get lots of sleep.
- To add moisture to the air in your room, turn on the humidifier.
Acid Reflux or GERD
Acid from your stomach can back up into your esophagus, the tube that delivers food from your mouth to your stomach, due to the condition known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Acid reflux refers to acid backup. Your esophagus' lining becomes burned by acid, leading to symptoms like:
- a burning sensation in your chest known as heartburn
- difficulty swallowing
- a dry cough
- burping up sour fluids
- raspy voice
Your throat may hurt or burn if the acid gets there.
Options for Treatment
GERD is treated with:
- Antacids to neutralize stomach acids include Maalox, Mylanta, and Rolaids.
- H2 inhibitors to lessen the formation of stomach acids, such as cimetidine (Tagamet HB) and famotidine (Pepcid AC).
- To stop the creation of acid, use proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), such as lansoprazole (Prev acid 24) and omeprazole (Prilosec).
To aid with acid reflux symptom relief, try these lifestyle modifications:
- Sustain a healthy weight. When you are overweight, your stomach is under strain, which pushes more acid into your esophagus.
- Put on comfortable clothing. Your stomach is compressed by tight clothing, especially tight pants.
- Replace three large meals with several smaller ones throughout the day.
- While you sleep, raise the head of your bed. This will stop acid from rising and entering your throat and esophagus.
- If you smoke, think about giving it up. Smoking inhibits the valve that prevents stomach acid from escaping.
- Avoid fatty or spicy foods, alcohol, caffeine, chocolate, mint, and other foods and beverages that can cause heartburn.
Flu
A respiratory ailment, the flu is. The flu is brought on by a virus, like a cold. However, flu symptoms are typically more severe than cold symptoms. You can also experience a scratchy, irritated
- fever
- Chills
- Runny
- Congested
- Cough
- body aches
- headache
- fatigue
- nausea and diarrhea
Particularly in young children, older adults, persons with chronic medical issues, and those with compromised immune systems, the flu can cause catastrophic complications. The following are some flu complications:
- Pneumonia
- Sinus infections
- Bronchitis
- Ear infections
- Asthma attacks in people who already have asthma
Option for Treatment
Antiviral drugs can reduce flu symptoms and shorten the amount of time you’re sick. You should take these medicines within 48 hours of symptoms being shown.
Try these remedies to soothe your sore throat and other
- Until your symptoms are better, rest.
- Take a throat lozenge in.
- Use warm water and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to gargle.
- To reduce your fever and soothe body aches, take an over-the-counter pain medicine like ibuprofen (Advil) or acetaminophen (Tylenol).
- Consume warm liquids like tea and broth.
Strep Throat
A throat infection brought on by bacteria is called strep throat. Your throat will typically be extremely sore, but it may also feel dry. Other strep throat signs and symptoms include:
- enlarged, crimson tonsils
- Your tonsils have white splotches.
- Fever
- Rash
- body aches
- enlarged neck lymph nodes
- nausea and vomiting
Option for Treatment
Antibiotics, or medications that destroy germs, are how doctors treat strep throat. After you begin using these pills, your sore throat and other symptoms ought to be better within two days. Take the antibiotics your doctor ordered in their entirety. If you stop too soon, some germs may remain alive in your body and cause you to become ill once more. Use an over-the-counter pain medicine, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil), to reduce your symptoms. You can also take throat lozenges and gargle with warm water and salt.
Tonsillitis
Tonsils are two soft growths in the back of your throat that help your body fight infections. Tonsillitis is an infection of the tonsils. Tonsillitis can be brought on by both viruses and bacteria. In addition to a sore throat, tonsillitis symptoms can also include:
- red and enlarged tonsils
- fever with white spots on the tonsils
- neck lymph nodes that are enlarged
- Hoarseness
- poor breath
- Headache
Option for Treatment
Your doctor might recommend antibiotics to treat tonsillitis if bacteria were to blame. Tonsillitis caused by a virus will heal on its own in a week to 10 days.
The following activities can help you feel better as you recover:
- Take in a lot of liquids. Tea and broth are warm beverages that help to soothe the throat.
- Several times each day, gargle with a solution of warm water and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
- Take an ibuprofen or acetaminophen (Tylenol) over-the-counter painkiller (Advil).
- To make the air more humid, turn on a cool-mist humidifier. A sore throat can get worse in dry air.
- Take throat lozenges in.
- Until you feel better, rest.
Mononucleosis
The illness mononucleosis, sometimes known as mono, is brought on by a virus. Saliva facilitates the transmission from one to person another. A scratchy throat is one of mono's defining symptoms.
Additional signs include:
- tiredness
- fever
- Headache
- swollen lymph nodes in the armpits and neck
- enlarged tonsils
Option for Treatment
Antibiotics won't help treat mono because a virus is the cause of the illness. Following are some suggestions to make you feel better as your body recovers from the infection:
- Get lots of sleep so that your immune system has time to combat the infection.
- Take in more liquids to prevent dehydration.
- Use over-the-counter painkillers to reduce fever and soothe a sore throat, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil).
- To relieve throat pain, chew on a lozenge and gargle with warm salt water.
Excessive Vocal Use
Your vocal cords may become irritated or inflamed if you overuse your voice, such as when you yell during a music festival. Laryngitis may also result from it.
Additional signs include:
- voice loss or tremors
- throat irritation
- Hoarseness
Option for Treatment
In most cases, viral laryngitis will go away on its own after two weeks. Here are some suggestions to improve your mood:
- Rest your voice
- Take in more liquids, particularly warm tea or broth.
- To relieve throat pain, chew on a lozenge and gargle with warm salt water.
- To treat your sore throat, take an over-the-counter pain reliever such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil).
When To Visit The Doctor?
In some circumstances, you might be able to treat your symptoms at home. Visit your doctor, however, if your symptoms persist for more than a week or get worse. They can diagnose you and collaborate with you on a treatment strategy. If your symptoms become worse, you should also visit your doctor. Significant signs include:
- A fever over 101°F (38°C)
- a severe sore throat that makes it difficult to swallow
- shortness of breath
- Wheezing
- Rash
- chest pain
- increased daytime fatigue
The Bottom Line
Especially in the winter, a dry throat is frequently an indication of a head cold, dehydration, or sleeping with your mouth open. Warm liquids, such as broth or hot tea, and sucking on throat lozenges are two efficient at-home remedies. If your symptoms persist or worsen after a week, consult a doctor.
How Is a Burning Throat Treated and What Causes It?
The majority of the time, throat burning or soreness is not a cause for alarm. Typically, a common infection like a cold or strep throat is what causes a sore throat. Rarely does this sign to indicate a serious ailment. A burning throat is typically accompanied by additional symptoms of a medical illness. Here are some warning signs and when to call your doctor.
Acid Reflux or GERD
Heartburn is a symptom of acid reflux, the backup of acid from your stomach into your esophagus. This situation occurs when your stomach and esophagus allows acid to rise into your throat.
Signs of GERD and Heartburn
You may experience a burning sensation in the back of your neck and chest as well as a sour or bitter taste in your mouth and throat from the strong acid. These signs and symptoms can be light or severe.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease is the term used when acid reflux occurs frequently or severely (GERD).
Other GERD signs and symptoms include:
- you have a sour liquid taste in the throat.
- chest pain
- difficulty swallowing
- coughing
- a raspy voice that makes you feel like food is stuck in your throat
After a large meal or when you go to bed at night, your symptoms can get worse.
Heartburn and GERD treatment
Symptoms may be reduced with the use of specific treatments, such as:
- Antacids
- H2 blockers
- proton pump inhibitors (PPIs)
- prescription drugs
- Surgery and other treatments
To assist you get relief, your doctor could also suggest making the following modifications to your lifestyle:
- dietary adjustments
- suggestions for managing weight
- sleep modifications
- quitting smoking
Postnasal Drip
It is possible for the mucus that typically lines your nose to accumulate to the point that it drops down your throat. The term for this is postnasal drip. This symptom can be brought on by allergies, cold weather, or a cold or another respiratory ailment.
Symptoms of Postnasal Drip
The back of your throat may become sore from the continuous flow of liquid. Postnasal drip might eventually cause your tonsils to enlarge and hurt.
Postnasal drip also causes the following additional symptoms:
- throat twitching
- throat clearing
- hoarseness
- poor breath
Treatment
Treatment suggestions will be more effective if the underlying cause of postnasal drip is identified. For instance, antihistamines and decongestants may be suggested if allergies are the cause.
Strep Throat
Group A streptococci are the bacteria that cause the common throat infection known as strep throat. When an infected person speaks, coughs, or sneezes, respiratory droplets containing the germs are released into the air.
Symptoms
A un coughed sore throat is the predominant symptom. There are times when the agony is so bad that swallowing hurts.
Additional signs include:
- Tonsils that are red, and swollen, and may also have white streaks or patches on them
- mouth-roof red pimples
- swelling neck lymph nodes
- Fever
- Headache
- Rash
- nausea and abdominal discomfort
Treatment
Taking antibiotics is a common treatment for strep throat. To ensure that you receive the appropriate care, a simple throat swab can confirm the diagnosis. Your discomfort may be relieved by over-the-counter painkillers. Within a day or two of beginning antibiotics, you should start feeling better.
Flu
The viral infection influenza usually referred to as the flu, is contagious. Many of the symptoms, such as a sore throat, are similar to those of a cold. But the flu can sometimes be far more severe. It can cause potentially fatal complications in some people, like pneumonia.
Symptoms
These symptoms usually appear within one to four days. After being exposed to the flu virus, turn to a reliable source:
- Fever
- Chills
- Cough
- stuffy nose
- Congestion
- Headaches
- muscle aches
- Tiredness
- vomiting
- Diarrhea
Treatment
If you visit your doctor within 48 hours of the onset of symptoms, there are prescription treatments for the flu available. You can also do things like consuming chicken soup or taking over-the-counter drugs to lessen your symptoms.
Common Cold
A frequent cold symptom is a sore throat. Although this upper respiratory tract viral infection might be painful, it usually isn't serious. Most adults experience two to three colds a year, according to Trusted Source.
Symptoms
Colds also result in these other symptoms in addition to a sore throat:
- runny nose
- congested nose
- body aches
- Headaches
- Coughing
- a mild fever
Treatment
There is no one cure for a cold, but there are things you can do to lessen the symptoms and recover, like:
- Use of over-the-counter painkillers
- consuming lots of liquids
- gargling with warm salt water
- sleeping a lot
The duration of cold symptoms should be between a week and ten days. Your symptoms may be lessened by using these natural cures.
Peritonsillar Abscess
The head and neck are infected with peritonsillar abscess. It happens when pus builds up in an infected pocket close to a tonsil in the back of the neck, causing the throat to swell and hurt. In young adults, it frequently happens. Tonsillitis frequently leads to peritonsillar abscesses as a consequence. If this problem is left untreated, the swelling may force your tonsil into the center of your throat, obstructing your airway.
Symptoms
Other symptoms besides a sore, swollen throat and trouble breathing include:
- Swelling neck lymph nodes
- Difficulty swallowing
- Difficulty opening your mouth wide
- Fever and chills
- Headache
- Earache
- Hoarseness
- Drooling
Treatment
The abscess is often drained as part of treatment. A tonsillectomy, which removes the tonsils, may be advised in some circumstances. Early intervention is crucial. The abscess might transmit the infection to other parts of the body if it is not treated. The peritonsillar spot may enlarge to the point where it threatens to obstruct the airway.
Esophagitis
Esophagitis is the medical term for esophageal inflammation. Acid reflux, viral or bacterial illnesses, or adverse drug reactions can all cause it.
Symptoms
- Throat infection
- Heartburn
- Difficulties swallowing
Treatment
To help with therapy choices, the underlying cause of esophagitis must be identified. For instance, treating eosinophilic esophagitis, a food allergy, may only require removing the offending food from your diet. Esophagitis can cause ulcers, scarring, and esophageal constriction, which can be a medical emergency if addressed. Therefore, it's crucial to get the right diagnosis and care.
How to Relieve the Burn
There are a few things you can do to find relief if your throat is rough and sore:
- Use 8 ounces of warm water and 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of salt to gargle.
- Take a throat lozenge in.
- Warm drinks should be consumed, like honeyed tea. Eat ice cream instead. On a sore throat, both cold and heat are soothing.
- A cool-mist humidifier should be turned on to add moisture to the air. Your throat won't dry out as a result of doing this.
- Take an ibuprofen or acetaminophen (Tylenol) over-the-counter painkiller (Advil).
- Drink a lot of fluids, particularly water.
When to See your Doctor?
Usually, a painful throat will subside in a few days. Visit your doctor, however, if the pain lasts longer than a week or is extremely severe.
Along with a burning throat, if you encounter any of these conditions, you should visit your doctor:
- A temperature of 101°F (38.3°C) or higher
- Difficulty breathing
- Difficulty swallowing
- Blood in your phlegm
- A rash.
