Do you have a dry throat, but you don't know how to get rid of the affliction? Read this article and find ways to get informative steps on the symptoms for dry throats and remedies you can use to heal the ailment.
Do you have a dry throat right this moment and have no idea how to fix it? You may have tried many different remedies or even gone to your local physician to no avail. However, you shouldn't worry because this article covers home remedies you can use to alleviate your dry throat.
A dry throat is when you feel pain, scratchiness, or some form of irritation in your throat that comes about, especially when you swallow. Dry throat comes about when the mucus membranes dry out due to exercise, living in arid environments, dehydration, or breathing through your mouth.
A dry throat can also be caused by smoking tobacco and marijuana, straining your voice, throat inflammations, vomiting, allergies, and even cancer. Dry throats can trigger several complications that may cause you to have poor sleep, have difficulties eating, breathing, and even talking.
Finding remedies for your parched throat can help you get rid of your problem and avoid such complications. Dry throats don't often come on their own. Other symptoms often accompany them.
Several other symptoms often accompany dry throats; however, they vary depending on the causative infectious agents. Some of the most common symptoms include:
- Feeling pain in the throat.
- Feeling a scratchy sensation that is heightened when you try to talk.
- Experiencing difficulties while swallowing
- Dry and swollen lymph nodes in your neck or jaw
- Red, swollen tonsils
- Developing white patches and sometimes puss on your tonsils
- A hoarse or muffled voice
- Experiencing fevers
- Coughing which can result in the release of sputum
- Having a runny nose
- Sneezing
- Body aches
- Experiencing headaches
- Nausea or vomiting
Some of the problematic symptoms involve:
If you have a cold, your nose can be stuffed with mucus, forcing you to breathe through your mouth, which can be bad for your mucus glands. Breathing through your mouth can cause your throat to feel even drier.
Gargling salt water can be a great way to Sooth your scratchy, dry throat. The salty water draws out the mucus from your nasal cavity and flashes out the bacteria and viruses that, if left unattended, would lead to more mucus buildup.
You should mix ¼ to ½ tablespoonfuls of salt in a glass of warm water and gargle it. Do this as regularly as you can throughout the day for maximum results. Gargling water is safe for children over the age of six, and it comes with several other benefits, such as preventing canker sores and gingivitis.
Make sure to drink lots of water if you happen to swallow some salt over the course of the day to help you avoid dehydration. You could also add some honey, lemon, or other herbs to improve the salt water's taste.
Sucking on a lozenge works in the same way as sucking on candy. It increases saliva production in your mouth, which helps lubricate your mouth and soothe your dry throat temporarily. You should note that even though both work for the short term, they don't cure your dry throat.
Sucking on a lozenge is better than sucking candy since they are made to last longer. Lozenges work by slowly dissolving in your mouth and releasing methanol that helps to temporarily numb the tissues in your throat, offering temporary relief from the dry throat's symptoms. Other types of lozenges have honey, which has been known to have cough suppression properties.
Drinking some honeyed tea could do you wonders if you have a dry throat. First, the tea will help hydrate your body to produce more saliva, which can further soothe your throat. Second, honey has been known to have excellent antibiotic properties that can help eliminate bacteria.
The choice of tea you use also plays a critical role in how you will heal from your dry throat. You should choose green tea since it's rich in antioxidants and acts as an antibacterial, reducing inflammation. Plus, it is a natural pain reliever.
If you have a dry throat, then hydration is vital. Ensure that you drink lots of water to help keep your throat lubricated. If you don't do this, then you'll feel your throat becoming rough and patched, and it'll hurt more every time you cough or breathe.
Drinking water helps your body produce more saliva and mucus. The production of these fluids is essential during this period since it helps lubricate your throat and protects the tissues from any inflammations.
Saliva also has some antibacterial and antiviral properties that help kill bacteria and viruses. So, producing more saliva will be more beneficial to you during this period. Make sure you hydrate when you're exercising or doing something strenuous like hiking in a dry environment. Hydrating may also help you cool off any headaches you may be experiencing during this period.
A humidifier helps moisturize the air in a room, which you desperately need during this period. Breathing in dry, cold, or hot air when you have a dry throat can be a painful, or at least, an uncomfortable experience. It depends on how bad your dry throat is.
However, humidifiers are the best way to go if you want to soothe your dry throat and help you have a better sleep at night. You could start your humidifier about half an hour before you go to bed to help keep the room moisturized.
You could also add mint and other medicinal fragrances that could help alleviate your coughs and dry throat and help you have a better time. Humidifiers come in all sizes for both portability and home use.
If you don't have a humidifier, you could still moisturize by having a hot shower. Breathing in the steam could help relieve your dry throat and help make you're breathing a little bit easier. You could also drape a towel over your head and run some hot water over the sink and breath in the moisture.
Boiling some hot water in a pot, adding some menthol oils in the boiling water could also do the trick. Doing this will help increase your room's humidity to alleviate your dry throat's symptoms, which will help you sleep better.
Either viruses or bacteria can cause some dry throats. The good thing is that when they're diagnosed and treated early enough, then the chances are that you'll have a better experience, mainly if allergies cause them than if they're left to progress.
Dry throats caused by viral infections are incredibly hard to treat. However, medical prescriptions could help make your experience more tolerable if they are caught within the first four days. Bacterial infections can be treatable if they are also caught early enough.
It's probably best if you made an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible and have yourself diagnosed.
It would help if you raised your head by putting two pillows under your bed when you sleep. Doing this will help decongest your nasal cavity and help you sleep better at night. If your nose is not blocked, then you won't have to sleep with your mouth open. And this will help ease any irritation on your dry throat and help you sleep better at night.
You should see a doctor as soon as you start experiencing flu-like symptoms. However, if the flu catches you by surprise or you can't manage to get to the hospital in time, you should ensure that you make an appointment as soon as you can.
However, some of these symptoms might warrant a medical emergency. For instance;
Preventions are always better than cures. The best way to prevent exposure to germs is to ensure that you wash your hands and keep them clean throughout the day. You should either wash your hands with soap and clean water if you have access to a sink or using an alcohol-based sanitizer.
You should also ensure that you clean your hands every time you touch common surfaces like doorknobs, when you shake hands or when you expose yourself to people who have the flu. You should also avoid getting into contact with people who are sick and avoid sharing any personal items.
Ensure that you hydrate by drinking enough water, especially if you're working out or living in a dry environment. You should also make an appointment with your doctor if you suspect that you have sleep apnea and have the condition treated.
Conclusion
It would help if you tried these home remedies as a way to manage your symptoms. Home remedies could help alleviate some of these conditions and help you feel a little bit better. However, it would be best if you didn't rely on these home remedies alone.
It would be best if you got checked by a doctor for a proper diagnosis to determine your condition. Your doctor will give you an accurate prognosis and a prescription that'll help you manage your situation better. Your health is your most important asset; guard it well.
- If you're in pain and you don't get better
- If you have severe pain while swallowing and it affects your meals
- If you develop a high, uncontrollable fever
- If you experience nausea and vomiting
