Sore throat and dry cough - how to treat it

Features of the mucous membrane

The human pharynx appears due to epithelial cells. Among them are goblet glands that produce mucus. The cells have special hairs that ensure movement and constant renewal of mucus.

The secretion produced by cells contains antibacterial components that protect against infection. Mucus accumulates dust particles and harmful components in the air. Physiologists consider the liquid secretion to be a filter that serves to protect the mucous membrane from drying out.

If the secretion is formed in insufficient quantities, the mucous membrane will be irritated. It will be poorly protected from foreign agents. This can occur from mucosal atrophy, disorders, or insufficient consumption of the components of the secretion formed. The epithelium acquires strong sensitivity. A person feels that he constantly wants to wet his throat. The reason for this is that due to inflammation, the nerve endings of the mucous membrane are constantly irritated.

Why does it appear?

The causes of dry throat or xerostomia are related to the body's reaction to external factors. This may also confirm the development of infection or inflammation. In children and the elderly, the sensation appears due to underdevelopment or atrophy of the throat mucosa.

Causes of dry throat include:

1. Constant stress on the vocal cords. This is usually observed in singers, actors and lecturers, who often experience discomfort in the larynx.
2. Working with chemical and toxic components.
3. Allergy to medications. Dry throat appears after taking antibiotics, diuretics, and antidepressants.
4. Very dry air.
5. Reaction to hot, spicy, cold foods.
6. Chronic rhinitis.

Often the throat becomes dry due to severe dehydration. To eliminate this cause, you need to gather the skin inside the palm into a fold, hold it for a couple of minutes and release. If the skin does not smooth out over a long period, you need to adjust your drinking regime.

Why does my throat dry out?

Dry throat can be caused by illness, bad habits or everyday problems. Why does my throat dry out?

The mucous membrane of the pharynx does not receive enough fluid, or its consumption increases due to the needs of the body. Due to lack of moisture, the throat dries out. This feeling should alert you; it is worth analyzing the possible reasons.

Why does a dry throat occur?

• Upper respiratory tract infections,
• Non-communicable diseases
• Exposure to external stimuli,
• Physiological features,
• Smoking,
• Some types of food and drinks
• Mouth breathing
• Taking certain medications.

Dry throat due to illness

Many people notice that their throat almost always dries out when they have a cold. This sensation is the first sign of an incipient upper respiratory tract disease. A bacterial or viral infection develops. At first you feel that your throat is dry and itchy, but a little later other symptoms appear: sore throat, cough, fever, signs of intoxication.

This reason quite often causes discomfort. If at the first sign you take measures to destroy pathogenic microflora in the throat, you can avoid the development of the disease or speed up recovery.

A feeling of a dry throat and cough often accompanies pharyngitis. This disease is characterized by inflammation of the back wall of the pharynx. The throat becomes red, swollen, and a dry cough appears due to irritation of the mucous membranes. A little later, other symptoms appear, such as sore throat when swallowing, fever, and general deterioration of the condition.

Infections that cause a dry throat

• Flu,
• acute respiratory infections and acute respiratory viral infections,
• Angina,
• Pharyngitis.

Pathologies

If a dry throat appears, what disease could be causing it? If coughing, choking, or a feeling of constriction are observed with this symptom, you must undergo a comprehensive examination. This may be due to the following pathologies:

1. Upper respiratory tract infections leading to coughing. Typically, dryness appears in the presence of ailments such as pharyngitis, laryngitis. There is pain during swallowing, spasms, soreness, and the voice will be hoarse. If such signs occur, you should consult a doctor. Laryngitis usually leads to suffocation, especially in children.
2. Asthmatic cough. The person feels difficulty breathing, in addition there is a stuffy nose, and suffers from sudden bouts of coughing. This appears with increased physical activity, after laughter. Symptoms may worsen at night and in the morning. In pathology, pale skin, sore throat and sore throat are observed.
3. Flu, cold. With such ailments, enlarged lymph nodes, increased temperature, nasal congestion, and loss of appetite occur. A person feels weak, has a dry cough or cough with sputum, and with fever there may be pain in the joints or muscles.
4. Subatrophic pharyngitis. When connective tissue grows in the pharynx, dryness and constriction in the throat occurs. A dry cough also appears. Other symptoms include bad breath, irritability, and poor sleep quality.
5. Pharyngomycosis. With this disease, the pharyngeal mucosa is damaged by fungi. A person feels scratching, burning, and during swallowing the unpleasant symptoms may intensify.

Dry throat appears after a sore throat, tonsillitis, or surgery. Symptoms may appear within 7-10 days after healing.

Clinical manifestations of dry mucous membranes

Insufficient hydration of the epithelium of the throat negatively affects the functions of nearby organs. Typical signs of a pathological condition:

• soreness and dryness of the mucous membrane, itching, burning;
• feeling of stickiness in the mouth;
• constant thirst;
• irritation, reflex cough that does not bring relief;
• cracks in the skin in the corners of the mouth, on the lips due to constant licking;
• changes in the surface of the tongue, it becomes dry and rough.

Against the background of a lack of secretion, the composition of the opportunistic microflora of the mucous membrane changes. A person develops bad breath.

When the larynx is dry, the functionality of the vocal cords is impaired and phonetics changes. The voice becomes hoarse, wheezing, rough, and low in tone. In severe cases, during an acute inflammatory process, the symptom prevents the pronunciation of sounds, the patient cannot speak.

With pharyngitis, a dry throat and a lump appear. This makes swallowing difficult; patients make an effort to move food or drinks through the esophagus into the stomach.

In the morning, patients have a pronounced impairment of smell. They do not distinguish between tastes and smells. As a result, appetite disappears.

If microclimate standards are not met in the room, the air temperature is above 20°C, the humidity is less than 50%, such conditions lead to increased dryness at night during sleep.

Other diseases

What diseases can cause dry throat? This symptom can also occur with other serious illnesses. If the larynx dries during sleep, this is often associated with mouth breathing during apnea, snoring, deviated nasal septum, and adenoids. The causes may not necessarily be throat diseases. Dry throat appears in the following cases:

1. Allergy to dust, pollen, tobacco smoke. In addition to dryness, severe runny nose, lacrimation, asthma attacks, and suffocation appear.
2. Gastritis, pancreatitis. Sensations in the throat appear after eating. Appetite also worsens and abdominal pain occurs. There may be a coating on the tongue, nausea, and bloating.
3. Diabetes. Dryness occurs with hyperglycemia. There may also be severe thirst and frequent urination.
4. Malignant and benign neoplasms in the mouth. They usually appear in the parotid and submandibular salivary glands.
5. Lack of vitamin A. In addition to dry throat, pale and flaky skin occurs, and deterioration of hair condition.
6. Climax. With a decrease in the functioning of the ovaries and the synthesis of sex hormones, the mucous membranes dry out.
7. Pathologies leading to dehydration. Internal bleeding and poisoning may occur.
8. Disorders of the thyroid gland. If there is a malfunction, the synthesis of hormones that affect the mucous membranes and epidermis deteriorates, which causes dry throat and cough.
9. Systemic diseases - scleroderma, cystic fibrosis, Sjögren's syndrome.

Dryness and sore throat can occur from severe overexertion or prolonged stress. Unpleasant symptoms appear in those who hold back their emotions and do not express their opinions. This is precisely what psychosomatics testifies to. The cause of dryness is disruption of the salivary glands after injury or illness, as well as chemotherapy and anemia. The symptom appears in children after diphtheria vaccination.

Main causes of dry throat

The mucous membrane is often irritated by prolonged conversations, screaming, and singing. Symptoms include itching, scratching, and dry throat. The most vulnerable are people with typical professions, for example, teachers, readers, singers, and tourist guides. Irritation and damage to the mucous membrane opens nerve endings . Therefore, a painful dry cough appears, which greatly interferes with a person’s daily work.

Most often, dryness, hoarseness and scratching in the throat appear due to the following reasons :

• Overstrain of the vocal cords.
• Allergic reactions.
• Smoking.
• Air pollution.
• Stay in air-conditioned rooms.
• Upper respiratory tract infections of bacterial, viral and fungal nature.

There are other causes of dry throat. The first five listed reasons do not require treatment , which cannot be said about the sixth.
We are interested in the issue of the appearance of dryness due to infection, since it must be treated in a timely manner so that the pathological process does not spread further.

Who should I contact?

If dry throat is a long-term process, then you should consult an otolaryngologist. They will undergo an examination and anamnesis. The specialist checks for the presence of chronic diseases and also finds out whether the person has taken medications or self-medicated.

You may also need to consult a gastroenterologist, endocrinologist, or neurologist. How to treat dry throat? The doctor may prescribe medications based on the tests; self-medication in this case is not recommended. Treatment of dry throat can be done with folk remedies, but only after consultation with specialists.

Diagnosis by specialists is an important undertaking as it allows the cause to be determined. This will also allow you to correctly prescribe treatment.

Preventive measures

Prevention of dry throat that causes coughing involves following these basic rules:

1. Drink purified water 2-2.5 liters per day;
2. Clean the mouth after eating, as well as after long conversations;
3. Quit smoking;
4. If your home has extremely dry air, you can install special humidifiers;
5. Monitor your diet. Eating large amounts of salt in food can cause a dry throat;

If the first symptoms of the disease appear, immediately seek qualified help. Do not self-medicate!

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Medicines

They are prescribed depending on the type of pathology. Sprays and tablets are often used, but this applies to advanced forms of the disease. For diseases not related to the respiratory system, comprehensive treatment is needed that eliminates the main cause of dryness.

Doctors usually prescribe the following medications:

1. Antibacterial - “Bioparox”, “Anginal”, “Sumamed”.
2. Bactericidal - “Isofra”, “Polydex”.
3. Antihistamines - “Cetrin”, “Suprastin”.
4. Antiviral - “Kagocel”, “Cycloferon”.
5. With complex action - “Theraflu Lar”.
6. Antimycotic – “Fluconazole”, “Clotrimazole”.
7. Lollipops and tablets - “Trachisan”, “Strepsils”, “Lizobakt”.

To eliminate unpleasant symptoms, in addition to medications, the doctor prescribes physical procedures - magnetic therapy, irrigation of the mucous membrane with mineral salts, ozone therapy, and the use of vacuum.

Useful video about dry throat

Surely every person has experienced a feeling of dry throat, everyone knows how unpleasant it is. This symptom can be observed in various conditions and not necessarily pathological. Dryness can be temporary or permanent, but in most cases it is temporary. Moreover, it can appear during the day and disappear at night and vice versa. The mucous membrane of the oropharynx dries out for many reasons, and before starting treatment, you need to find the causes of this symptom.

The content of the article

The throat becomes very dry most often due to infectious diseases of the nasopharynx, the causative agents of which are viruses, bacteria, fungi, bacilli, and helminths. The secretion of the oropharyngeal mucosa contains conditionally pathogenic microorganisms, which, under unfavorable factors for humans, become pathogenic. It is enough to be very cold, eat ice cream in the cold, or communicate with a sick person for the infection process to start.

Mucus performs a barrier function, preventing drying out and injury to the mucous membrane. When inflammation begins, the mucus dries out due to the destructive activity of pathogenic microbes that secrete toxins.

Infection always occurs against the background of reduced human immunity

Therefore, children under 6-7 years of age, pregnant women, elderly people, smokers, and patients with chronic pathologies are constantly at risk.

Causes of dry throat:

• laryngitis - inflammation that affects the larynx;
• pharyngitis - inflammation of the pharynx;
• acute and chronic tonsillitis - inflammation of the tonsils;
• diphtheria - an acute infectious process in the oropharynx;
• Scarlet fever is a contagious disease that occurs mainly in childhood;
• tonsillectomy;
• allergic reactions to irritating microparticles in the air, food, chemical irritants;
• smoking, drinking alcohol;
• prolonged stay in a room that is too dry and hot;
• the causes of a dry throat can be diseases of the nose: rhinitis, sinusitis, sinusitis, deviated nasal septum, nasal polyps, as a consequence of these pathologies - impaired nasal breathing and the habit of breathing through the mouth;
• dysfunction of the salivary glands;
• thinning of the mucous membrane (destruction), decreased secretion production in old age;
• the mucous membrane may dry out under the influence of certain medications: antihistamines, tranquilizers, muscle relaxants, antibiotics;
• diseases of the digestive tract, dehydration, overeating at night, excessive consumption of hot seasonings, sauces and marinades;
• disruption of the thyroid gland, incipient hyperthyroidism. This organ produces hormonal substances that actively affect not only the functioning of the brain, but also the condition of the mucous membranes and skin;
• blood diseases;
• endocrine pathologies, in particular diabetes.

Folk remedies

Thanks to unconventional methods, it will be possible to moisturize the mucous membrane, get rid of inflammation, and also strengthen the immune system. Folk remedies are effective in treating children and during pregnancy, since they usually cannot take medications.

You can eliminate dryness in your home in the following ways:

1. Add apple cider vinegar (15 ml) to warm water (220 ml). The solution is used to gargle every 2 hours. The procedures are performed after eating food. For hoarseness, beet juice should be used instead of water.
2. There is a drink that softens the mucous membrane, eliminates cough, and improves immunity. You need to mix carrot or cabbage juice and liquid honey in equal quantities. It should be consumed 120 cm 3-4 times a day.
3. Add black radish juice (50 ml) and honey (10 ml) to warm milk (100 ml). You should drink 45 ml. 3 times a day after meals, the drink must be heated in advance.
4. Add small mint leaves (20 g) and boiling water (250 ml) to the thermos. After an hour, you need to strain the composition. Rinse should be done 3 times after meals.
5. If dryness appears due to acute respiratory infections and colds, you need to mix linden inflorescences and raspberry leaves (10 g each). Boiling water (250 ml) is also added. Infusion is carried out for 1 hour in a closed form. Rinsing should be done after eating.

Recommendations

Whatever the causes of dry mouth, you can use simple professional tips to relieve the symptom:

1. You need to drink enough fluid. This method is the simplest. It is advisable to choose sour juices or cold decoctions with rose hips. Adding a small amount of lemon juice will improve the effect.
2. It is important to rinse your mouth regularly. Regular implementation of such procedures reduces the intensity of symptoms. To do this, you need to use a decoction with sage, chamomile, calendula, and eucalyptus.
3. It is necessary to maintain oral health and use quality hygiene products. Dryness occurs when using low-quality toothpastes and other care products.
4. The air should be inhaled through the nose, not the mouth. Typically, mouth breathing occurs when nasal congestion occurs with the development of certain ailments.
5. Sugar-free chewing gum should be used. If dryness appears due to lack of salivation, the processes are activated thanks to chewing gum without this sweet component. But people who have digestive ailments or acidity disorders should be careful.
6. If you are constantly dry, experts advise using spices when cooking. Red pepper is suitable for this, it goes well with many dishes, and also improves the flow of saliva in the mouth.

Symptoms of the disease

Symptoms of infection appear fairly quickly. First, chills begin and the temperature rises to 40oC, then the following signs appear: - weakness and lethargy; - aching joints; - headache; - dryness and sore throat; - enlarged tonsils and soreness of the cervical and lymph nodes; - unpleasant sensations in the mouth, loss of appetite and a grayish-white coating on the tongue; - the appearance of a white-yellow coating on the tonsils; - increased heart rate and breathing.

There are cases when the disease occurs without fever, but even then you need to take treatment seriously.

Prevention

To avoid dry throat, it is necessary to exclude exposure to irritants. It is important to promptly treat upper respiratory tract diseases. The following preventive measures can prevent drying out:

1. It is necessary to ventilate the room more often and humidify the air.
2. It is important to strengthen your immune system and give up bad habits.
3. During an exacerbation of respiratory illnesses, you need to rinse the nasopharynx with saline solution.
4. You need to drink more fluid.
5. It is necessary to reduce the amount of consumption of spicy, salty foods. Dishes should be at a comfortable temperature.
6. In hazardous industries, it is necessary to use reliable protective equipment.

The main preventative measure is a timely visit to the doctor if the condition worsens. This is especially important if symptoms are persistent.

Dry throat: causes of what disease

Nonspecific protection of the mucous membrane of the external respiratory organs from aggressive environmental influences and infections is provided by a single functional complex - ciliated epithelium and mucus .

The cells lining the internal cavities of the epithelium constantly produce a liquid secretion, which is important for the implementation of immune processes. Mucus provides hydration, absorption of the gaseous environment, protection from drying out, mechanical and chemical influences, and microbial-viral-parasitic aggression.

The penetration of microbial communities into the respiratory sections, their replication and cytopathic action leads to inflammation. The pathological process is accompanied by ciliary dyskinesia, restructuring of the secretory apparatus, changes in the rheology of sputum and mucus production, and disturbances in water-electrolyte balance .

The immediate cause of dry throat mucosa is infectious diseases of the upper respiratory tract. The main role in the development of an unpleasant symptom is played by viruses, bacteria, and fungi. A productive infection occurs with a temperature ranging from subfebrile to pyretic, complaints of pain and dryness in the throat, causing cough, a feeling of soreness and rawness, and dysphagia.

For reference! Hyperthermia is accompanied by metabolic disorders, loss of water, and slowing of blood circulation, which explains the appearance of dry mouth.

Dry throat will be the dominant symptom in the clinical picture of nosological forms of respiratory pathologies:

• ARVI;
• pharyngitis and nasopharyngitis;
• laryngitis;
• sinusitis;
• rhinitis;
• tonsillitis;
• epiglottitis;
• diphtheria, scarlet fever, measles.

Depending on the degree of progression of inflammation and the etiology of the agent, dyspeptic disorders (flatulence, heartburn, constipation), catarrhal symptoms (cough, runny nose, weakness, sweating), toxic-allergic reactions (headache, loss of appetite, nausea) may occur.

Complaints about a dry throat will be typical for the following conditions and pathologies :

1. Allergies. Occurs through direct contact with an allergen and manifests itself as cough, lacrimation, runny nose, and red eyes. The temperature remains normal, the lymph nodes are not hypertrophied. The patient feels dry mouth, but not because the mucous membrane is dry, but because of its swelling under the influence of histamine.
2. Gastroenterological diseases : gastroesophagitis, gastritis, pancreatitis. Common symptoms include burning pain in the retrosternal space, belching, heartburn, impaired swallowing, increased salivation, and dry throat. Unpleasant symptoms intensify after eating fatty, spicy, salty foods, smoked foods, coffee, and carbonated drinks.
3. Tumor neoplasms . The clinical picture of benign neoplasm consists of patient complaints of decreased quality of nasal breathing, sore throat, sensation of a foreign object, difficulty swallowing, dry mouth mucous membranes. Localization of malignant tumors is accompanied by pain in the throat, dysphagia, foreign body sensation, stenotic breathing, voice changes, and general symptoms of cancer cachexia.
4. Hypothyroidism . It manifests itself as a slow course of all processes occurring in the body: drowsiness, weakness, obesity, and in women, an irregular menstrual cycle. There is dryness of the skin and mucous membrane of the oropharynx, associated with fluid retention in the connective tissues.
5. Diabetes mellitus . The symptoms of metabolic disorders are characterized by a polysystemic pattern, with a predominance of complaints of dry throat at night and during the day, xerosis (dry skin), and weakness. The patient is constantly worried about the feeling of thirst (the daily volume of liquid consumed reaches 8-10 l), there is an increased appetite, and frequent urination.
6. Sjögren's syndrome . Typical glandular signs of autoimmune systemic damage to connective tissue are the secretion of the salivary and lacrimal glands, with the ensuing consequences: burning of the eyes, dryness of the oro- and nasopharynx, lips, stomatitis, seizures. Subjective signs are accompanied by myalgia, arthralgia, muscle weakness, bleeding, and neurosis.

For reference! The gradual cessation of the menstrual cycle (menopause) may be accompanied by dry mucous membranes and skin.

Dryness of the oral mucosa, loss of appetite, and dyspeptic syndrome are manifestations of disorders of nervous activity of psychogenic etiology . Neurotic dysfunction is multisystem in nature, with dominance of headache, tremors of the limbs, dizziness, restless sleep, asthenia, which are combined with phobias, obsessions, and compulsions.