how to deal with dry throat

“A dry throat causes sufferers to feel uncomfortable. It's best to find out how to deal with a dry throat, such as keeping yourself hydrated and gargling with salt water."

Thedoctormedical , united states – A dry throat can cause discomfort to sufferers. This condition certainly makes the sufferer feel uncomfortable, one of the things that is often felt is pain in the throat.

In fact, it is not uncommon for a dry throat to make it difficult for you to eat, drink, cough, and make it difficult to speak. So, so as not to hinder your activities, you should know what are the ways to deal with a dry throat.

First Know What Causes Dry Throat
There are various triggers that can cause a person to experience a dry throat. Here is the explanation:

1. Laryngitis

Laryngitis is inflammation of the vocal cords (larynx) due to overuse, irritation or infection. This condition often causes a dry throat accompanied by hoarseness and itching.

Well, in the larynx, there are vocal cords which have two folds of mucous membrane that cover the muscles and cartilage. Normally, the vocal cords open and close smoothly, forming sounds through their movement and vibration.

But when a person has laryngitis, the vocal cords can become inflamed or irritated. This condition makes the vocal cords swell, which distorts the sound air makes when it passes through them.

As a result, the voice sounds hoarse. In some cases of laryngitis, sound is barely detectable. There are two types of laryngitis based on the time range symptoms appear, namely:

Long-term (chronic) laryngitis . Generally occurs due to cigarette smoke, consuming liquor, allergies, or stomach acid irritation
Short-term (acute) laryngitis.  This condition generally occurs due to bacterial and viral infections. For example, such as Streptococcus bacterial infection or the Corona virus that causes COVID-19.

 

2. Dry Mouth

Apart from laryngitis, dry mouth or xerostomia can also be a cause of dry throat. This condition can occur when the salivary glands do not produce enough saliva.

However, dry mouth is actually a symptom of certain medical conditions. In most cases, dry mouth can occur from dehydration to the use of drugs such as antihistamines or decongestants.

Apart from these two causes, there are various other triggering factors that can also cause a dry throat. Starting from allergies, dry weather, dehydration, flu, coughs, to the habit of sleeping with your mouth open.

How to Overcome Dry Throat
To relieve the symptoms you experience, there are several ways to deal with a dry throat . Here's how you can do it:

1. Consume Water

If you experience a dry throat, you should meet your needs of water every day. A well-hydrated body can make the throat area moister so that the dry throat symptoms will subside soon.

Make sure you consume at least 8 glasses of water a day.
You can eat a variety of vegetables and fruits that have a high water content.
Avoid consuming coffee or soda because it can cause the body to lose more fluids which trigger dehydration so that the throat becomes dry.

2. Using a humidifier

Breathing when the air is cold or dry also causes the throat to become drier. There's nothing wrong with using a humidifier so that the air around the room or place of activity becomes more humid.

3. Gargling with Salt Water

You can also treat a dry sore throat by gargling with salt water. Gargling salt water is considered to make the throat moister and more comfortable.

Prepare warm water with a few teaspoons of salt.
Combine the two and stir until evenly distributed.
Start gargling with salt water for a few seconds.
You can repeat this process several times a day until your throat feels more comfortable.

4. Avoid Smoking

When you have a dry throat, you should avoid smoking. This habit will make a dry throat even worse. Read more about the dangers of

5. Taking Certain Drugs

Dry throat can also be caused by several diseases, such as flu, cough, and sore throat. If it is caused by certain diseases, there is nothing wrong with trying to take certain types of drugs.

6. Consuming Honey

Honey can also be an option to relieve dry throat. You can mix two tablespoons of honey with a glass of warm water or tea and drink as needed.

Those are some ways to deal with a dry throat based on the cause. If a dry throat doesn't improve, immediately check your health condition with an ENT specialist . Because, it could be a dry throat is an indication of serious health problems.