Sore throat: What to do and how to get rid of a dry cough
The feeling of slight pain and tingling in the throat is familiar to every person.
A specific problem can arise, regardless of the age or fitness of the body, since a variety of factors can provoke it. In 90% of cases, physiological discomfort passes quickly - within 1-2 days. Sometimes tickling can become a real problem, which cannot be eliminated on your own, so at the first painful tickling sensation it is recommended to consult a doctor (ENT).
A sore throat, the treatment of which is developed based on diagnosis, goes away within 3-5 days.
Irritable Throat Syndrome
The first signs of irritable throat syndrome are the desire to cough, even if nothing has entered the larynx. Simultaneously with this sensation, there is a slight pain and tickling inside.
In some cases, the syndrome occurs against the background of exposure to the mucous membranes and tissues of various pathogenic microorganisms, but one should also not forget about the allergic nature of irritable throat syndrome - it manifests itself in spring or summer.
If you have to cough for a long time, but after this there is no relief, it means that irritable throat syndrome is highly likely. It manifests itself with the following symptoms:
- the throat begins to tickle, begins to hurt;
- there is a feeling of a “lump”;
- there is difficulty in swallowing;
- coughing begins.
Toxic substances present in the air can negatively affect your health. Spasms that occur must be treated quickly, as changes can cause serious illness.
Causes of sore throat
To develop the correct treatment program, it is necessary to identify not only the symptoms, but also the main cause that caused the sore throat. Medical research has shown that negative feelings arise under the influence of the following factors:
- the impact of infection (including secondary);
- presence of bad habits (especially smoking);
- allergens;
- environmental features.
All possible causes are taken into account during the diagnostic examination.
Infectious factors
Infectious factors - the influence of viruses and bacteria. In the first stages, the throat begins to scratch, and obvious discomfort arises inside. It is important to consider that in the first few hours (10-24) there is no pain, so the person does not have the opportunity to take treatment measures.
Then the tickle develops into a desire to cough, as bacteria or viruses penetrate deeper, reaching the bronchi. During this period, pain appears, mucus production increases, and pus may form.
If the problem is caused by infections or bacteria, then problems with nasal congestion and fever may be added to the sore throat.
Parasites can also cause a negative condition. They penetrate the tissues and are found in the stomach, so when you have a sore throat, you should check for the presence of parasitic pathology in the body.
Metabolic products of parasites are likely to cause discomfort.
For this reason, an infection actively develops, which subsequently affects the throat and causes irritation; it first begins to itch and then hurt.
Infectious factors also include a variety of diseases associated with existing/previous diseases, including:
- pharyngitis;
- laryngitis;
- tonsillitis.
Pharyngitis is manifested by increased dryness and the release of mucus in large quantities, viscous in consistency. It is she who accumulates in the throat and begins to irritate tissues and mucous membranes.
To make it easy to get rid of the problem, medications with a softening effect, antiseptic properties, as well as folk recipes are used. Laryngitis causes loss of voice as the inflammatory process affects the ligaments.
Tonsillitis is different in that it occurs with obvious pain, as the tonsils become inflamed. It is important to remember that in 20% of cases the symptoms of the disease are a sore throat and a desire to cough, but no obvious pain is felt.
Bad habits
The presence of bad habits leads to a sore throat. These include:
- smoking;
- alcohol consumption;
- unhealthy diet with a predominance of spicy foods in the diet.
When a person smokes, harmful substances enter the body. The larynx suffers more, as soot and various toxins settle on it. Their negative impact can be determined when a cough appears. The attack can be abrupt, and it is difficult to alleviate repeated phenomena.
All harmful substances gradually penetrate into the tissues, as a result of which the inflammatory process begins, since bacteria are activated in the negative internal environment created.
The cough is accompanied by phlegm and mucous discharge, a prolonged attack is accompanied by pain in the throat, breathing in some cases becomes heavy and intermittent.
The throat often gets sore after drinking alcoholic beverages - this is due to the fact that alcohol actively corrodes the mucous membranes. Even a small sip leads to a negative effect; a burning sensation and itching are also noted.
It is important to note that a sore throat sensation may be due to stomach contents (its juice) entering the larynx or trachea.
It may sting with varying intensity due to the fact that the food chosen was too spicy.
Source: https://lor-orvi.ru/simptomy/kashel/pershit-v-gorle/
Review:
- Drink plenty of tea and water . If you have a sore throat, it is especially important to ensure adequate hydration. Drinking it moisturizes the damaged mucous membrane of the throat, provides pleasant warmth from the inside and helps remove pathogens. The best drink for a sore throat is warm herbal tea. Especially ginger and sage tea have an analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect. Other teas that help with sore throats are chamomile, fennel, thyme and linden flower.
- Fruit juice helps : Even hot lemon or hot cloudy apple juice can relieve a sore throat.
- Homemade Chicken Soup : A proven home remedy for sore throats and colds is homemade chicken soup made with fresh poultry, vegetable soups and broth. It not only supplies the body with sufficient fluid, but also important vitamins and vital substances to strengthen the immune system.
- Gargling : Gargles applied directly to the throat also offer relief from sore throat and dysphagia. Salt water can also be used as a gargle: dissolve a teaspoon of table salt in 250 milliliters of warm water and gargle with this mixture every two hours.
- Warm and cold wraps : Neck wraps have an anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect.
Sore throat and want to cough - causes and treatment
What to do when you have a sore throat and want to cough? This question is often asked at a therapist’s appointment. There is no simple answer.
In order to prescribe the correct treatment, it is necessary to identify the source of irritation of the mucous membrane.
Sometimes the environment becomes the cause of an unpleasant manifestation of pathology; under certain conditions (fever, runny nose, headache), the “culprit” is viruses, bacteria or fungi.
Causes of reflex contractions of the chest
It is not always possible to independently identify the sources of irritation of the mucous membrane. The exception is for reasons related to professional activity and individual characteristics of the body.
Many experts note that tickling and prolonged cough are often signs of residual infection and recovery of the body after illness. Sometimes the discomfort does not disappear within 4-6 weeks.
At your doctor’s appointment, you will definitely be asked about the nature and time of onset of chest spasms. It is much easier to prescribe treatment if you understand how the disease, characterized by a dry or wet cough in an adult, develops.
Sore throat appeared suddenly
The sudden appearance of an irritating cough is usually associated with respiratory infections or an improper reaction of the immune system to negative external factors.
Breathing problems occur when:
- influenza (a viral disease characterized by a dry barking cough without sputum discharge, headache, aching joints);
- sore throat (bacterial infection is manifested by plaque on the tonsils, purulent discharge, and a sharp increase in the patient’s body temperature);
- fungal pharyngitis (it is quite difficult to distinguish this pathology from ARVI, acute respiratory infections due to the similarity of symptoms).
An allergic reaction should be highlighted separately. It’s not uncommon to have a sore throat and want to cough or sneeze when in contact with household chemicals, animal hair, or dust. Another common cause of the pathological condition is physical trauma to the larynx and chest, causing inflammation and swelling.
Symptoms do not go away for a long time
It is somewhat more difficult to diagnose a disease without accompanying manifestations of the disease. If there is no body temperature, redness of the mucous membranes, or pain, then you should think about the correct organization of the living space. Often the rooms are very hot and the air dries out. This leads to irritation of the larynx and a constant desire to cough.
What else you need to pay attention to if you have a persistent dry cough:
- diabetes mellitus (endocrine disease causes rapid drying of tissues and provokes a cough reflex);
- throat tumors (benign and malignant neoplasms have symptoms similar to respiratory pathologies);
- overstrain of the ligaments (if a person talks a lot, then treatment with silence may be necessary);
- nodular goiter (it would be a good idea to check the correct functioning of the thyroid gland);
- neurosis of the pharynx (in addition to tickling and coughing, patients complain of a feeling of a “lump” in the throat, interfering with breathing);
- diseases of the digestive system (ulcers, gastritis, hernia, pancreatitis cause bile and hydrochloric acid to enter the respiratory tract).
A prolonged cough and sore throat may be signs of lung poisoning by tar and soot. Smokers often complain of such symptoms.
How to determine the causes of a cough
Treatment should only be prescribed by a doctor. Many diseases have similar manifestations, but require different therapeutic actions. It is difficult to identify the source of irritation on your own at home.
Diagnostic tips:
- cough, tickling accompanied by a runny nose - acute respiratory viral infections, acute respiratory infections;
- attacks occur during stress - laryngeal neurosis;
- irritation increases after eating - intestinal esophagitis;
- difficulty breathing occurs during sleep - tonsillitis.
Such recommendations do not provide a 100% guarantee of correct determination of the causes of the pathological condition, but they allow you to direct a doctor to examine the desired area of the patient’s body.
How to treat tickling and cough
Therapeutic actions are selected individually, after a comprehensive examination of the patient. If infection with bacteria or fungi is confirmed, rinsing with antiseptic solutions, inhalation and taking special medications (antibiotics, antifungal tablets) are prescribed. Many patients praise Faringosept, Septolete, Tantum Verde and other available remedies.
If allergic pharyngitis is suspected, the doctor recommends excluding any contact with a possible irritant. You will have to remove plants from the patient’s room and perform a high-quality wet cleaning (dust can cause tickling and coughing). If this does not help, then treatment with antihistamines is prescribed - Loratadine, Cetrin.
If you suspect problems with the gastrointestinal tract, you should seek help from a gastroenterologist. There are general tips for the patient - sleep on a high pillow, do not eat after 6 pm, follow a special diet.
A sore throat and paroxysmal cough may be the result of severe anxiety. In this case, you need to learn how to rest and relax properly.
Treatment of overstrained ligaments comes down to gargling with natural decoctions and antiseptic solutions.
