What Causes a Dry Throat, and How Is It Treated?

Health Line

2 days ago

A dry throat is often caused by a head cold, dehydration, or sleeping with one's mouth open. Effective home treatments are available, but consider seeing a doctor if symptoms last longer than one week.
A dry, scratchy throat is a common occurrence, especially during the cold winter months when the air is dry and upper respiratory infections are spreading.
Usually, a dry throat is a sign of something minor, like dryness in the air or a head cold. Looking at your other symptoms can help you determine the cause of your dry throat and whether to call a doctor.
This article reviews ten common causes and treatment options for a dry throat.
1. Dehydration
The dryness in your throat may simply be a sign that you haven't had enough to drink.
Dehydration can also be caused by loss of body fluids, such as vomiting, diarrhea, sweating, or increased urination.
When you're dehydrated, your body doesn't produce as much of the saliva that normally moistens your mouth and throat.
Dehydration can also cause:
dry mouth
increased thirst
darker urine, and less urine than usual
fatigue
dizziness
Treatment options
Drink extra fluids during the day. Recommendations on how much to drink vary, but a good average is 15.5 cups of fluid for men and 11.5 cups for women.
One study found that adults get between 27 % and 36% of their fluid from fruits, vegetables, and other foods. Foods' water content is highly variable, and many factors influence daily food selection.
Make sure you're drinking fluids that hydrate, such as water or sports drinks. Avoid caffeinated sodas and coffee, which can cause your body to lose more water.
2. Sleeping with your mouth open
If you wake up every morning with a dry mouth, the problem might be that you sleep with your mouth open. The air dries up the saliva that normally keeps your mouth and throat moist.
Mouth breathing can also cause:
bad breath
snoring
daytime fatigue
Snoring could be a sign of obstructive sleep apnea, a condition in which your breathing repeatedly pauses throughout the night.
Congestion from a cold or chronic allergies, or a problem with your nasal passages, like a deviated septum, can also lead to mouth breathing.
Treatment options
If you have a sinus or congestion problem, applying an adhesive strip to the bridge of your nose can keep your nose open while you sleep. Adhesive strips for noses can be purchased online or at your local pharmacy.
For obstructive sleep apnea, your doctor can prescribe an oral appliance that repositions your jaw or continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy to keep air flowing into your airways during the night.
It's worth noting that not everyone with sleep apnea needs an oral appliance or CPAP. Treatment options depend on the severity of your symptoms. Mild cases may be managed with behavioral changes. Also, the FDA recently approved tirzepatide for obstructive sleep apnea.
3. Hay fever or allergies
Hay fever, also called seasonal allergies, is caused by an immune system overreaction to normally harmless substances in your environment.
Common allergy triggers include:
grass
pollen
pet dander
mold
dust mites
When your immune system senses one of your triggers, it releases chemicals called histamines.
This can lead to symptoms like:
stuffed, runny nose
sneezing
itchy eyes, mouth, or skin
cough
Congestion in your nose may make you breathe through your mouth, which can dry out your throat. The extra mucus can also drip down the back of your throat. This is also known as postnasal drip, and it can make your throat feel sore.
Treatment options
To prevent allergy symptoms, avoid your triggers as much as possible. It may be helpful to:
Stay indoors with the windows closed and the air conditioning on during the peak of allergy season.
Put dust mite-proof covers on your bed.
Wash your sheets and other bedding weekly in hot water.
Vacuum your carpets and dust your floors to pick up dust mites.
Use an air cleaner/air purifier. Be sure to change your air filters regularly and keep the humidity setting below 50%.
Clean up any mold in your house.
Keep pets out of your bedroom.
You can also control allergy symptoms with these treatments:
antihistamines
decongestants
allergy shots
eye allergy drops
4. Cold
A cold is a common infection that's caused by many different viruses. The infection can make your throat feel dry and scratchy.
You'll also have symptoms like these:
stuffed, runny nose
sneezing
cough
body aches
mild fever
Treatment options
Most colds last a few days. Antibiotics don't treat colds because they only kill bacteria, not viruses.
To help you feel better while your body gets over the cold, try these remedies:
Take an over-the-counter pain reliever like acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil) to relieve a sore throat and body aches.
Suck on a throat lozenge.
Drink warm liquids, such as broth and hot tea.
Gargle with a mixture of warm water and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Use a decongestant nasal spray to relieve a stuffy nose.
Drink extra fluids to keep your mouth and throat moist and prevent dehydration.
Get plenty of rest.
Turn on a humidifier to moisten the air in your room.
5. Flu
The flu is a respiratory illness. Like a cold, a virus causes the flu. But flu symptoms tend to be more severe than those of a cold.
Along with a sore, scratchy throat, you may have:
fever
chills
cough
stuffy, runny nose
muscle aches
headache
fatigue
vomiting and diarrhea
The flu can lead to serious complications, especially in young children, older adults, and people with chronic medical conditions or a weakened immune system.
Complications of the flu include:
pneumonia
bronchitis
sinus infections
ear infections
asthma attacks in people who already have asthma
Treatment options
Antiviral drugs can reduce flu symptoms and shorten the amount of time you're sick. But you have to start taking these medications within 48 hours of when your symptoms start for them to work.
While you're sick, try these methods to relieve your sore throat and other symptoms:
Rest until your symptoms improve.
Suck on a throat lozenge.
Gargle with a mixture of warm water and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
Take an over-the-counter pain reliever like ibuprofen (Advil) or acetaminophen (Tylenol) to lower your fever and ease body aches.
Drink warm fluids, such as tea and broth.
6. Acid reflux or GERD
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a condition that causes acid to back up from your stomach into your esophagus. The esophagus is the pipe that carries food from your mouth to your stomach.
Acid burns the lining of your esophagus, causing symptoms like:
a burning feeling in your chest, called heartburn
trouble swallowing
dry cough
burping up sour liquid
hoarse voice
If the acid reaches your throat, it can cause pain or burning.
Treatment options
GERD is treated with:
antacids, such as Maalox, Mylanta, and Rolaids, to neutralize stomach acids
H2 inhibitors, such as cimetidine (Tagamet HB) and famotidine (Pepcid AC), to reduce stomach acid production
proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), such as lansoprazole (Prevacid 24) and omeprazole (Prilosec), to block acid production
Try these lifestyle changes to help relieve symptoms of acid reflux:
Maintain a moderate weight. Extra weight puts pressure on your stomach, forcing more acid up into your esophagus.
Wear loose-fitting clothing. Tight clothes — especially tight pants — press on your stomach.
Eat several small meals a day instead of three big meals.
Raise the head of your bed while you sleep. This will prevent acid from flowing upward into your esophagus and throat.
If you smoke, consider quitting. Smoking weakens the valve that keeps acid in your stomach.
Avoid foods and drinks that can trigger heartburn, such as spicy or fatty foods, alcohol, caffeine, chocolate, mint, and garlic.
7. Strep throat
Strep throat is a throat infection caused by bacteria. Usually, your throat will be very sore, but it can feel dry, too.
Other symptoms of strep throat include:
red and swollen tonsils
white patches on your tonsils
swollen lymph nodes in the neck
fever
rash
body aches
nausea and vomiting
Treatment options
Doctors treat strep throat with antibiotics — drugs that kill bacteria. Your sore throat and other symptoms should improve within two days after you start taking these medications.
Make sure you take the full dose of antibiotics your doctor prescribed. Stopping too early can leave some bacteria alive in your body, which could make you sick again.
To relieve your symptoms, take an over-the-counter pain reliever, like ibuprofen (Advil) or acetaminophen (Tylenol). You can also gargle with warm water and salt rinse and suck on throat lozenges.
8. Tonsillitis
Tonsillitis is an infection of the tonsils — the two soft growths in the back of your throat that help your body fight infections. Both viruses and bacteria can cause tonsillitis.
Along with a sore throat, symptoms of tonsillitis can also include:
red, swollen tonsils
white patches on the tonsils
fever
swollen lymph nodes in the neck
hoarse voice
bad breath
headache
Treatment options
If bacteria caused tonsillitis, your doctor could prescribe antibiotics to treat it. Viral tonsillitis will improve on its own within a week to 10 days.
Here are some things you can do to feel better while you recover:
Drink a lot of fluids. Warm drinks like tea and broth are soothing to the throat.
Gargle with a mixture of warm water and 1/2 teaspoon of salt a few times a day.
Take an over-the-counter pain reliever like acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil).
Put on a cool-mist humidifier to add moisture to the air. Dry air can make a sore throat worse.
Suck on throat lozenges.
Rest until you feel better.
9. Mononucleosis
Mononucleosis, or mono, is a disease caused by a virus. It passes from person to person through saliva. One of the hallmark symptoms of mono is a scratchy throat.
Other symptoms include:
tiredness
fever
swollen lymph nodes in your neck and armpits
headache
swollen tonsils
Treatment options
Because a virus causes mono, antibiotics won't treat it. Here are some tips to help you feel better until your body gets over the infection:
Get plenty of rest to give your immune system a chance to fight off the virus.
Drink extra fluids to avoid dehydration.
Take over-the-counter pain medication such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil) to bring down a fever and relieve your sore throat.
Suck on a lozenge and gargle with warm salt water to help with throat pain.
10. Overuse of voice
Overusing your voice, like yelling during a music concert, can cause your vocal cords to become irritated or inflamed. It can also lead to laryngitis.
Other symptoms include:
hoarseness
weak or lost voice
raw or sore throat
Treatment options
Viral laryngitis will improve on its own, usually within two weeks. Here are a few tips to help you feel better:
Rest your voice.
Drink extra fluids, especially warm tea or broth.
Suck on a lozenge and gargle with warm salt water to help with throat pain.
Take over-the-counter pain medication such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil) to relieve your sore throat.
When to see your doctor
In some cases, you may be able to relieve your symptoms with home treatment. But if your symptoms last longer than a week or worsen, see a doctor. They can make a diagnosis and work with you on a care plan.
You should also see a doctor if you experience more severe symptoms. Severe symptoms include:
a severe sore throat that makes it painful to swallow
shortness of breath, wheezing
rash
chest pain
excessive tiredness during the day
loud snoring at night
fever higher than 101°F (38°C)