When you have sore throat, you experience pain and have a dry, scratchy feeling within the throat. Scratchy throat may be a sign that the throat is sore. Sore throat that is causing the throat to feel scratchy may be caused by infections. Environmental factors for example, dry air may also cause the throat to feel scratchy and sore. In most cases, although a scratchy throat feels uncomfortable, it will subside on its own. There are, however home remedies that you can go for to help relieve the pain, may be, if the symptoms are severe or persist, you may consider having medication. Your throat may feel scratchy if you have sore throat caused by common cold and flu or viral infections. Strep throat or other bacterial infections like tonsillitis and Chlamydia can cause scratchy throat. Allergies can also trigger symptoms like scratchy or irritating throat.
Scratchy Throat – Causes
When you have colds and flu or some other viral infections like mononucleosis, your throat could become irritating, painful, and scratchy. Bacterial infections like strep throat and tonsillitis may also make your throat to feel scratchy and dry or even painful. People who are allergic to grass, pet dander, pollen, and other substances may experience throat irritation along with watery eyes, congestion, and sneezing.
Having postnasal drip in which case excess mucus drips down the throat’s back may also make your throat to become irritating and scratchy. When dry air sucks moisture from the throat and mouth, it can leave these parts feeling dry and scratchy. Cigarette and tobacco smoke or air pollution may induce irritants to the throat that irritate it.
Gastresophageal reflux disease that involves acid backing up from the stomach to the esophagus may also make the throat to irritate and feel scratchy. You may have scratchy throat following repeated use of the vocal cords and the associated muscles in your throat. For example, after you have been talking, singing, or yelling for some time, you may find that the throat feels scratchy and sore.
Symptoms Accompanying Scratchy Throat
A scratchy throat arising from sore throat may be accompanied by other symptoms like:
- Dryness of mouth and throat
- Irritation
- Tenderness
- Raw
- Burning
- Reddened tonsils
- A throat that hurts when swallowing or talking
If a scratchy throat is due to a bacterial infection, there may be white patches and areas of pus forming on the person’s tonsils. The scratchy throat in the case of a bacterial infection may have other symptoms like:
- Chills
- Cough
- Runny nose
- Nasal congestion
- Appetite loss
- Headache
- Hoarse voice
- Swollen glands in an individual’s neck
- Fever
- Sneezing
- Trouble swallowing
Scratchy Throat – Home Remedies (Treatment)
Most cases of scratchy throat can be treated at home. You may want to have plenty of rest to allow the immune system to build up and fight any infection you may be having. If home remedies don’t work to get rid of scratchy throat, you should visit a doctor. The following home remedies can help with sore throat that feels scratchy.
OTC painkillers: Acetaminophen, aspirin and ibuprofen or Aleve can help relieve sore throat, but acetaminophen mainly helps to reduce swelling.
Gargle saltwater: By mixing a tablespoon of salt in a cup of warm water, you can gargle the mixture in your mouth. Gargling using salt is a simple, yet effective remedy for treating sore, scratchy throat. The warm water helps to increase the flow of blood into throat something that aids in fighting infections. The presence of salt in the warm water helps to wash away dead cells.
Slippery elm: You may want to use sore throat lozenges made using herbal ingredients like slippery elm. The slippery elm provides a coating of the mucous membranes the same way you find in the throat. In case the lozenges containing slippery elm does not work, you may want to try one that has benzocaine because it helps to numb the pain temporarily.
Warm chamomile tea: Drinking chamomile tea helps fight inflammation while also offering some sedative effects. What you need to do is make some double-strength tea using two tea bags in a cup of hot water. Then gargle the tea and spit it. You may want to add some honey to get more relief of the scratchy throat.
Lemon and honey: Take a teaspoonful lemon juice and mix it with some honey and hot water. Sip the mixture to help treat scratchy throat. Lemon has acidic juice that promotes saliva production to help bathe the throat. Honey has antibacterial properties to fight infection and helps pull moisture from the throat tissue thus relieving inflammation.
Humidifier: Turning the humidifier will increase the amount of moisture in air something that reduces throat dryness and relieves pain.
Heating pad: Take a heating pad and apply it to your throat. You may also wrap it in some warm flannel or towel that is dipped in hot water and squeezed out. There will be increased blood flow in throat to help relieve pain.
Apple cider vinegar: Take a tablespoonful of the vinegar and mixture it with honey, garlic, and warm water. While it might not be that delicious, it can help treat your scratchy throat. Apple cider vinegar has acidic properties that help kill bacteria, and with honey, it can help to sooth soreness in throat. If you feel like you cannot swallow it, just gargle the mixture 3 times a day.
Garlic: You can try sucking on garlic and although it doesn’t taste pleasantly, it has antibacterial properties to fight off bacteria that cause irritation and pain. Garlic has allicin compound that is an ideal ingredient for fighting bacteria.
Take marshmallow: This is an herb that contains mucilage, which can help in coating and soothing mucus membranes in an individual’s throat. If you are diabetic, you may want to talk to your physician before you take marshmallow root because it tends to lower blood sugar. Just take a tablespoon of dried marshmallow root and put it in a cup of hot water, and cover it for about half an hour before you strain and drink it.
Steaming with eucalyptus: Using steam can help ease scratchy throat, especially if it hurts because of dryness. It can also help if your nose is congested. Get a large bowl and fill it halfway with hot water and add eucalyptus oil. Make sure you have a bath towel. To steam the throat, you need to lean over that bowl and inhale the steam coming out from the bowl. Use the towel to drape it over the head so that you create something like a tent to ensure the steam isn’t escaping into the air. You may also have a steam bath with the bathroom locked up to ensure steam builds up.
Drink cayenne: Taking warm water containing cayenne helps relieve scratchy throat. Cayenne is a kind of hot pepper that contains a substance known as capsaicin and it helps to provide relieve to pain, in much the same way aspirin or Advil does. Cayenne hinders the substance that relays pain signs to a person’s brain. This will help to do away with the discomfort caused by scratchy throat. Take cayenne pepper and a cup of hot water. Add some honey, probably a teaspoon is enough. Stir the mixture and wait until it is warm, then drink it a couple of times in a day. Because the cayenne tends to settle in the cup, stir the mixture every time you take it.
Licorice root tea: Drinking licorice root tea helps treat scratchy throat. This herb has both anti-inflammatory and anti-viral properties to reduce irritation, swelling, and sooth the throat’s mucus membrane. Take some chopped dry licorice with cinnamon chips and whole cloves. Also have some chamomile flowers. Mix all these ingredients in a bowl in some water and add tea. Using a saucepan, heat the mixture to boil using medium to low heat. Before you take out the mixture from the saucepan, try simmering it for about 10 minutes then using a strainer, pour the mixture into a mug. Sip and enjoy it, it will help relieve scratchy throat.
Baking soda: This substance has antibacterial properties to help fight bacteria. It is simple and straightforward to use the remedy. Because it is slightly alkaline, it helps sooth irritations on throat. You can add some salt to enhance the soothing property. To make your baking soda mixture, take a cup of warm water, some teaspoonful salt or less, and about half teaspoon baking soda. Mix the three ingredients and stir before pouring the liquid to the throat and allowing it to sit there for some moment. Gargle and spit out. Do this for about 3 times a day.
Take honeysuckle: This is an ancient plant that is known to ease sore throats, coughs, and flu symptoms. It has bacteria fighting properties and will help improve your scratchy throat caused by an infection. Honeysuckle also helps to flush out toxins from the bloodstream while providing anti-inflammatory actions to reduce swelling in throat. To prepare the solution, get honeysuckle leaves and flowers and some water, use simmering methods to heat the mixture. You can find honeysuckle leaves and flowers in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) stores around you.
Hydrogen peroxide: This substance helps kill bacteria and it will clean and starve off throat infections to relieve scratchy throat. Get hydrogen peroxide and put about a capful into the drinking cup. Take some water and warm it up and now dilute the peroxide using a cupful of the warm water. Gargle the solution before you spit it. You can add some honey if you like.
Drink ginger: It may be intensely spicy, but ginger has anti-inflammatory properties. It also acts as an expectorant meaning it loosens and expels mucus from the respiratory system and throat. Its aroma helps to open up the sinuses. Ginger increases blood circulation, supply of oxygen, and flushes out toxins. This herb also fights off bacteria. Just prepare ginger tea and take it.
Gargle sage: This herb contains phenolic acid that helps fight and kill bacteria. Sage is considered an astringent meaning that it helps contract body tissue. So it can help reduce swelling. Just take about 2 teaspoons of dried or fresh sage leaves, boiling water, and salt. Boil the water and add it to the sage in bowl and cover for about 20 minutes. You now strain the mixture and add some salt before you gargle.
Take cinnamon tea: When the throat is feeling scratchy, you probably don’t want to think about putting anything spicy. But cinnamon can help if the throat is sore and painful. If you have had cold and the throat is scratchy, this is an herb to try out. Cinnamon has high amounts of anti-oxidants to fight free radicals. It has aromas to help open up sinuses. Get your cinnamon sticks or powder and some boiling water. Also have some tea like green tea or herbal tea. Add cinnamon to the boiling water and strain to get the solution. Put your green or herbal tea into the strained cinnamon and hot water mixture. You can now drink and enjoy the tea. It will provide relieve to scratchy throat.
While there are many home remedies you can try to treat scratchy throat, sometimes it is a matter of experimentation. You may not know which of these remedies best work for you. If you are allergic to any of the ingredients, you would better avoid it. Don’t take too much concentration of the ingredients because it can be harmful. Use the measurements advised to ensure effectiveness and avoid adverse effects. Remember what works for someone else may not necessarily work for you. If the symptoms of scratchy throat continue to persist and are accompanied by other symptoms, you can see a doctor. Salt, honey, lemon, apple cider vinegar, and baking soda seem to be the most prevalent home remedies for treating scratchy throat.
