A dry throat is a source of discomfort to patients. In addition, this symptom is a factor contributing to the development of pathological processes in the body. A dry throat is a prerequisite for effective exposure to pathogens.
By researching the causes of dry throat, you can try to prevent many serious diseases.
The development of this symptom is based on both throat diseases and pathological processes caused by damage to other organs. This symptom can also be caused by some physiological processes.
Dry throat, thirst is the result of a mistake in food, the use of excessively salty or spicy food. The development of this symptomatology can be noted in a patient as a result of stress, fear, and other negative influences.
Emotional factor
In this situation, patients complain of a feeling of a lump, inability to swallow saliva or move their tongue. These signs, due to psychoemotional overstrain, are short-term. In rare cases, in patients with a labile nervous system, a stressful situation can lead to a persistent deterioration in well-being or a depressive state. In this case, help can be provided by a psychotherapist or psychiatrist.
ARVI
Among the causes of dry throat, acute respiratory infections occupy a leading position. This disease is widespread among the population. In addition to the deterioration of the general condition, malaise, one of the first symptoms is dry throat, perspiration, cough.
The nose and throat are the gateways to the spread of infection. It is the effect of pathogenic microbes on the mucous membrane that leads to the development of a pathological process, accompanied by this symptomatology.
There is another mechanism that ensures the development of dryness of the mucous membranes. A mandatory symptom of ARVI is an increase in body temperature to 38-39 degrees. As a result, the release of heat from the body and the evaporation of fluid from the surface of the skin increase. This process also leads to drying out of the mucous membranes. In this regard, a mandatory therapeutic measure aimed at combating viruses and hyperthermia is moisturizing the nasopharynx, drinking a large amount of liquid.
Inflammatory diseases
Another reason why the throat is dry is inflammatory diseases of the throat, pharyngitis and laryngitis. Under the influence of various pathogenic factors, an inflammatory process develops in the mucous membrane of the pharynx and larynx, accompanied by the development of this symptom. In addition to complaints that the throat is drying, there is a perspiration, dry cough. When the vocal cords are involved in the process, the timbre of the voice changes, the appearance of its hoarseness.
These complaints are most typical in the acute period of the disease. However, the chronic course of pharyngitis and laryngitis is also accompanied by unpleasant sensations in the throat, periodic desire to cough up, and hoarseness at the end of the day. In the development of an exacerbation of a chronic process, hypothermia, the presence of dangerous impurities in the inhaled air are of the greatest importance.
In addition to acute respiratory viral infections, inflammatory processes in the throat, any other pathological conditions accompanied by an increased body temperature can also be characterized by the fact that the throat dries up. However, in this case, this symptom fades into the background. Its diagnostic value decreases.
A dry throat can be caused by a congested nose.
Curvature of the nasal septum, sinusitis, rhinitis, allergies are characterized by the fact that the patient is forced to breathe through the mouth.
The condition is aggravated after a night's sleep and, in addition to dryness of the mucous membrane, is manifested by a sore throat, cough.
Inhaled air characteristic
The throat can also dry out due to the presence of certain hazards in the inhaled air:
- dustiness;
- pathological impurities, nicotine, chemical compounds.
Insufficient humidity also contributes to the drying out of the air.
Dry hot air in some heavy industries even leads to fragility of blood vessels in patients, causes the development of not only inflammatory processes in the nasopharynx, but also bleeding. In this case, the appearance of dry throat at the end of the working day is characteristic. The importance of humidifying the air is also evidenced by the fact that most often this symptom develops in the cold season. During this period, centralized heating is switched on, drying the air in the room.
This symptom can be caused not only by the inflammatory, but also by the tumor process. Active and passive smoking is a factor contributing to the development of severe pathology of the ENT organs and lungs. Symptoms at the onset of the disease are not very pronounced and are masked by the phenomena of chronic pharyngitis, laryngitis and bronchitis, which accompany the long process of smoking. In this regard, this group of patients is subject to a more thorough examination.
Endocrine pathology
Complaints of dry throat are one of the first signs of diabetes. In this case, a violation of carbohydrate metabolism occurs, which in the early stages is accompanied by the development of the following symptoms:
- constant feeling of thirst when the patient drinks at least a liter of water per night;
- increased urine output;
- low ability to heal wounds;
- tendency to pustular skin lesions.
Later, symptoms of vascular lesions of the eyes, legs, brain, and internal organs develop.
Dry throat and thirst are a constant sign of decompensated diabetes mellitus, as well as conditions characterized by increased blood sugar levels:
- pheochromocytoma;
- hypercortisolism;
- cirrhosis of the liver;
- Itsenko-Cushing's disease.
Complaints that the throat is dry, swallowing is difficult, and is noted in the pathology of the thyroid gland. Hypothyroidism is characterized by a decrease in hormone production and the development of hypofunction of the gland. The pathological process affects various organs and tissues, which causes a variety of symptoms. With regard to the size of the thyroid gland, there is no relationship between its functional capacity and volume. The development of symptoms of hypothyroidism can be noted with absolutely normal gland size.
Symptoms for which you can suspect a pathology of the thyroid gland are
- puffiness and puffiness of the face;
- slowness in movements;
- lethargy, lethargy;
- violation of thought processes;
- dry skin;
- fragility and thinning of hair;
- overweight;
- tendency to bradycardia.
With pharyngoscopy, swelling of the laryngeal mucosa may be detected, which leads to a change in the timbre of the voice, the appearance of its hoarseness.
The tongue is dry and has teeth imprints on it. It is possible to reliably clarify the diagnosis only by conducting a study of the level of thyroid hormones.
The reasons why the throat may dry out are varied. In cases where the development of a symptom is short-lived, this should not be a cause for concern. SARS, acute inflammatory diseases of the throat are easily diagnosed, characterized by a mild course. As for the presence of a symptom for several weeks or months, this situation requires clarification. Dangerous can be both diseases of the ENT organs, and other chronic diseases.
