Sore throat and dry cough cause many pathological conditions.
This may include the common cold, allergies and some other diseases.
All causes of these symptoms can be divided into 2 groups according to origin: infectious and non-infectious.
For infectious reasons include diseases caused by various types of bacteria, viruses and fungi.
For non-communicable reasons include conditions not associated with inflammation, which are very many. Consider each reason in more detail.
Sore throat and dry cough: causes
Infectious diseases often cause these symptoms. Among the frequent inflammatory diseases can be identified:
- ARVI;
- pharyngitis;
- laryngitis;
- tracheitis.
Viral infection begins with nasal congestion, the next day there is a sore throat and a dry cough. A cough may be caused by runny mucus from the nose on the back of the throat. Often against the background of a viral infection develops pharyngitis. In this disease, the pharyngeal mucosa is inflamed. Viruses that enter the body cause fever, weakness, muscle pain and headache. On average, the acute period lasts 3 to 4 days, then the symptoms subside.
Laryngitis - This is a disease in which the inflammatory process captures the vocal cords. At the same time, a person has a hoarse voice and a rough cough. Especially this disease is dangerous for children, because they may develop stenosis of the larynx. A condition in which the larynx overlaps and the child becomes unable to breathe. Earlier this condition became the cause of death, but nowadays it is successfully treated.
Tracheitis - Another cause of dry cough. Tracheal inflammation is accompanied by bouts of dry cough, especially at night and a sore throat. Coughing attacks are reduced if the air in the apartment is humid.
Do not forget that any infectious disease can be caused by bacteria and then antiviral drugs will be useless. An ordinary person is unlikely to be able to understand the causes of his illness, so when signs of illness appear, it is better to consult a doctor.
Angina - A disease that is caused by streptococci. The inflammatory process affects the tonsils. This is a dangerous disease, with the wrong treatment of which, serious illnesses develop. Such as heart disease, glomerulonephritis. Sore throat can also cause irritation in the throat and dry cough.
Any of the above diseases, except SARS, may become chronic. All diseases occur with periods of remission and exacerbation.
Sore throat and dry cough: noncommunicable diseases
Allergy - One of the common causes of a runny nose, tearing, and tickling in the throat. Upon contact with an allergen, the body’s immune system reacts and releases histamine. Tickling occurs due to swelling of the mucous membrane, in response to allergen irritation. This state may be seasonal - for certain plants, pollen; and can be constant on dust, wool, cold. If allergies are suspected, a person should “trace” his or her body. When the symptoms intensify, and when they do not exist. To determine for sure the allergens to which the body reacts, you can contact the allergist for testing. Common allergens include:
1. Food - citrus, chicken, fish.
2. Household - house dust, mold, mites.
3. Pollen - wormwood, ambrosia.
4. Epidermal - animal hair, down, feathers.
5. Medicinal - antibiotics, vitamins, sulfonamides and others.
6. Helminth allergens appear in response to the appearance of worms in the body. The latter, multiplying, disrupt the immune system and provoke allergic reactions.
Diabetes
A disease in which the pancreas is disturbed. It ceases to produce its own hormone - insulin and in the body begin irreversible processes. With a lack of insulin in the body, the level of glucose in the blood rises. The main sign of high sugar is a decrease in salivation. In the mouth of such patients is always dry, they may have a dry cough. All these symptoms disappear after a few sips of water or when blood glucose stabilizes.
Endemic goiter
A disease in which the thyroid gland grows in size. This is due to a lack of iodine in the body. Iodine deficiency disrupts the gland, it stops producing its own hormones. Against this background, in order to maintain normal hormone levels, the gland begins to increase in size.
The first signs of the disease are headache, fatigue, constant weakness. After the thyroid gland acquires large sizes, appear:
- dry cough;
- a feeling of constriction in the neck;
- choking attacks.
Often the thyroid gland greatly increases in size and deforms the neck.
Throat neurosis
A pathological condition in which the sensitivity of the larynx is disturbed. Causes may be damage to the central nervous system or damage to the nerves that feed the larynx.
Pharyngeal neurosis proceeds in 3 forms.
1. Hyposthesia is the weakening of the sensitivity of the larynx due to the defeat of the pharyngeal nerves and the extinction of the same reflex.
2. Hypersthesia - is an increased sensitivity of the larynx. The reason for this often are frequent colds, as well as neuroses and hysteria. Hysteria is a mental illness in which a person reacts inadequately to different situations. Such people are prone to suggestion and self-suggestion. Often behave defiantly, to the show.
3. Paresthesia - a condition in which a person complains of certain discomfort in the throat, but this is not associated with its organic lesion.
Reasons for changes in pharynx sensitivity:
- diseases of the cervical spine;
- brain tumors;
- syphilis;
- multiple sclerosis;
- states after a stroke.
Reflux gastroesophagitis
A disease in which gastric contents are thrown into the esophagus. This irritates the mucous membrane, causing heartburn, sore throat and dry cough.
Reflux gastroesophagitis may be a sign of another pathology of the gastrointestinal tract. These pathologies include gastritis, gastric ulcer, cholecystitis, pancreatitis, and others.
Occupational diseases
There are 2 types of professions that predispose to sore throat and dry cough. The first group is the professions associated with polluted air. These include such professions as a librarian, plasterer, millers and others. The second group includes professions related to the overstrain of the vocal cords - teachers, singers, actors. For one reason or another, the pharyngeal mucosa dries out, tickling and a dry cough appear.
Sore throat and dry cough as a sign of cancer
Malignant tumors of the throat and larynx begin as an ordinary cold. Sore throat, dry cough. However, after treatment, improvement does not occur. If you do not seek medical help for a long time, the cancer will progress and damage other organs and systems of the body. Often with cancer of the throat, the voice may disappear completely. Oncologists are engaged in the treatment of such diseases.
Smoking - Another cause of dry cough. Tobacco smoke dries the mucous membrane of the pharynx, so there is a smarting sore throat and cough. If such symptoms appear, then there is only one way out - stop smoking. It happens that symptoms appear after a person quits smoking. This is due to the fact that the body is under stress. There is a so-called "withdrawal syndrome" when the body reacts to the absence of nicotine by sore throat. Coughing occurs when the lungs begin to clear. Persecution can bring long-lasting discomfort and finding ways to get rid of it is extremely difficult.
Sore throat and dry cough: diagnosis
If there are signs of throat disease, you should immediately consult a doctor. The therapist will conduct an initial examination, appoint a surrender blood and urine tests. What can a blood test show?
Based on the results of the analyzes, one can judge the following,
- Is there inflammation in the body and how strong is it?
- Does the body suffer from allergies;
- how the internal organs of a person work;
- Does the patient have diabetes.
If the level of eosinophils is increased in the blood test, then the patient has an allergy. In the case when the patient is difficult to identify his allergens, he is sent to allergy tests.
Additional research methods include blood tests hormones and tumor markers; radiography of the lungs; computed tomography of the brain; pharyngoscopy and laryngoscopy. To diagnose diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, the patient must undergo fibrogastroduodenoscopy, ultrasound of the abdominal cavity organs, donate blood from a vein for biochemical analysis.
After a full examination, the patient may need to consult an otolaryngologist, an endocrinologist, an allergist.
Sore throat and dry cough: treatment
If the body is damaged by viruses or bacteria, in addition to perspiration and coughing, there will be other symptoms indicating inflammation - high body temperature and others. Only a doctor can choose the right treatment, but if you decide to be treated on your own, you must follow some rules. Before buying medicines, examine your throat. If there are no ulcers or purulent plaque in it and you are sick for the first day - buy antiviral drugs.
If you have a sore throat and dry cough drink warm liquid - tea, milk, fruit drinks. In addition, it is necessary to treat the mucous membrane of the pharynx with antiseptic solutions. Also, to reduce tickling in the throat use a variety of candies. Rinsing the throat is another effective method to reduce inflammation. For this you can use furatsilin, chamomile broth. When perspiration, it is better not to use saline solutions, as they will irritate and dry the pharyngeal mucosa, thereby further provoking perspiration and coughing.
If ulcers are found on the tonsils, antiviral drugs will not have the desired effect. Angina is treated antibiotics. Throat for sore throat should be rinsed every 30 minutes. Purulent plaque can be removed independently by wrapping a bandage around the finger.
When tracheitis patient needed antitussive and antispasmodic drugs. Laryngitis is well treated with inhalation.
An allergy is treated by an allergist, but the therapist may also prescribe an examination and treatment. After the detection of allergens, a person needs to eliminate contact with them and take allergy medications. These include antihistamines.
If a patient has diabetes, he is sent for consultation to an endocrinologist. After testing and confirming the diagnosis, the patient is prescribed treatment. It can be insulin injections or tabletsas well as a strict diet.
Treatment of endemic goiter is to receive iodine-containing drugs, with moderate severity of the disease, thyroid hormones are prescribed, and in severe cases, surgical treatment is performed.
If a person has a mental illness, then the psychiatrist must first treat it. The patient is prescribed antidepressants, tranquilizers, sedatives, nootropics. In addition, he is shown various methods of psychotherapy - hypnosis, various trainings. Also, the patient needs physiotherapeutic procedures: electrosleep, acupuncture, electrophoresis.
For the treatment of reflux gastroesophagitis, the patient must use antacids, prokinetics and antisecretory drugs. In addition, a strict diet is necessary.
If dry throat is a symptom of cancer, the patient will be prescribed surgical treatment and chemotherapy, but only in those cases if the stage of cancer allows surgical treatment. It is believed that cancer is inherited, so if you have a predisposition to cancer, you need to take tests for cancer markers once a year.
If throat irritation occurs due to smoking, the person is recommended quit smoking. To moisturize the mucous membrane, inhalations, gargling with decoctions of herbs are used. To cope with the "withdrawal syndrome" will help physical exercise, good rest, proper nutrition.
Sore throat and dry cough: prevention
1. Refuse bad habits.
2. Eat right.
3. Lead a healthy lifestyle.
4. Doing sports.
5. Hardened.
6. Annually undergo a medical examination to timely detect health problems and their treatment.
7. In the presence of chronic diseases - follow all recommendations and undergo preventive treatment 2 times a year.
Sore throat and dry cough are just a sign of illness. It is only the doctor, after careful examination of the person, can precisely determine which disease provokes these symptoms.
Do not neglect this, because timely treatment can save you from a chronic disease, and in some cases, death.
