Waking up and going to the kitchen for a glass of water, or leaving one next to your bed is not okay. Dry throat shouldn’t be your daily or nightly ordeal. What is the cause of dry throat, can it lead to something more serious, does dry throat snoring exist and how can you deal with this? Let’s look at the evidence.
What are dry throat symptoms?
Experiencing a dry throat at night is common. You may also have a dry throat in the morning. No matter at which point it happens, if you have a dry throat regularly, it needs both diagnosing and treating.
Excluding dry sore throat, there are other signs and symptoms which may suggest your health is affected:
- mouth breathing;
- difficulty chewing or swallowing;
- obstructed breathing;
- fragmented sleep.
Top five causes of dry throat
Among the reasons for a dry throat, these are the most common:
Mouth breathing: Breathing through the nose goes by default. This reduces the evaporation of humidity from the soft tissues. When we breathe through the mouth, it quickly dries us out. Mouth breathing at night often leads to snoring. In this way, dry throat may cause sleep apnea.
Allergies: Having seasonal allergies means your immune system releases a chemical called histamine, which in an allergic reaction, can cause dry throat.
Medications: What causes dry throat in an unnatural way is medications. Some anticholinergic medications, antidepressants and sleeping pills contain diphenhydramine which can lead to dryness.
Mononucleosis: Commonly known as the “kissing disease”, this is usually passed on through a person’s bodily fluids, causing a dry scratchy throat.
Tonsillitis: This is an inflammation of the tonsils, commonly caused by a viral infection or by bacteria. A dry throat may be a symptom of tonsilitis.
Dry throat and snoring
A 2006 study revealed ‘dry mouth’ appeared to be a significant symptom of OSA. The prevalence of dry mouth upon awakening was twice as high in patients with OSA, 31% to 16%. Moreover, the chances of sleep apnea dry throat breathing increased linearly depending on the OSA type. From 22% to 34%, and 41% in mild, moderate, and severe OSA respectively. The conclusion is that dry throat and snoring are directly related.
Dry throat remedies and treatment
To help you find a solution, here is advice on dry throat treatment:
- avoid sugar, alcohol, caffeine;
- slip water throughout the day;
- monitor sleep by using anti-snoring app Goodsomnia Lab. It will help you catch snoring in its first phase and act fast on solving the snoring reason that dry throat can be;
- in case of OSA, ensure proper airflow through your nose, by using CPAP.
Remember, no treatment options and dry throat remedies can help without specialist consultation. So, take your time and visit a doctor.
