Nowadays, having an itchy throat and a dry cough is something alarming for those who suffer from it and their contacts, but could it be due to coronavirus, or is it due to allergy, reflux or smoking tobacco? There are many reasons why you may suffer from these symptoms and, therefore, the treatment will be different.
If you want to know whether an itchy throat and dry cough may be due to coronavirus and how to act in that case, what are the other possible causes and what to take if you have these symptoms, then continue reading this FastlyHealarticle and inform yourself correctly .
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Itchy throat and dry cough: could it be coronavirus?
The itchy throat and dry cough can refer to multiple diseases, especially inflammatory ones such as allergies or virals. The coronavirus , Wuhan virus, COVID-19 or 2019-nCoV can have multiple symptoms , but the most frequent are:
- Fever.
- Dry cough.
- Fatigue.
There are other symptoms that, although less frequent, someone with coronavirus can also suffer:
- Throat pain.
- Nasal congestion.
- Water-like nasal mucus.
- Pains in the body
- Diarrhea.
Therefore, knowing this, it can be concluded that yes, an itchy throat and dry cough may correspond to a case of coronavirus, but it could also not be .
If you suffer from these symptoms, the first and foremost thing is not to be alarmed, as they are not serious symptoms of the disease. What you should do is stay at home and call the special number that they have enabled in your pçaís or community, do it as soon as your symptoms begin so that they can tell you how to proceed.
Do not go directly to a health center or hospital . There are many people infected at the same time and this overloads the health system. This is very important because the severity of this virus is not due to the symptoms themselves, but because of the ease of contagion and because those who suffer from low defenses or other diseases can be infected. If you go to a hospital and you do not have coronavirus you can acquire it, if you have coronavirus and your symptoms are mild, you should only rest at home with the pain relievers that they indicate, but if you leave home and there is an elderly person or someone with older relatives you can indirectly infect them.
When you call the emergency number, they will ask you to answer a series of questions in order to know if you have a fever or what other symptoms, if you have other illnesses or take any medication, if you have previously been in contact with people who have been diagnosed with coronavirus In short, they will try to reach a possible diagnosis. If they deem it necessary, they will send staff to perform a coronavirus test in your home.
Other causes of itchy throat and dry cough
There are different causes why the throat can be upset and itchy, this can cause a dry cough, it is not necessarily a lung problem. Here is a list of other possible causes of an itchy throat and dry cough:
- Allergy : an overreaction to any particle in the environment or food can make the lining of your throat swell and cause itching. This tends to be worse in certain seasons of the year and if the allergen is still in contact, but it depends on the response of the immune system of each person. It can also bother your nose: itching or having watery mucus, you can suffer from dysphonia and, in more important cases, suffer from bronchospasm, asthma or laryngospasm.
- Reflux : an irritation of the pharynx due to gastroesophageal reflux causes gastric contents to ascend into the esophagus, throat and even the rest of the airway. With which, an inflammation occurs that can cause a dry cough, itching, a sensation of having something in the pharynx, throat clearing, mucus, even asthma attacks and otitis have been related to reflux. These symptoms are usually worse when lying down, but can be present throughout the day.
- Common cold : first, clear mucus, sneezing, sore throat, then dysphonia and dry cough, can appear before a simple viral picture. That cough can last 2 to 3 weeks.
- Irritants : If you breathe on a substance that irritates you, you may have an itchy throat and a dry cough.
- Rhinosinusitis : permanently swallowing mucus can cause inflammation in your throat, give you itchiness and a dry cough, especially at night.
- Smoking : smoking irritates the respiratory tract, which can cause itching and coughing. This can be dry or runny.
- Pressure medication : there are some remedies that are used to treat patients with hypertension, such as enalapril for example, that cause an itchy throat, a sensation of having something in it, dryness and a dry cough.
- Psychogenic cough : When a person is under great stress and has a cough that disappears at night (when sleeping), it may be that the cause is psychological. Adolescents also tend to suffer from it.
What to take for an itchy throat and dry cough
Since the causes are so varied, the most important thing is not to self-medicate with medications. You can resort to some measures and home remedies for an itchy throat and dry cough:
- Drink plenty of water : keeping your throat and your body hydrated is a good measure to reduce discomfort. Leave out drinks with sugar and sweeteners, alcohol and coffee, all of this generates irritation and does not hydrate in the same way. Natural fruit juices are an excellent option.
- Consume honey : honey causes the affected area to deflate, it is also antimicrobial and, on the other hand, by stimulating taste receptors, it allows itching, pain and coughing to decrease. It is best to consume it away from other foods, diluted in warm water. In addition, it is excellent to replace refined sugar, another option for this is whole grain, muscabo or panela sugar.
- Ginger tea : it is anti-inflammatory, you can drink 3 or 4 cups a day to improve discomfort.
- Lemon : freshly squeezed lemon juice is very good for balancing the body, it also provides vitamin C which is excellent for fighting all kinds of diseases. Consumed away from meals it is ideal.
- Eucalyptus : drunk as an infusion or inhaled, it is excellent to combat all types of inflammation of the respiratory tract.
And something very important is to improve your lifestyle habits:
- Do not smoke : cigarettes generate a lot of irritation, whether or not it is the cause of your cough, it will help you to improve, since it is a great poison that causes damage to your respiratory tract.
- Improve your diet : to recover more efficiently and quickly, you must increase the amount of raw fruits and vegetables. Leave out flours with gluten and dairy, they increase body inflammation. Do not consume canned food, food with colorants or other types of processed such as sausages. Also avoid meat, as it has been proven to generate more toxins than benefits in the body. Instead, eat more nuts, seeds, or grains (sprouting them is even better). A balanced diet creates a balanced body that is less prone to infection.
This article is merely informative, at FastlyHeal .com we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.
If you want to read more articles similar to Itchy throat and dry cough: causes and what to take , we recommend that you enter our Lung and respiratory tract category .
I am a Surgeon with a diploma in comprehensive ultrasound and surgical care residency, an area I am specializing in. During the exercise of my profession, I have realized the need for patients to know the diseases they suffer, and I can tell you that a large part of their complications is due to a lack of information. Being a health web writer allows me to transmit my experience, without borders, to all those readers eager for knowledge, educate them in the prevention of diseases and promote a healthy lifestyle.