Even a weak sore throat can develop into serious problems, especially if you ignore this symptom and do not take action. The danger of the situation is that if your throat is itching, you feel something like tickling or even scratching from the inside, it is easy to take for a common cold and try to recover on your own. However, annoying and unpleasant sensations in the larynx can be associated not only with colds, it is worth paying attention to this symptom.
What to do if the throat itches from the inside?
Unpleasant and obsessive sensations in the larynx can not always be described unambiguously. It may be more like tickling, burning or a rather painful sensation in which it is difficult to speak and impossible to swallow. If your throat is itching from the inside, then first of all you need to carefully listen to yourself - are there any other symptoms that will help to make a preliminary diagnosis.
If you not only have tickle in the throat, but also have a runny nose, the temperature has risen slightly, then the usual cold, which disappears in a couple of days, is quite possible. However, if the temperature exceeds 38 degrees, a febrile state (chills, pain in the joints and muscles), lacrimation and other symptoms appear, then a doctor examination is necessary, first of all you need to see a therapist. It is this doctor who will determine whether to refer you to other specialists, or he will make a diagnosis and prescribe treatment.
Sore throat - what is this symptom?
If your throat is itching from the inside, then the cause in most cases is inflammation. Tissues of the mucous membrane swell, become painful, a desire to cough up appears, as if some foreign object in the throat makes it difficult to feel comfortable. Despite a common misconception, these unpleasant sensations testify not only to a common cold. What does the obsessive and unpleasant tickling in the larynx testify to?
It could be:
- neurotic perspiration;
- ENT diseases (pharyngitis, tonsillitis);
- a symptom of an allergy;
- reflux esophagitis;
- increased sensitivity of the throat.
As you can see, the spectrum of possible problems, accompanied by a sensation of scratching or tickling in the throat, is quite large. That is why it is better to seek the help of specialists, especially if the examination of the therapist has not revealed any signs characteristic of the common cold. It will not only require a more thorough physical examination, you will need to pass the appropriate tests.
Neurotic sore throat
It happens this way: the therapist and otolaryngologist unanimously assure that you are healthy, the tests convincingly prove this, but at the same time, the throat itches from the inside out. What to do in this case and to which specialist to go? Perhaps these are neurotic manifestations caused by spasm of the larynx. The symptom is often referred to in fiction as “a lump in the throat,” a tickle may be accompanied by a sensation of a stranglehold on the neck, lack of air. In psychiatry, there is such a thing as a “hysterical lump in the throat”. You need to understand that this concept has no evaluative or derogatory meaning.
The symptom worsens during periods of mental anxiety, fear, and if neurotic disorders are extensive enough, a person may not even be aware that he needs the help of a neurologist or psychiatrist. Depressive manifestations are often directly related to hormonal problems or circulatory disorders of the brain, this is treated with medication and is not a sign of mental illness.
ENT diseases
What is colloquially called colds can in practice be an infectious disease of ENT organs, and not only the larynx often suffers. Tearing and runny nose, itchy throat from the inside, and ears hurt - this set of symptoms is typical for a sore throat with complications. As you know, sore throat is not a cold, it is a bacterial infection that affects primarily the mucous membranes of the respiratory system.
Laryngitis, tonsillitis and pharyngitis are three diagnoses that are most often made when a person complains of a scratching sore throat. It is possible to treat these diseases with raspberry jam and herbal decoctions, but it is very long and fraught with complications. In infectious diseases of ENT organs, antibacterial drugs and symptomatic treatment are combined , which should bring relief to the patient.
Allergy
Another common reason due to which the throat itches from the inside and the runny nose does not allow breathing normally is an allergic reaction. The sensitivity of the immune system to various stimuli can occur both periodically and permanently. The problem is that it is quite difficult to identify an allergen, for this multi-stage allergy tests are carried out, plus everything else, this is not a cheap process.
The most effective treatment in this case is to eliminate the allergen and try not to contact it. If this is some kind of food product, it is enough to adjust the diet a little. It is more difficult when it comes to a substance whose presence nearby is independent of the patient. for example, seasonal allergies associated with the flowering of various plants, the so-called "hay fever." It is characterized by swelling of the mucous membranes of the respiratory system, rhinitis, sore throat. In this case, the symptoms are stopped by taking antihistamines, they temporarily inhibit some functions of the immune system and force the body not to respond to the presence of an irritating substance.
Reflux esophagitis
It is hard to imagine, but digestive problems can cause similar symptoms. During reflux, the contents of the stomach in small amounts can rise up the esophagus and irritate the mucous membrane of the throat as well.
Various kinds of gastrointestinal diseases, accompanied by reflux phenomena, are not always pronounced so clearly that you can make a diagnosis on your own. It is possible to treat sore throat caused by reflux esophagitis only by eliminating the underlying disease.
Increased throat sensitivity
In some cases, the larynx may have special sensitivity due to professional characteristics or as a result of hormonal changes. People who have to talk or sing a lot on duty often pay the strain on their vocal cords. This opens the door for infection, and as a result, an inflammatory process can begin, accompanied by a tickling or scratching sensation in the throat.
If the throat itches from the inside during pregnancy, this may be due to changes in the hormonal background. A pregnant woman may be vulnerable to all of the above hazards, so this symptom can not be ignored, you must always consult a doctor.
Symptomatic treatment
If your throat is itching from the inside, and the cough does not allow you to breathe normally, the first thing you need is a correctly diagnosed diagnosis, on the basis of which a medication is prescribed for the disease. It is important to remember that discomfort in the larynx is not a disease, but just one of the symptoms. However, this does not mean that there is no means that can eliminate a sore throat and at least temporarily relieve well-being, especially since the inflammatory process can complicate food intake.
Warm drink helps with emollient bactericidal agents. Honey, raspberry jam, lemon - these simple remedies can really make you feel better. The pharmacy sells candies and lozenges, which can partially or completely relieve the symptom. For example, lozenges, which contain lidocaine, a local anesthetic, completely relieve pain in the larynx, which allows you to eat safely.
Folk remedies
It is folk remedies that are applied first if the throat is scratched from the inside. How to treat this symptom with simple and affordable methods? Already listed honey, raspberries and lemon are only a small part of the arsenal of folk healers. Such an exotic product as jam from rose petals is a powerful bactericidal agent, it can be taken in small doses throughout the day, slowly dissolving in the oral cavity.
You can gargle with decoctions and infusions of medicinal herbs. For this, medicinal chamomile, peppermint, lemon balm, thyme are used in equal parts, a small amount of oak bark can be added. Two tablespoons of chopped herbs are poured with a glass of boiling water and insisted in heat for half an hour, then the infusion is filtered. It is advisable to use the infusion in a warm form after eating, and then at least half an hour after rinsing do not drink anything so as not to wash away the healing substances.