Allergic rhinitis and a dry throat
When suffering from allergic rhinitis, the body releases histamine in an attempt to get rid of allergens. This can result in inflammation of the nasal passages and, in turn, congestion can become problematic as the amount of air able to travel in and out of the nose is restricted.
At this point we must rely on our mouth to breathe but unfortunately it does the job less effectively than the nose and, as a result, a dry throat can become an issue.
When you take a breath in, cold air enters the mouth and dries out the moisture created by saliva. The tissues in the mouth are quite sensitive so this means we tend to notice the effects of dryness and it may eventually lead to a sore throat.
How to tell if allergic rhinitis is causing dry throat
A dry throat can be the result of a few things, but if allergic rhinitis is the cause, there are a few things that make it distinctive.
Frequency – if a dry throat is regularly an issue for you it may indicate that allergic rhinitis is behind the problem.
Other problems – when caused by allergic rhinitis, a dry throat is usually accompanied by issues like congestion and sneezing rather than it being a stand-alone-problem.
Time of year – pollen is the most common cause of allergic rhinitis so if your symptoms appear between March and June when plants are pollinating, this may also be a sign that allergic rhinitis is the cause.
What can you do?
Avoid histamine – milk-based products, alcohol and caffeine are a few examples of food and drinks that are high in histamine. When suffering from allergic rhinitis these could exasperate your symptoms so are best avoided. As an alternative, you can opt for foods low in histamine such as fresh fruit, vegetables and meat.
Gargle salt water – this doesn’t sound all too pleasant but regardless, it’s a tried and tested treatment for throat problems. Plus, salt contains antiseptic properties which may also ease a sore throat should one develop because of dryness.
Hydrate – drinking lots of water helps keep your throat moist to lessen any feelings of dryness in the area.
Support your immune system – when busy fighting off allergens, your immune system put under a lot more pressure than would normally be the case. Therefore, it may prove beneficial to give your immune system some extra support. You can to this through our Echinaforce Echinacea Drops which are made from fresh Echinacea so that they do not lose any of their beneficial properties.
Warm lemon and honey – this is a traditional cold and flu remedy but this hot drink could also sooth and moisturise your throat to leave it feeling more comfortable.
How to avoid allergens
Avoiding your allergic rhinitis triggers will certainly improve your symptoms but it’s not an easy task so here are a few tips.
Animal dander – have animal-free zones within your home.
Dust mites – use allergy-proof bedding.
Mould spores – address any problems that could lead to damp e.g. a leaky pipe.
Pollen – keep an eye on pollen counts for your local area.
Herbal remedies
Pollinosan Hayfever Tablets – these address a whole range of allergic rhinitis symptoms that may accompany a dry throat such as sneezing and watery eyes.
They are made from seven tropical herbs so are also non-drowsy.
Pollinosan Nasal Spray – a dry throat is the result of congestion so to address this, you may find our Pollinosan Nasal Spray useful.
This cleanses the nose of allergens to make the area feel more comfortable.
Conventional treatments
Anti-histamines – these can be obtained from a doctor or pharmacist should your symptoms be severe. They work to relieve symptoms of allergic rhinitis by blocking the release of histamine.
