
Dry throat is an uncomfortable feeling of dryness or roughness in the throat. It can happen at any age group, and it is more common in periods of low humidity such as harmattan.
Although dry throat frequently occurs as a standalone symptom, it may also be associated with a sore throat, headache, fever, or cough.
What Causes Dry Throat?
Dry throat has numerous causes, however, during seasons like harmattan, it is caused by either of the following:
Dehydration
Dehydration is one of the commonest causes of dry throat during harmattan. The body’s fluid requirement increases during the season, so when water intake is not increased, dehydration can easily set in.
The salivary glands in the mouth normally produce saliva which naturally lubricate the mouth and throat. These salivary glands are highly dependent on water to function. Therefore, when adequate amount of water is not taken to compensate for the increased demand in dry weather conditions, there is a reduction in the amount of lubricating saliva produced. This leads to dry throat.
Dry Air
The seasonal dry air of harmattan not only dries out the skin, but it can also dry the airway. When dry air is inhaled during respiration, it passes through the nostrils into the upper respiratory tract before reaching the lungs. The low humidity in the air can dehydrate the normally moist mucous lining of the airway and cause dryness.
Seasonal Allergies
The harmattan period is marked with an increase in the occurrence of allergies. The immune system can get hyperactive and begin to react excessively to regular home irritants like dust and pollen from plants.

During such allergic reactions, a substance called histamine is released in the body, causing dry throat and other symptoms like itchy swollen red eyes and stuffed nose.
Mouth Breathing
Everyone is already at an increased risk of dry throat during harmattan, but mouth breathers are at even greater risk.
Some people breathe through their mouths especially when asleep. In other weather conditions, they may get away with it. But during extreme dry seasons like harmattan, such individuals will often complain of experiencing dry throat, typically after waking up in the morning. This is because by mouth breathing, such individuals let in a very high amount of dry air into their airway; more air than would have passed through the nostrils at rest. The high influx of dry air would dry out the airway easily.
Suggested- Include this in your ‘New Year Resolution’ for better health in 2023.
Common Cold
As the name implies, common cold is a common condition, especially during seasons like harmattan.
Common cold refers to a group of respiratory tract infections that are caused by different viruses. They cause symptoms like cough, fever and nasal congestion which leads to mouth breathing and dry throat.
Common colds are usually self-limiting, meaning that they go away on their own. Taking antibiotics will not cure common cold.
Home Remedies for Dry Throat
Depending on the cause, the approach to treating dry throat is different. However, the general principles include:
1. Drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration and promote saliva production. Sucking on ice cubes or chewing sugarless gum can also stimulate saliva production.
2. Reduce low humidity indoors by using a humidifier in your home. If a humidifier is not available, try steam. You may stay in the bathroom and put on the shower to inhale steam. You can also try direct steam inhalation by doing this:
- Boil clean water and pour into a wide bowl.
- Sit comfortably and place your face over the steaming water. Be careful not to contact the hot water directly.
- Put a clean towel over your head to trap the steam.
- Stay and breathe in the steam for about 10 minutes.
Caution- Be careful while handling hot water to avoid burns.

Steam can soften dry mucous membranes and unclog congested nose. Steam also helps to moisten the airway to combat dryness.
3. Lozenges can help to soothe dry throat.
4. Try antihistamines if your dry throat is caused by allergies.
5. Seek help for mouth breathing. There are portable devices that can help align the jaw properly and prevent open mouth breathing during sleep.
6. Take plenty of fruits and vegetables to boost your immunity and protect yourself from common cold.
7. Try nasal decongestants to relieve stuffed nose.
A word from Healthfacts
Dry throat is one of the health downsides of harmattan, but it can easily be managed at home. If dry throat persists for more than 2 weeks, please consult your doctor for proper care.
This Dr ezinne always giving us loads of health benefits sha.
Thank you healthfacts
Thank you for always checking out our posts Bari.
We are glad they are beneficial to you. Don’t hesitate to share with your family and friends. Cheers!
Thank you for the auspicious writeup. It in fact was a amusement account it. Look advanced to far added agreeable from you! However, how can we communicate?
I agree with your point of view, your article has given me a lot of help and benefited me a lot. Thanks. Hope you continue to write such excellent articles.
I have read your article carefully and I agree with you very much. This has provided a great help for my thesis writing, and I will seriously improve it. However, I don’t know much about a certain place. Can you help me?
Profesyonel hurdaci firmamızdan teklif almadan hurda satmayın. her türlü hurda alımı için hemen arayın
profesyonel hurdacı firmalar içinde firmamızı tercih edenler kurumsal istanbul hurdacı firması ile hurda alım satımı yapmaktadır
wow, awesome article. Really Great.
purchase stromectol online generic stromectol – stromectol medicine
Your article made me suddenly realize that I am writing a thesis on gate.io. After reading your article, I have a different way of thinking, thank you. However, I still have some doubts, can you help me? Thanks.
Just wish to say your article is as amazing. The clarity in your post is just spectacular and i could assume you are an expert on this subject. Well with your permission allow me to grab your feed to keep up to date with forthcoming post. Thanks a million and please keep up the rewarding work.
You made some first rate factors there. I regarded on the internet for the issue and located most individuals will go together with together with your website.
Pretty great post. I just stumbled upon your blog and wished to say that I have truly loved surfing around your blog posts. In any case I?ll be subscribing in your feed and I hope you write once more soon!
I have recently started a site, the information you provide on this web site has helped me greatly. Thank you for all of your time & work.
Based on my study, after a foreclosed home is available at an auction, it is common for the borrower to still have some sort ofthat remaining balance on the financial loan. There are many financial institutions who make an effort to have all service fees and liens paid back by the upcoming buyer. On the other hand, depending on specified programs, rules, and state legislation there may be several loans which are not easily resolved through the exchange of lending products. Therefore, the responsibility still remains on the lender that has got his or her property in foreclosure. Many thanks for sharing your thinking on this blog.
I?ve been exploring for a little for any high-quality articles or blog posts in this kind of house . Exploring in Yahoo I eventually stumbled upon this site. Studying this info So i am satisfied to express that I have a very good uncanny feeling I discovered just what I needed. I such a lot unquestionably will make certain to don?t forget this web site and give it a look on a continuing basis.
obviously like your website but you need to check the spelling on quite a few of your posts. A number of them are rife with spelling issues and I find it very troublesome to tell the truth nevertheless I will surely come back again.
I may need your help. I’ve been doing research on gate io recently, and I’ve tried a lot of different things. Later, I read your article, and I think your way of writing has given me some innovative ideas, thank you very much.
Excellent read, I just passed this onto a friend who was doing some research on that. And he actually bought me lunch as I found it for him smile Thus let me rephrase that: Thank you for lunch!
Wonderful work! This is the type of info that should be shared around the web. Shame on the search engines for not positioning this post higher! Come on over and visit my site . Thanks =)
It’s appropriate time to make some plans for the future and it’s time to be happy. I have read this post and if I could I want to suggest you some interesting things or suggestions. Maybe you could write next articles referring to this article. I wish to read more things about it!
I am now not sure where you’re getting your info, but good topic. I must spend a while finding out more or figuring out more. Thank you for magnificent information I was looking for this info for my mission.
Thanks for your intriguing article. One other problem is that mesothelioma cancer is generally due to the inhalation of fibres from asbestos fiber, which is a carcinogenic material. It is commonly viewed among employees in the construction industry that have long contact with asbestos. It could be caused by moving into asbestos protected buildings for some time of time, Family genes plays an important role, and some consumers are more vulnerable for the risk as compared with others.
Thanks for sharing excellent informations. Your site is so cool. I’m impressed by the details that you?ve on this website. It reveals how nicely you perceive this subject. Bookmarked this web page, will come back for extra articles. You, my pal, ROCK! I found just the information I already searched everywhere and just could not come across. What a great web site.
One other important issue is that if you are a mature person, travel insurance intended for pensioners is something you should make sure you really take into account. The more aged you are, the more at risk you might be for allowing something negative happen to you while in another country. If you are definitely not covered by quite a few comprehensive insurance cover, you could have some serious problems. Thanks for revealing your suggestions on this website.
I have been browsing online more than three hours today, yet I never found any interesting article like yours. It is pretty worth enough for me. In my opinion, if all website owners and bloggers made good content as you did, the internet will be much more useful than ever before.
Great post however , I was wanting to know if you could write a litte more on this subject? I’d be very thankful if you could elaborate a little bit more. Thanks!
I really appreciate this post. I have been looking all over for this! Thank goodness I found it on Bing. You have made my day! Thank you again
I like what you guys are up too. Such clever work and reporting! Keep up the superb works guys I?ve incorporated you guys to my blogroll. I think it’ll improve the value of my site 🙂
Please let me know if you’re looking for a article writer for your blog. You have some really good articles and I think I would be a good asset. If you ever want to take some of the load off, I’d really like to write some material for your blog in exchange for a link back to mine. Please blast me an email if interested. Thanks!
I like the helpful information you provide in your articles. I?ll bookmark your weblog and check again here regularly. I’m quite certain I?ll learn plenty of new stuff right here! Good luck for the next!