Tickle in Throat Causes,Treatments and When to See Doctor

A tickle in the throat can be irritating, especially if you barely speak. A dry cough often accompanies it; sometimes, itching can cause fever, rash, or swollen glands.

A tickle in the throat is usually caused by inflammation or infection of the upper respiratory tract. This can lead to an irritating sensation that will persist for weeks.

There are many causes of a tickling sensation in the throat, including sinusitis, external factors, allergies, and the common cold. In addition, some other diseases can also cause throat swelling and dry itching.

It would help if you didn’t ignore the tickling sensation in the throat because sometimes chronic cough and itchy throat may be signs of throat cancer. This article discusses the causes of the tickle in your throat and natural remedies to treat your annoying throat.

Common Causes of Tickle in Throat

You must be familiar with the reasons why you are feeling a tickle in your throat in the first place. Here are some  possible reasons:

Environmental irritants

Many environmental irritants can irritate your upper airway and lead to a tickle in the throat. Common environmental irritants include air pollution, chemical pollution, cigarette smoke, dust, pet hair, and cold and dry air.

You should try to avoid contact with these external factors. For example, try to stay away from firsthand or secondhand smoke.

Allergies

Allergic rhinitis and food allergies are common causes of a tickle in the throat. When foreign substances invade your body, it will release a particular type of antibody to defend it. This is the reason for the allergic reaction. Common allergens include pollen, insect bites, pet dander, certain drugs, and foods.

To avoid itching throat caused by allergies, you need first to identify what caused the allergy. Then record it and try to avoid it next time.

Some medications, including antihistamines, can also help reduce allergic reactions. It would help if you saw your doctor immediately after a severe allergic reaction. In addition, some essential oils can also help relieve allergies.

Sinusitis

Sinusitis, a sinus infection, can lead to nasal congestion, chronic cough, an itchy throat, and facial pain. Sinus infections are usually caused by viral, bacterial, or fungal infections.

If the common cold does not get better for more than 10 days, it may mean that your sinuses have been infected. Sinus infection generally lasts several weeks to months.

You can treat viral infections with over-the-counter painkillers, and bacterial infections are usually treated with antibiotics.

Pharyngitis or laryngitis

Pharyngitis or laryngitis is a common cause of a sore throat and a throat tickle. It is often caused by viral infections or bacteria such as Group A Streptococcus. Sometimes speaking loudly for a long time can also lead to throat irritation. Pharyngitis or laryngitis can cause your throat to swell, pain, and make even less sound.

Common cold

A common cold can cause an infection of your upper respiratory tract infection, causing sore throats, runny nose, cough, and throat tickle. Viral or bacterial infections usually cause a common cold, and severe colds may be caused by other diseases, such as flu or sinusitis.

It usually lasts 1 to 2 weeks. You can treat the common cold with some anti-inflammatory drugs.

Acid reflux or GERD

Acid reflux or GERD can cause stomach acid to flow back to your esophagus, causing a tickle in the throat. This condition is usually caused by irregular diet, overeating, or lying down immediately after eating.

You can treat acid reflux by changing your lifestyle or taking medications. You can try to take a walk after a meal, avoid overeating, and elevate your head while you sleep. This can effectively help reduce the itching of the throat caused by acid reflux. You must visit the hospital to avoid damaging your esophagus if recurrent reflux occurs.

Other Condition

In addition, dehydration, asthma, or throat cancer can also cause a tickle in the throat. Throat cancer can also cause weight loss, sound changes, and a lump near the throat. If you have these symptoms, see your doctor immediately.

Symptoms of Having a Tickle in the Throat

How will you know if your throat is just a bit sore or if what you are experiencing is already the tickle in the throat? Here are some possible signs:

• The tickle in your throat is experienced even when you are lying down.
• A dry cough
• The inside of your ear feels itchy.
• The back of your throat feels itchy, and you need to relieve it by coughing to no avail.

If you have all the symptoms mentioned above and the tickle in your throat does not seem temporary, you must know how to eliminate it efficiently.

8 Natural Remedies to Get Rid of Tickle in Throat Fast

Here are some remedies that can be used to get rid of the tickle in your throat:

1. Herbal Tea

There are a lot of people who usually drink herbal teas every day because of various reasons. For example, a person who wants to lose weight will drink more green or oolong tea as this can increase metabolism.

Some would love to drink chamomile before going to sleep better. If you want to eliminate the tickle in your throat, you can choose to drink any tea you want.

• You can mix your herbal tea with honey, provided you only use raw honey.
• When creating the tea, make sure you do not use boiling water, as this can kill the nutrients that are supposed to eliminate the tickling in your throat.
• You can drink tea about 2 – 3 times a day.

Remember that some types of tea are more concentrated on getting rid of the dryness of your throat. Get to know these tea types so you can have a stash at home that you can use whenever your throat starts to tickle again.

2. Ginger

Likely, you have already taken ginger tea for all your other throat and tonsil issues. Unsurprisingly, this is one tea you can also drink when experiencing itching at the back of your throat.

Aside from getting rid of the unwanted feeling, the intake of ginger can also get rid of asthma which is one of the reasons you may be experiencing a tickling sensation in your throat area.

• You may ingest ginger, but if you find it too strong, you can make it into tea.
• Grate the ginger root and infuse grated ginger root in boiling water.
• Leave the root to boil for about 5 minutes.
• Add honey to the tea you have created to make it taste better, but if you like the taste of ginger, you can drink it directly.

Ginger is known to get rid of inflammation, too, so if you are suffering from inflamed sinus or passageways because of your current condition, you can get relief from drinking ginger tea.

3. Lemon

You may know that lemon is one of the fruits people use for many things. It can be used for cooking, baking, and many home remedies.

You may be familiar with lemon as it is normally used to lighten the skin and eliminate unwanted blemishes. Lemon can do so much more, however. It can help soothe your itchy throat and stop the tickle causing you to feel uncomfortable.

• You can microwave the lemon for a few seconds before trying to get the juice out, as you will get more juice this way.
• Add the lemon juice to a cup of warm water.
• You can add a bit of honey to make the warm lemon juice taste better.
• Sip slowly.

Lemon will be beneficial in removing possible viruses causing your throat to feel itchy, so you will begin to feel better.

4. Gargle with Salt Water

Are you currently experiencing throat irritation? If yes, then you should try gargling with saltwater. It can help eliminate the itch at the back of your throat.

Salt can help eliminate the viruses that may be causing your throat to become itchy. If your throat is dry, gargling with salt water can help eliminate the dryness and give you instant relief.

• Add a bit of salt to a cup of warm water.
• Mix thoroughly.
• Gargle for a few minutes, but ensure you will not swallow the water, as too much salt can be bad for the body.

If you are also experiencing some issues with mucus and you would like to get rid of the congestion that you are feeling in your throat, gargling with salt water can be very useful for you.

5. Aloe Vera

What do you know about the Aloe Vera plant? Many people know that this can be very effective for hair. Aloe Vera can also be used for the skin and, for now, can also help get rid of the tickle in your throat. Aloe Vera contains minerals, vitamins, enzymes, and compounds that can help give you the relief you need.

• Instead of the Aloe Vera gel, you can ingest the Aloe Vera juice.
• Add this to warm water and sip it slowly.
• If you want to use the gel, add it to warm water.
• Gargle instead of swallowing.

After taking Aloe Vera (whether you have ingested it or swallowed it), you will notice that the irritation of your throat has been dramatically reduced.

6. Honey

Raw honey can give you the relief you are searching for if you are experiencing issues with your throat because it tickles.

Honey has antibacterial properties that can help eliminate the bacteria that may be causing the throat infection. It is anti-inflammatory, too, so if the nasal passages are inflamed for various reasons, you can quickly eliminate the tickling sensation in your throat.

• You can take two teaspoons of honey before going to sleep to get immediate relief.
• When choosing honey, ensure that you get the raw kind, as this is the most effective.
• Honey should not be given to those one-year-olds and below.

Honey is yummy, and the good news is that you can add it to your other beverages and food to make the tickle in your throat go away.

7. Apple Cider Vinegar

If you want to get rid of the tickle in your throat, the best thing to do is make sure that you will use Apple Cider Vinegar. ACV is known for its different purposes. It is used for the body.

Unsurprisingly, this can be effective for getting rid of all your throat issues. ACV is known for its antiviral and antibacterial properties.

If a virus or bacteria causes an itch at the back of your throat, you can expect the tickle to go away after some time.

• Mix a teaspoon of ACV with water.
• Gargle with the mixture for a few minutes.
• If you do not want to gargle, you can drink the ACV three times a day. It will make a lot of difference in the condition of your throat.

8. Take a steamy shower.

You need to get a lot of moisture at the back of your throat. Taking a steamy shower will not only refresh and relax you, but it can also help get rid of the itch at the back of your throat.

• Take note that if it is too hot to take a steamy shower, having a humidifier at home can be a good option.

When to See Your Doctor

You should see your doctor immediately when you suffer from the symptoms below.

• A tickle in the throat persists for more than four weeks
• A serious chronic cough
• Swollen glands and difficulty swallowing
• Fever and wheezing
• Rapid weight loss

Now that you know how to eliminate the tickle in your throat, please share which method is the most effective. If you have other tips to help eliminate throat irritations, you can share them with your comments.