Scratchy Throat Runny Nose

A scratchy throat, along with runny nose is often experienced by people with cold. Both the symptoms are very much irritating and affect the daily activities. Common cold is one of the common medical conditions in human beings and it affects people of all ages. Otherwise known as viral upper respiratory tract infection, this condition is commonly seen in children, elderly and people with weak immune systems. It can cause complications in some people, leading to additional symptoms. But, mostly, cold is associated with symptoms like, scratchy throat, runny nose, headache, cough, etc. Coming to scratchy throat and runny nose, there are some other medical conditions, which are also manifested with these symptoms. Let us find out more about the medical conditions that cause runny nose, scratchy throat and cough.

Causes of Scratchy Throat and Runny Nose

As mentioned earlier, scratchy throat and runny nose are commonly associated with common cold, which is a contagious disease caused by different types of viruses, especially rhinoviruses. Apart from these symptoms, the affected people may also experience watery eyes, cough, headaches, muscle aches, weakness, loss of appetite, shivering and exhaustion. There is no effective treatment for this condition and antibiotics do not work, as it is targeted against bacteria and not virus. In the normal course, the symptoms will subside within a few days or a maximum of two weeks. The affected person may resort to salt water gargling, antihistamines, rest and drinking plenty of water, as remedial measures to address the condition. The following are some of the other medical conditions that cause scratchy throat and runny nose.

Flu or Influenza: Even though, the symptoms of both cold and influenza are somewhat similar, there are some additional symptoms that differentiates flu from cold. Scratchy throat & runny nose are common to both, but the most common symptom of flu, which does not occur in case of cold is fever. If the symptoms appear all of a sudden, and are more severe and worsen quickly, then you can be sure it's flu. Flu virus medication are usually administered for people affected with this condition, which takes almost two weeks to subside.

Allergic Rhinitis: Allergic rhinitis is one of the common scratchy throat allergies, which gives rise to symptoms like, scratchy throat and runny nose. Otherwise known as hay fever, this condition affects people during the spring season, when flowers bloom and grass turns green. The allergens that cause allergic rhinitis are usually found in the air and include, pollen, molds, grass particles, dust, etc. This medical condition is also manifested with symptoms, like, scratchy throat, runny nose, watery eyes, sneezing, itching of eyes, headaches, etc. Severe cases may result in wheezing and breathing problems. Antihistamines are prescribed by doctors to combat this medical condition. You may also take some preventive measures to avoid contact with the allergens. Read more on what is hay fever.

Other Allergies: If you have symptoms like, scratchy throat, runny nose, watery eyes, sneezing, etc, then it can be due to allergy. One of the common symptom associated with allergies is itchy and watery eyes. It can be seasonal, like allergic rhinitis or can be caused by allergens, like pet hair, cleaning products, cigarette smoke, dust, etc.

Sinus Infection: Sinus infection is the inflammation of the nasal passages and the sinuses. This condition can also cause scratchy throat, runny nose, post nasal drip, head aches, sneezing, etc. A sinus infection can be differentiated from other conditions by symptoms, like, facial pain or pain in the upper teeth. This condition may need antibiotics as treatment. Apart from conventional treatment, you may also resort to sore scratchy throat remedy, like, salt water gargling and steam inhalation. Read more on runny nose treatment.

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• Scratchy Throat Remedies
• Runny Nose Remedies

Apart from the above mentioned diseases, scratchy throat and runny nose may occur in a number of other diseases, like, chronic rhinitis, otitis media, bronchitis, pneumonia, whooping cough, measles, mumps, mononucleosis, etc. While conventional treatment is available for most of the conditions that cause scratchy throat, runny nose, sneezing, water eyes, etc., it is always better to adopt some preventive measures, especially in case of allergies. Maintaining personal hygiene is important in preventing contagious viral infections, like common cold and flu. You can also resort to some home remedies, like salt water gargling as a dry scratchy throat remedy and steam inhalation as a remedy for runny nose. If the symptoms are very severe or if it does not subside within a maximum of ten to twelve days, you must seek medical attention to avoid further complications.