Before you know what causes a tickle in your throat, please find out if it is tickling or something else.
For those who don’t know, tickling is like someone gently rubbing something against your throat, causing a prickling sensation with an urge to scratch… yet you cannot do so, so you keep harrumphing to clear it, but it doesn’t go away… What to do?
What causes tickles in your throat? The doctor might ask you to get some tests done before prescribing medications or suggesting any treatment.
This guide has it all! From what does a tickle in your throat mean to the causes of throat tickling, and the best remedies on how to get rid of a tingle in your throat.
At the end of the content, you will have enough information about the itchiness and a complete idea regarding whether you should see a doctor or not.
So, without beating around the bush, here you go with all the bits and bobs of what causes a tickle in your throat guide with remedies.
What Does a Tickle in Your Throat Mean?
Postnasal drip, commonly known as tickling or itching in the throat, refers to a constant feeling of clearing your throat as you feel something is stuck in there.
Generally, tickling in the throat doesn’t mean anything serious; however, what causes a tickle in your throat can signify the intensity.
The irritation in the upper airways (due to inhaling dusty air or something even minor) causes postnasal drip or an urge to clear your throat constantly. Sometimes the throat might get cleared, and other times, it may require you to keep coughing or harrumphing to get rid of the borborygmus.
Nevertheless, it can be chronic and come with medical conditions that require serious attention too. Here we are discussing different conditions of throat tickling:
Tickle in Back of Throat:
What causes a tickle in your throat at the backside? Well, the irritation in the upper airways triggers a tickling sensation that can be due to infection or inflammation.
Infections or inflammation in the upper respiratory tract can last for weeks, letting the tingling in the throat stay for long.
Tickle in Throat with Phlegm:
What causes a tickle in your throat with phlegm? Common cold! It causes mucus to run down the back of the throat; however, cold isn’t the only reason.
Eating oily stuff or creamed food can also build a layer of grease in your throat, urging you to clear it, again and again, to get eliminate phlegm.
Dry Tickle in Throat:
A dry tickly cough is something that doesn’t bring mucus or phlegm along. Dry cough isn’t a cause of concern if appears occasionally. However, having it at night might be a symptom of asthma.
Therefore, it is recommended not to ignore persistent dry cough and see a doctor ASAP.
Tickle in Throat No Cough:
What causes a tickle in your throat can be answered in many ways because there are various factors.
When not caused by smoke or dust, it can be a tickle in throat with no cough. Is it dangerous? Mostly not; it goes away with little care and requires you just to humph to clear the throat.
Tickle in Throat Cough:
Irritation in the upper airway or a tingle at the back of your throat causing cough can be caused by environmental factors, allergies, and infections.
During tickling, a person feels dripping sensations at the back of the throat, sometimes leading to a cough.
Allergy Throat Tickle:
Some people are allergic to environmental things like pollen, mold, pet hair, etc.
What does a tickle in your throat mean in the presence of animals or pets like cats or dogs? It clearly indicates that you are suffering from an allergy throat tingle.
Allergy throat tingles are primarily chronic, and symptoms are controlled by avoidance of the allergens or medications.
What Causes a Tickle in Your Throat?
Here we are mentioning some infectious, allergic, or everyday things that might cause a tickle in your throat:
1. Upper Respiratory Tract Infection:
It is a common infection that spreads through viruses and simultaneously affects the nose, throat, and airways.
During this, people can experience tickling in the throat, stuffy nose, sneezing, and cough. Resting and using over-the-counter medications or home remedies can be resolved within 7 to 10 days.
However, staying longer than that might require you to see a doctor.
2. Chronic Obstructive Airway Disease (COPD):
What causes a tickle in your throat? COPD, or simply Obstructive Airway Disease, is a group of lung diseases that cause difficulty breathing. COPD with allergies can lead to sinus drainage that runs down into the lungs resulting in throat tingle or wheezing cough.
During this, coughing, heavy breathing, or laughing can produce a wheezing sound and large amounts of mucus or phlegm.
3. Sinus Infection:
There are air-filled pockets around the face. These pockets are called sinuses. During infection, the fluid fills the pockets causing germs (viruses or bacteria) to grow and spread.
What causes a tickle in your throat? Sinus infection can do so as the symptoms include tingle sensation at the back of your throat, dripping feel, or cough.
4. Acid Reflux:
Acid reflux is mainly associated with stomach health; however, it can irritate the upper airways causing a tickling or grease-like feeling in the throat.
Though most people don’t realize it, it can be triggered by bad eating habits and lifestyle preferences such as inactive routines.
5. Post-Nasal Drip:
What causes a tickle in your throat? Post-nasal drip means the buildup of excess mucus in the nose or throat that requires one to blow their nose, humph, or cough to clear the built mucus.
Post nasal drip doesn’t just cause a tingle in the back of the throat or build mucus in the upper nasal airways, but it can also lead to sore throat and trouble swallowing,
6. Pollen Allergy:
Some people are allergic to environmental factors such as pollens in the air. It can lead to sneezing, coughing, and a tickle in the throat.
7. Common Cold:
What causes a tickle in your throat? Common cold, during winters, can lead to sore throat or tickle in the back of the throat with or without cough. During this, you might have a dry cough or a cough with mucus.
8. Pollution:
What causes a tickle in your throat? Walking around and breathing in a dusty environment or cigarette smoke can also lead to throat tickling.
It can cause sneezing, coughing, or a constant urge to clear your throat because you feel there is something stuck in the airways.
9. Eating Oily or Creamy Food:
Oily or creamy food can lead to greasing the airways with oil that can lead to a tingle in the throat. The problem can even worsen if you drink cold water with oily food. However, it mostly happens in people with sensitive throats.
10. Pets Allergy:
What causes a tickle in your throat? People who are allergic to pets’ hair can feel disturbed in the presence of pets. They can feel a tingle at the back of their throat accompanied by cough and sneezing.
11. Smoke:
Cigarette smoke or timber smoke can lead to tickling in the throat. However, it lasts not more than some minutes. Nevertheless, inhaling cigarette smoke is equally detrimental to health, so better use a mask when moving around smokers.
12. Medications:
What causes a tickle in your throat? Certain medications with hot temperaments can lead to tickling in the throat.
This tickling goes away as quickly as you leave using it. It happens because of the certain salts and hot essence of the medicines.
13. Viral Infection:
What causes a tickle in your throat? Viral infections of different kinds, such as influenza, can also lead you to feel a tickling sensation in the throat. These infections can be caused by bacteria or viruses.
14. COVID:
Dry cough is a common symptom of COVID. Dry cough or unproductive cough contains no phlegm, mucus, or sputum. This can lead to an itchy sensation in the throat.
So, if you ask, can COVID cause a tickle in the throat? The answer is yes.
15. Eating Sour Stuff:
Using sour stuff such as Tamarind, lime juice, or lemons can lead to throat infections that might start with a slight tickling sensation in the throat.
16. Asthma:
What causes a tickle in your throat? Asthma is one of the causes of a dry cough that can lead to a sore throat and tickle in the backside of the throat.
However, you will have to consult an expert for the diagnosis and recommendation.
17. Seasonal Allergies:
Seasonal allergies, such as some people feeling uneasy during the harvest season, are also one of the causes of a tingle in your throat.
People with this condition should care for themselves while going out during harvest seasons. However, such allergies go away as quickly as the season ends.
18. Anaphylaxis:
It is also a kind of sudden allergic reaction during which coughing, wheezing, or a sudden pressure can appear, leading to disturbance in the throat that can be like a tickle.
How to Get Rid of Tickle in Your Throat?
Now you have a complete idea about what causes a tickle in your throat. It is time to know how to get rid of a tingle in your throat.
Well, the best thing is that you can deal with most throat tickling symptoms at home. Here are some best things you can do to treat different causes of a tickle in your throat:
1. Wear a Mask:
Dust and pollution are one of the root causes of a tickle in your throat. Therefore, whenever going out, instead of breathing in the air, use a mask to filter the air before it reaches the airways.
2. Lifestyle Changes:
Lifestyle changes are recommended for people who feel a tingle in their throats after waking up as it can be because of the acid reflux; hence switching to healthy food and doing some running before sleeping can help in this regard.
3. Stay Inside:
What causes a tickle in your throat if it is related to seasonal allergies, you are recommended to stay inside during such seasons, for instance, harvesting or pollens.
4. Avoid Allergens:
If the pets or animals are causing a tingle in your throat, get rid of them and avoid places with pets. Such allergies are usually chronic, so changing your routine and location is the best way to eliminate tickles in your throat.
5. Gargle:
Mix some salt in water at room temperature. Gargle every night with this water to clear your throat for any sort of tingle, mucus, or phlegm.
6. Rest:
Tiredness or fatigue also causes a tickle in your throat, and you feel an urge to clear it. Take a whole day off from work, rest properly, and see excellent results against itching.
7. Avoid Cold Water:
What causes a tickle in your throat? Sensitivity. If you have a sensitive throat that gets too easily affected, you are recommended not to drink too cold water. Hot water is excellent for overall health.
However, if you don’t like to drink hot water, you can simply room temperature water for more information.
8. Use Humidifiers:
Dryness can be one of the causes of sour throat or itching, so the best treatment will be to have humidifiers at home. These humidifiers curtail dryness.
9. Take Herbal Teas:
What causes a tickle in your throat? Toxins. Herbal teas such as ginger tea can help acid reflux and throat clearance.
Get 1.5 cups of water and add some ginger pieces to it. Let it boil till the water remains up to one cup. Drink it twice a day for best results.
10. Homemade Tonics:
Homemade tonics can also help you get rid of all the causes of a tingle in your throat. You can try plenty of tonics; one of those is a mixture of hot water, lemon juice, honey, and cayenne pepper.
11. Drink Plenty of Water:
What causes a tickle in your throat? Acid reflux. You need to keep your stomach from toxins and food residue to eliminate the tingle or itching in your throat. For this, drink plenty of water.
12. Take Care of Cleanliness:
Pillowcases, bedsheets, and furniture with dust can lead to dust allergies that cause a tickle in your throat. Therefore, taking care of the cleanliness of your surroundings can help you a lot in this regard.
13. Take Steam:
Steam is one of the best solutions of tickle in the back of the throat with cough or without cough. Even cough can be treated with this method. You just need to mix some cardamom in water and let it boil.
Take the steam while having a towel on your head and take some rest. This method also helps get rid of dry cough caused by COVID or the common cold.
14. Anti-Allergens:
Take some anti-allergic medicines when you cannot help with a tingle in your throat. Over-the-counter medications are available everywhere that you can get without a prescription from the doctor.
15. See a Doctor:
If nothing helps and symptoms of what causes a tickle in your throat don’t go away, see a doctor. The doctor will suggest further in this regard after having a complete diagnosis of your health.
16. Tests:
You might also have to go through some tests when the doctor remains unable to determine, what causes a tickle in your throat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Before, we call it a day, let’s go with some more questions related to what causes a tickle in your throat:
Can’t stop coughing tickle in throat, what should you do?
First of all, sit somewhere comfortable and drink some hot water with nothing inside, sip by sip. Taking steam or gargling can also help you in this regard.
Along with this, you can check more health solutions at Look Broad.
Does Covid cause a tickle cough?
Dry cough is one of the symptoms of COVID and it is also a symptom of throat tickling. Regardless of what causes a tickle in your throat, try some steaming and drink hot water to eliminate the risk.
Why do I have a tickle in my throat?
The basic cause of a throat tingling is breathing in cold, dry, or contaminated air. However, you can try some over-the-counter solutions like using a mask or using homemade tonics to get rid of it.
Bottom Line
Here our discussion on what causes a tickle in your throat comes to an end. We have added 18 causes of tickle in your throat along with 16 solutions you can try at home to eliminate the disturbance.
For more information related to health issues, keep visiting us at Look Broad.