Scratchy throat runny nose

Common cold

Scratchy throat accompanied byrunny nose is one of the most common warning signs of common cold, which is aninfection of the upper respiratory tract. Every person contracts a common coldat least once in his/her life. It is a quite normal infection and very frequentone. Apart from runny nose and scratchy throat, cough and headaches, as well aswatery eyes and pain in the muscles, are some other symptoms of this healthcondition. The main culprit for common cold is virus and not bacteria; sotherefore, it cannot be cured with antibiotics. The doctors usually recommendrest, antihistamines and drinking a lot of fluids in order to cure common coldas fast as possible.

However, when one experiencesscratchy throat and runny nose, it may indicate that there are some otherunderlying health problems and not only common cold, since these two symptomsmay be caused by various other medical conditions as well.

Causes of scratchy throat andrunny nose

Scratchy throat and runny noseare the symptoms of the flu or influenza also. Many people think that the fluand common cold are the same health condition even though they are not, sincethere is a difference between these two infections. Despite the fact thatscratchy throat and runny nose are the symptoms that appear with the flu andcommon cold, fever is the symptom that only occurs when the flu is in question.Fever is not a symptom that is characteristic for a common cold.

Another condition responsible forthe occurrence of runny nose and scratchy throat is allergic rhinitis,popularly known as hay fever. Allergic rhinitis is a seasonal conditionappearing only in spring in people allergic to various allergens, for example,pollen, dust and molds. Watery and itching eyes and headaches are some othersymptoms of hay fever. The best medications for fast curing of allergicrhinitis are antihistamines.

Furthermore, scratchy throat andrunny nose may also appear due to any other type of allergy. Many people areallergic to the pet hair or to the cleaning products, and they usuallyexperience these two conditions when they come into the contact with some ofthese allergens.

The people who suffer from sinusinfection may experience runny nose and scratchy throat along with sneezing andpain in the face or upper teeth. The doctors prescribe antibiotics for thetreatment of sinusitis. At home, steam inhalation is highly recommended inorder to reduce the symptoms like scratchy throat.