Why do I have scratching in the throat?
Senior Specialist & Head,
Department of Otolaryngology,
Ibri Regional Referral Hospital,
Sultanate of Oman
Q: I have some problem in my throat. I feel like scratching at the back of the tongue and top of the throat. At night I keep on clearing my throat and sipping water. The doctors have checked my throat with cameras through the nose and my sinus has been drained. Another doctor in India gave me half a dozen tablets but to no avail. Alternative medicines haven't helped either. The only medicine I ever took was an antacid for heartburn. I haven slept properly for years, being a very healthy person, I am turning into a zombie. Please advise.
A:It looks as if you may have a variant of a disease linked to acidity called as GERD. I think you should first try to meet a gastroenterologist and ask him to see your upper digestive tract and the stomach layer and bacteria etc. Plus a little change in the lifestyle will surely help. Honestly it is not easy to advise without seeing the patient, so all I can do is just suggest my views.Change in lifestyle:1. Keep a gap of 3-4 hours between dinner and sleeping.2. Avoid alcohol, spices, oily products, and gaseous fluids at night.3. Don't drink lots of water with dinner; drink it an hour later.4. Avoid smoking, especially at night or after dinner smoke.