Nasal obstruction and acid reflux are the two most common causes of sore throats caused by running. When the airflow through the nose is poor, it becomes more difficult to oxygenate. We naturally open our mouths when we are out of shape to breathe more easily.
The four contributing causes of a sore throat after running are:
1. Humidity
2. Inhaling with Your Mouth Open Acid Reflux
3. Acid Reflux
4. The Temperature Outside
Why Does My Throat Hurt After Running?
Running is one of the most common and effective forms of exercising. When you run, you activate most of your muscles and cardiovascular organs.
In fact, it is the best form of cardiovascular exercise as it makes you breathe faster and more deeply.
Unfortunately, there are several interesting yet disturbing conditions that you may experience as you make your run.
One of the most common ones is having a sore throat while running or after the run. This begs the question-especially in new runners' minds-, why does my throat hurt when I run?
Brief Explanation of the Most Common Cause of these Throat Pains
It is important to note that the overall impact of any running exercise in your body depends on a number of factors including your current health condition, your breathing methods, and the environment in which you are performing the exercise.
When you run, there is inhalation and exhalation of air, a process that increases as you increase your speed of running.
The air passing through the throat cavity towards the lungs may result in irritation and soreness of the throat.
We can also experience this kind of sore throat from any other sort of vigorous activity besides running. Some experts believe that this problem is caused by nasal congestion or in the case of acidic reflux conditions in the body of a person.
Therefore, depending on our technique and nature of breathing during running, many of us runners will experience a hurting pain during or after the run.
While in some the pain may be acute and intensified, in others it is mild and manageable.
Running is of course a great habit that can be accompanied by amazing health benefits, but if it comes with any kind of pain, the whole activity and its benefits are nullified.
A hurting throat can also be enhanced by other causes, which include:
1. Humidity
If you run in a dry climate, regardless of whether the air is cold or hot, you are likely to develop a a scratchy throat during running.
If the air is too dry, it will dry out the lining of your throat as you breathe heavily in the course of your running.
The ACAII shares that environmental allergens such as dust and pollen may also give you a drying and irritating feeling on your throat.
For those who prefer running on an indoor treadmill, using a humidifier to increase the air humidity will help prevent you from experiencing this feeling.
2. Inhaling with Your Mouth Open
3. Acid Reflux
Running right after taking a meal or when your food has not been fully digested may cause the acids in the stomach to jump up right back into the mouth cavity due to the vigorous activity.
This will result in the irritation of your throat and hoarseness of voice as well.
The good news is that you can grab some over the counter acid reflux pills or tablets to help with this.
- Contents: 1 bottle containing 330 TUMS Extra Strength Antacid Tablets for Chewable Heartburn Relief and Acid Indigestion Relief in easy to take, delicious assorted fruit flavors (orange, cherry, lime and lemon) for immediate heartburn relief
- Multi-Symptom Relief: This heartburn medicine treats the four signs of heartburn: burning in the chest, acid indigestion, sour stomach and upset stomach associated with these symptoms
4. The Temperature of the Air
Air temperature is a very common cause of pains and irritations in our throats during running.
When air at lower temperature travels through our nasal or throat cavity as we breathe fast and deep, it is sure to cause some nasty side effects.
A sore and painful throat is one such result.
Pharyngitis, which is a result of inflammation of the throat as well as pains in the back, is also likely to occur to some people. This can also lead to strep throat.
To void this kind of problem, always make sure that you cover your mouth and face while running to prevent the dangerous cold air from entering your breathing cavity. View these balaclavas that keep your face and mouth covered.
Tips to Prevent a Sore Throat After Running
Although the above-mentioned conditions can cause a lot of discomfort and irritation, there is some good news for those of us who love running. It can be prevented.
Below are some easy tips on how you can avoid a it when running:
Simple Home Remedies in case you suspect a sore throat
If you suspect a some sort of irritation make sure that you immediately the medication of easy home remedies to cure it before the problem becomes worse.
Here are some of the best home remedies for sore throat as recommended by Dr. Edward Group DC:
Drink Warm Fluids
Drinking warm beverages on a raw and inflamed throat keeps it moist and comfortable.
To most of us, black tea is the most obvious choice, but you should also try out green or oolong tea, that is if you’re not fond of Earl Grey.
Cold Food
Eating or drinking something cold will immediately soothe that irritated throat.
Instead of using ice pops or ice cream, you are advised to use whole fruit sorbet instead. You can also make your own fruit pops to help soothe the irritation.
Gargle Salt Water
One of the fastest ways of relieving throat pain is by gargling 8 ounces of warm water mixed with half a teaspoon of salt.
You probably have heard of this remedy and dismissed it as an old wives’ tale, but I can tell you that this trick definitely works as can be attested to by a good number of people who have tried it.
FYI: If you have chronic sore throat, you should contact your doctor.
Use A Humidifier
Just like a humidifier helps in preventing a sore throat while working out it can also be used to ease the pain and irritation when you actually get one.
Harsh, dry air will only make your dry throat far much worse. Therefore, using a humidifier to add moisture to the air around you will help reduce the severity of throat pain.
This is the one that I own...
- INSTANT DRY AIR RELIEF: Ultrasonic cool mist technology safely and quickly moisturizes dry air for up to 25 hours of continuous operation in medium to large rooms up to 250 square feet. Powerful mist output with high and low settings makes this humidifier ideal for bedrooms, baby nurseries, office, and indoor plants.
- YEAR-ROUND COMFORT: High and low-speed settings combined with a 360° mist nozzle help you consistently balance and regulate the humidity in your home all year long for relief from congestion, coughs, cold-like symptoms, allergies, dry skin, and sinus issues.
- ENCOURAGE RESTFUL SLEEP: Easily run the humidifier overnight to maintain a healthy humidity level in your space. The optional night light offers a soothing glow while the whisper-quiet operation ensures you can sleep peacefully without any disturbance.
- EASY-FILL TANK & AUTO SHUT-OFF: The sleek and transparent 1.5 liter water tank is easy to fill right from your kitchen or bathroom sink and the compact design doesn’t take up too much tabletop space. Plus, the automatic shut-off feature turns the humidifier off when the water level is low or the tank is removed.
- 5-YEAR WARRANTY: This BPA-free humidifier comes with an AC power adapter, disk cleaning brush, and Pure Enrichment’s guaranteed 5-Year Warranty. Our customer support team provides quality service and peace of mind to millions worldwide all from a brand you can trust.
Honey & Black Seed Oil
Adding a teaspoon of honey to your tea will help soothe your irritating sore throat. You can also opt to take a spoonful by mouth.
Spiking your honey with 2-3 drops of black seed oil (also known as black cumin seed oil will add some therapeutic spice to it. Black seed oil, like most herbal teas, will help soothe the pain.
Conclusion
The link below is of a YouTube video clearly explaining why running in cold weather gives you a sore throat.
The video shows a detailed explanation of how your throat functions under normal conditions comparing it to what happens when you run in cold weather.
The video also has some suggestions for avoiding a sore throat, check it out.
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Hi, Jeremy Here,
I am the the guy behind Train for a 5K. On this site, I share everything that learned along my running journey. The content I create is the running training I wish I had before we started this journey. About Me.
Last update on 2023-09-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API