Why Does My Throat Hurt After Running? Causes And How To Avoid

BSX Insight

There are a few reasons why your throat might hurt after running. Perhaps you have strained your vocal cords by yelling or singing excessively. Or maybe the air in your environment is dry, and the running has exacerbated the problem.

With this blog post, BSXInsight will provide a brief explanation for the question of why does my throat hurt after running and a few tips to prevent sore throat.

Why Does My Throat Hurt After Running?

Running is one of the most popular and effective ways to exercise. Running activates most of your cardiovascular organs and muscles.

It is actually the best type of cardiovascular exercise, as it allows you to breathe more deeply and faster.

You may encounter some enjoyable but not so pleasant conditions while running.

A sore throat after a run or while running is one of the most common. This raises the question: Why is my throat sore after running?

The Most Common Causes Of Throat Pains

It is vital that you remember that running exercises have an impact on your overall health. This includes your current health, breathing techniques, and the environment where you are exercising.

Running involves inhalation and exhalation. This process increases with increasing speed.

The air passing through the throat cavity and reaching the lungs cause irritation and throat soreness.

This type of sore throat can also be caused by running or any other vigorous activity. Experts believe this is due to nasal congestion or acidic reflux.

Many runners experience pain after or during a run, depending on how they breathe during running.

Some people may feel intense pain, while others are more manageable.

Running can be a great habit and has many health benefits. However, if you have any pain or discomfort, it will negate these benefits.

Other causes of a hurt throat include:

1. Humidity

You are more likely to get a scratchy throat if you run in dry conditions, no matter how hot or cold the air is.

You can dry your throat if the air is too dry.

The ACAII believes that environmental allergens such as dust and pollen can also cause irritation and a dry feeling in your throat.

A humidifier can be used to improve the air humidity for those who enjoy running on a treadmill.

2. Inhaling With Your Mouth Open

Nasal obstruction is the most common cause of sore throats when running. It becomes more difficult for the nose to breathe if the airflow is insufficient. When we can’t breathe as quickly, our mouths naturally open; this is one of many factors that can lead to sore and painful throats.

The act of mouth breathing makes your throat dry. This creates a dry path along the route. Through irritation in the throat cavity, this dryness can cause some discomfort in the throat.

To prevent throat pains, ensure that switching nose breathing when you run. The nasal cavity air is heated up and filtered to remove pollen and dust particles. This might make it more difficult if your nose is runny.

Running with your mouth shut will reduce the chance of a sore throat or hurting your throat. This is a great trick to use when running: Inhale twice with the nose, and exhale one with your mouth. It works great for morning jogs!

Do you also suffer from chest pain when running, read our post for useful info: Chest Pain When Running: Causes And What To Do 2023

3. Acid Reflux

Running after eating or after a meal can cause stomach acid to jump back up into your mouth cavity from vigorous activity.

You will also experience irritation in your throat and hoarseness in your voice.

You can buy over-the-counter acid reflux tablets or pills to ease the symptoms.

Wait at least three hours after eating a big meal before you run, and eliminate highly acidic foods from your pre-run meal.

Also read: Cramping When Running: What Are Causes And How To Treat?

4. The Air Temperature

Running can cause irritations and pains in the throat due to air temperature.

As we breathe fast and intensely, air enters our nasal or throat cavity at a lower temperature. This can cause serious side effects.

One example of such a result is a sore, painful throat.

Some people may also experience pharyngitis. This inflammation of the throat and back can lead to pain in the back. It can also cause strep throat.

This will prevent you from getting into trouble. These balaclavas will keep your mouth and face covered.

Tips to Avoid a Sore Throat after Running

Even though the conditions mentioned above can be very irritating and uncomfortable, runners have some positives. It is possible to prevent it.

Here are some simple tips to avoid it while running.

Breathe Through Your Nose

It will be difficult at first, especially if you want to run at your maximum speed. It is possible to forget to breathe in or have difficulty getting enough. You can try breathing in through your nose at intervals. You can breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth until your “breathing rhythm”.

If you don’t have someone to talk to, you can start by running at a speed that allows you to breathe easily. You should be able to speak at most three sentences without needing to gasp. You should be able to speak complete sentences without having to gasp for air.

You want to find a pattern of breathing that feels natural. However, diaphragmatic breathing can help you get more oxygen to your system and run at faster speeds.

The right breathing technique will improve your running performance and help you run faster, even if your goal is to run a marathon.

Avoid Caffeine, Alcohol, and Other Drugs

Keep yourself hydrated throughout your run, especially if it is in dry conditions.

Avoid running in polluted areas or vicinities if you are sensitive to allergens. Avoid running outside where you are most likely to come across these allergens.

Cold air can cause severe conditions like asthma attacks or lung problems. You may also experience chest spasms, which may make your heart hurt. Your air ducts contract when they sense a temperature change and can cause tightness in the chest.

Run-on a treadmill at the gym. You won’t have to deal with cold or dry air outside. A treadmill has the advantage of allowing you to control the humidity with a humidifier.

To avoid sore throat and pain, always breathe through your nose. This can be achieved by running with your mouth closed.

After eating, avoid running. It is best to wait at least three hours before starting any strenuous exercise. This will prevent acid reflux from your body.

If you are running outside in cold weather, I recommend using a scarf or mask to cover your mouth. This prevents cold weather from getting into our breathing channels, which is dangerous for our throats and lungs.

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Some Simple Home Remedies To Help Prevent Sore Throat

You should immediately seek out home remedies for irritation if you suspect you have it.

These are the top home remedies for the throat recommended by experts.

Warm liquids

Warm beverages are suitable for a dry, inflamed throat.

Most people prefer black tea. However, you can also choose green or oolong tea if you don’t like Earl Grey.

Cold Food

It is best to eat or drink something cold immediately to soothe an irritated throat.

You can substitute ice cream or ice pops for whole fruit sorbet. To soothe irritation, you can make your own fruit pops.

Gargle Salt Water

Gargling 8 ounces of warm water with half a teaspoon of salt is one of the best ways to relieve throat pain.

This remedy is probably something you’ve heard about and dismissed as old wives’ tales. However, I can assure you that it works. Many people have tried it.

FYI: You should consult your doctor if you have a chronic sore throat.

Use a humidifier

A humidifier can be used to prevent a sore throat and also helps with irritation.

Dry, harsh air can only make dry throat worse. A humidifier can be used to increase the humidity in the air to reduce the severity of your sore throat.

Honey and Black Seed Oil

A teaspoon of honey can be added to your tea to soothe your sore throat. You can also take a teaspoon by mouth.

You can add some spice to honey by adding 2-3 drops of black seed oil (also known as black cumin seed oils). Like most herbal teas, black seed oil will soothe your pain.

How Long Does a Sore Throat From Running Last?

How long a sore throat lasts depends on the underlying cause. Sore throats, also known as pharyngitis, can be acute and last only a few days or chronic and linger until the cause is addressed. Most sores are caused by humidity, acid reflux, the temperature outside, or common viruses and resolve on their own within 3 to 10 days. Sores caused by a bacterial infection or allergies may last longer. At-home treatments and prescribed medications can affect the length of time you experience symptoms from a sore throat, such as pain, scratchiness, and trouble swallowing.

How to Get Rid of Sore Throat After Running?

Some cures and solutions include consuming plenty of warm drinks, such as tea with honey and lemon, if your throat hurts after jogging. According to the Mayo Clinic, gargling salt water (quarter to half a teaspoon of salt in four to eight ounces of warm water) may also help relieve throat pain.

Sucking on a lozenge or hard candy after your run — not while you’re running, in case you choke — might also help relieve sore throat.

FAQs

Why sore throat after working out in a mask?

Cough drops just mask the problem, and some people are a bit afraid of choking on them. Plus, some research suggests that breathing through your nose can help athletic performance.
It may require some training to switch to breathing through your nose while you work out, but Besser says that while you’re trying to change this habit, you could try wearing a mask. “The mask traps the moisture you are exhaling and allows you to rebreathe more moist air, which cuts down on the dryness,” she says, and it has the added benefit of preventing the spread of COVID-19, and it may filter out some of the noxious fumes created by wildfires.

Why does my throat feel weird after an exercise?

Sore when exercising can have two main causes. Nasal obstruction and acid reflux. Poor flow of air through the nose makes it harder to oxygenate, especially during a workout. We are inclined to open our mouths to breathe better, especially when we are out of shape.

How should I breathe when I run?

The best way to breathe while running is to inhale and exhale using both your nose and mouth combined. Breathing through both the mouth and the nose will keep your breathing steady and engage your diaphragm for maximum oxygen intake. It also allows you to expel carbon dioxide quickly.

Why do I taste blood when I run?

With intense exertion during exercise, some of the excess hemoglobin released from the leaky red blood cells in the lungs is transported through the bronchi to the mouth. Once in our mouths, the iron molecules come in contact with receptors on the tongue that are sensitive to iron.

Sore throat after running in rain?

Running in a dry climate, whether the air is hot or cold, can make it more likely that you will get a sore throat. As you run and breathe deeply, very dry air can dry out the inside of your throat. After running in the cold, a sore throat can be caused by the dry air of winter.

Why throat feels weird after running?

Conclusion

There are many potential causes of a sore throat after running, from dehydration to infection. It is important to determine the cause of the sore throat in order to receive appropriate treatment. Hopefully, you can find it helpful in this article.