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What Causes Dryness In The Throat, Nose And Mouth At Night?

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Posted on Thu, 18 Aug 2016
Question: I have a major problem of dryness in the body. My throat, nose & mouth remain dry and during night time, it is so dry that I find difficulty in breathing. In case I drink water, I feel more breathlessness.
I have DM, HT & Thyroid plus acidity but under control.
This is like this for last 10 years.
Pl advise
XXXX XXXXXXX XXXXXXX
doctor
Answered by Dr. Sumit Bhatti (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
Details as described below :

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

Thank you for your query.

1. The dryness is most likely due to the side effects of your current medications . Review these medications with your physician. Avoid using decongestant nasal drops as these cause Rhinitis Medicamentosa.

2. Use Nasowash. This is a hypertonic saline nasal wash. Add half a Budesonide respule to each 200 ml of prepared solution. This will control the nasal polyposis and help you avoid major sinus surgery.

3. Radiofrequency nasal turbinate reduction is a minimally invasive nasal surgery which does not require post op nasal packing.

4. If any minor nasal work is done, including middle turbinate concha reduction, septal spur correction or Balloon Sinuplasty, nasal packings with breathing tubes are available.

I hope that I have answered your query. If you have any more questions I will be available to answer them.

Regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Sumit Bhatti (39 minutes later)
Thanks Dr. Bhatti. Your response is quite motivating. I need to brief you on few things:
1. I do not use Otrivin or Nasavion drops which are habbit forming. I use Avamys Nasal Spray as advised by my earlier ENT surgeon.
2. I am terribly afraid of nasal packings post operation for my pollyps & DNS surgery. Kindly explain if Radiofrequency surgery will eliminate nasal packings.
3. Saline spray I have used in past but could not be as effective as nasal spray. I do have to put 3 sprays in each nosedrill as 1 or 2 do not dechoke my nose now.
4. It is not only my nose, throat or mouth but even my skin & eyes too are dry.
You have used some medical terminology in your answer hence request you to explsin in layman terms.
regards
XXXX XXXXXXX
doctor
Answered by Dr. Sumit Bhatti (12 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Details as discussed below:

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

Thank you for writing back.

1. Good to hear that you do not use nasal decongestant drops regularly. If the nasal steroid sprays are not helping, consider a repeat Sinus CT Scan and nasal turbinate reduction.

2. Radio frequency procedure does not require nasal packing. You can avoid DNS and polyp surgery.

3. Try the hypertonic nasal wash with added steroid. The polyps will regress or disappear.

4. The widespread dryness is due to the side effects of other medication that you may be taking.

I hope that I have answered your query. If you have any more questions I will be available to answer them.

Regards.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Arnab Banerjee
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Sumit Bhatti (34 hours later)
Thanks Doctor. can I show your comments to a local ENT surgeon & ask for radio frequency surgery? How much time will it take & will I immediately be normal?
I had started with 1 shot in each nosedrill of Avamys & now need 3 in each nosedrill. Will it go on increasing like this? Is there any harm in this increase? Will radio frequency surgery eliminate use of nasal spray?
What is hypertonic nasal wash? Is that something available at chemist shop? Does it come with added steroid?
Kindly advise.
Regards
XXXX XXXXXXX
doctor
Answered by Dr. Sumit Bhatti (11 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Details as discussed below:

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

Thank you for writing back.

1. Radiofrequency nasal turbinate reduction is a quick, simple and painless procedure that can be done under local anesthesia and the patient can go home after a couple of hours. The optimum effect takes 4 to 6 weeks after surgery. Multiple weekly visits for cleaning the nose including crusts may be required. By the third week, good relief is obtained in almost all patients.

2. Ideally Avamys should be taken with 2 puffs in each nostril once a day. Each puff is 50 (μg) micrograms and hence the total dose is 200 (μg) micrograms. This small quantity is not harmful to the body.

3. After successful radiofrequency surgery, you will be able to reduce your requirement if nasal spray. The nasal spray can be used during the post op period and in future to combat any allergy.

4. Use Nasowash which is a brand of hypertonic nasal wash and is easily available. At present there is no added steroid. it may be launched soon. Till then follow the instructions in my first answer.

I hope that I have answered your query. If you have any more questions I will be available to answer them.

Regards.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Sumit Bhatti (2 days later)
My last question Dr. Bhatti. The time now is 6 am. I got up for urination. My nose was clear right through out. As soon as I went to bed, my breathlessness started. Now I am unable to sleep. Same thing happens at 11 pm when I go to sleep.
Let me also tell you that my physician diagnised me with anxiety in 2014 when I had a problem of severe breathlessness though my pollyp & DNS were diagnized in 2010. I had serious thoughts to commit suicide.
As soon as he admitted me in his hospital at XXXXXXX I became alright. Then for 2 years I was ok. He gave me Nexito 10 for anxiety & Pentocid DSR 1 BDS.
This happens to me in July/August.
My question is " Is my breathlessness due to Polyposis/ DNS OR due to anxiety.".
My physician never told me to take treatment from ENT & I was very happy with no breathlessness for 2 years. Now it is July/August again. As I am writing to you, my breathlessness is gone.

regards
XXXX XXXXXXX
doctor
Answered by Dr. Sumit Bhatti (5 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Details as discussed below:

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

Thank you for writing back.

1. The breathlessness is due to a combination of nasal obstruction, acid reflux and anxiety.

2. Treating all these will help cure your problem.

3. Get a CT PNS (Para Nasal Sinuses) done pre and post decongestion with 0.1% Xylometazoline nasal drops (such as Otrivin) done. After the first scan use 5 to 8 drops of Otrivin nasal drops on both sides. Repeat the CT Scan after 15 minutes and compare the images with your relief of nasal obstruction. Ask the technician to reduce the radiation dose to half for each scan. Upload the images here or directly at bit.ly/Dr-Sumit-Bhatti

I hope that I have answered your query. If you have any more questions I will be available to answer them.

Regards.
Note: Consult an experienced Otolaryngologist / ENT Specialist online for further follow up on ear, nose, and throat issues - Book a Call now.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Priyanka G Raj
doctor
Answered by
Dr.
Dr. Sumit Bhatti

Otolaryngologist / ENT Specialist

Practicing since :1991

Answered : 2686 Questions

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What Causes Dryness In The Throat, Nose And Mouth At Night?

Brief Answer: Details as described below : Detailed Answer: Hi, Thank you for your query. 1. The dryness is most likely due to the side effects of your current medications . Review these medications with your physician. Avoid using decongestant nasal drops as these cause Rhinitis Medicamentosa. 2. Use Nasowash. This is a hypertonic saline nasal wash. Add half a Budesonide respule to each 200 ml of prepared solution. This will control the nasal polyposis and help you avoid major sinus surgery. 3. Radiofrequency nasal turbinate reduction is a minimally invasive nasal surgery which does not require post op nasal packing. 4. If any minor nasal work is done, including middle turbinate concha reduction, septal spur correction or Balloon Sinuplasty, nasal packings with breathing tubes are available. I hope that I have answered your query. If you have any more questions I will be available to answer them. Regards.