Dry throat is a common symptom - especially during the cold winter months when the air is dry and upper respiratory tract infections are more prevalent. Usually, a dry throat is a sign of something small, like dryness in the air or cold.

Other symptoms can help you understand the cause of dry throat and know if you should call your doctor.

1. Dehydration: Symptoms also include dry mouth, increased thirst, dark urine or less urination, fatigue and dizziness.

2. Sleeping with your mouth open: Symptoms also include bad breath, snoring and tiredness during the day.

3. Allergies: Symptoms also include a stuffy nose, runny nose, sneezing, itchy eyes, mouth or skin, and a cough.

4. Cold: Symptoms also include blocked nose, runny nose, cough, body aches, fever.

5. Flu: Symptoms also include fever, chills, cough, stuffy nose / runny nose, muscle aches, headaches, fatigue, vomiting or diarrhea.

6. Covid:  A growing body of evidence shows that the Omicron variant is more likely to infect the throat than the lungs, which scientists believe may explain why it appears to be more contagious but less deadly than other versions of the virus. The most common symptoms of Covid are fever, cough, fatigue, loss of taste or smell.

More serious condition:

1. GERD: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a condition that causes acid to return from the stomach to the esophagus - the tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach.

Strep throat : Streptococcus is a throat infection caused by bacteria. Usually the throat will be very sore, but it can also feel dry.

3. Tonsillitis: Tonsil infection.

Dry throat is often a sign of a cold, dehydration or sleeping with your mouth open, especially during the winter. Effective home remedies include drinking warm liquids, such as broth or hot tea. You can also use throat sprays. Contact your doctor if symptoms persist or worsen after a few days.

Sources: WebMD, Healthline