Dry and stiffness in throat. Issu?

I used to smoke 2 cigarettes a day for 1.5 years and had throat infection since last one month and I've left smoking since 19/Jan/2018. My infection is almost fine now and there is no throat pain but there is dryness in my throat due to which it is itchy at times. And also I am feeling like my throat is stiff inside and I feel like there is a lump in the throat region whenever I try to swallow cough or saliva. But the general physician said that it's because I am very much concious about my throat and trying to press the neck in the jaw region and also due to dryness. Also I am trying betadine gargles 3 times a day and warm salt water gargle too. But since 2 days I am feeling that my throat is swallow inside and feeling like mass inside the throat. Also I have little bit of cough stuck in the upper region of throat which I always try to clean up. Can somebody suggest me some good medicine and remedy. I'm vry worried can it be serious issu? Because there is no ENT spclst in my hometown