Effective Home Remedies For Sore Throat

Unfortunately there isn’t usually a cure or specific treatment for sore throat. An antibiotic is essential for sore throat caused by strep (group A streptococcus bacteria), but if your sore throat is viral, which most are, antibiotics won’t help, and the side effects can be harmful, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).......➡️CONTINUE READING THE FULL ARTICLES HERE.

The good news is that most sore throats last only about a week, and there’s a lot you can do to alleviate pain. “At-home remedies can be effective in managing mild to moderate cases,” says Nicholas Bower, DO, a regional medical director at the University of Maryland Urgent Care in Baltimore.

Keep reading to learn about the best home remedies for sore throat, nonprescription drugs that can ease throat pain, and signs that you need to see your doctor or seek emergency care.

Top Home Remedies for Sore Throat

The following home remedies can provide some relief for sore throat in both children and adults.
Honey

Mixed with warm water or tea (if you like lemon, add a squeeze), honey taken several times a day can alleviate sore throat pain, says Dr. Bower. “This is as safe a home remedy as there is,” he says. And it can be effective: A meta-analysis of 14 studies found that honey was superior to over-the-counter medications for improving overall symptoms and cough from upper respiratory infections.

The exception: Children under the age of 1 should not consume honey because of the risk of infant botulism.

Saltwater Gargle

“Gargling with warm salt water or plain hydrogen peroxide 3 percent — this is the old-fashioned over-the-counter brown bottle — is excellent for killing excess bacteria in the mouth and often provides relief for sore throat,” says Bower. He recommends swishing thoroughly, gargling, and spitting two to three times per day for a few days, or until the sore throat gets better.

The active ingredient in baking soda is sodium bicarbonate, which would not cause any harm if someone were to use it as part of a gargle or oral rinse, says Bower. But there aren’t significant antiseptic properties to baking soda that would make it more effective than salt water or hydrogen peroxide 3 percent, he adds.

Chamomile Tea

Many people report that drinking warm chamomile tea mixed with honey soothes a sore throat, and there are really no downsides, says Bower.

Bonus: There’s evidence to suggest that chamomile may promote relaxation and rest. “When suffering from a sore throat or any illness, getting plenty of rest is critical to making a speedy and complete recovery,” says Bower.

Garlic

Garlic has been used to fight illness for thousands of years. The plant (garlic is considered a vegetable and a close relative of onions and shallots) does contain lots of bioactive compounds that have potential therapeutic benefits, as well as sulfur-containing compounds that offer antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits.

That said, garlic is metabolized quickly and has poor bioavailability, meaning it’s hard for the body to absorb any potential benefits.

If you want to use garlic to help relieve symptoms of a cold, including sore throat, there’s no harm in giving it a try, says Carlos Lerner, MD, a pediatrician at UCLA Health in Los Angeles. “There isn’t much evidence to show its efficacy, but there are anecdotal reports that it can help,” he says.
Broth or Soup

Warm broths and liquid soups are great ways to stay well hydrated and keep electrolytes up when in the throes of many illnesses, including sore throat. “The added benefit of broth and liquid soup is that they are much easier to swallow, passing easily by the throat and tonsils with minimal friction. I highly recommend broth and liquid soups to my patients when they’re suffering from a sore throat,” Bower says