Picture courtesy www.quickmeme.com

Home Remedies For Sore Throat Pain

When in pain, we want relief, and we want it fast! Before exploring the very

best homemade remedies for sore throats however, let’s quickly run over

the most common causes of sore throats and the symptoms typically

associated with sore throats.

Most common causes of a sore throat include, but are not

limited to:

Viral infections are responsible for more than 70% of sore throat

occurrences; typically bring about the following health conditions:

common colds (caused by rhinoviruses and corona viruses)

influenza (caused by RNA (ribonucleic acid) virus)

mononucleosis (mono) – “kissing disease” (infection with the Epstein-

Barr virus (EBV) causing a glandular disease primarily spread through

saliva)

mumps (very contagious viral infection of the mumps virus from the

genus Rubulavirus of the paramyxovirus family), etc

Picture credited to healthinfoblog.info

Bacterial causes of sore throats are:

strep throat is caused by the streptococcus pyogenes bacteria; a

contagious infection usually spread from person-to-person through

saliva and respiratory droplets from sneezing. Is the most common

bacterial cause of sore throat

diphtheria is caused by the bacterium baccorynebacterium diphtheria,

aka the Klebs-Loffer bacillus. A very contagious disease which may be

life-threatening. Respiratory diphtheria affects the nose, throat and

tonsils, and can lead to severe breathing problems.

whooping cough (infection of the respiratory system),

bacterial tonsillitis is usually caused by group A streptococcus bacteria

often found inside the throat.

Non-infectious causes include but are not limited to

irritation from alcohol

cigarette smoke

Picture courtesy www.wisegeek.com

irritation from nasogastric tubes used to administer drugs and feed

critically ill patients

foreign objects (chicken or fish bones for example) stuck in throat.

What are the signs and symptoms commonly experienced with a

sore throat?

Depending on what caused it, the symptoms of a sore throat generally

include:

swallow with difficulty

throat is dry (from breathing through the mouth)

tonsils are red and swollen

hoarse voice

Symptoms of sore throat which may indicate you need medical

attention are:

fever (temp of 101 F (38 C) or higher)

Credit www.medindia.net

headache, abdominal pain and vomiting on top of sore throat

tiredness

drooling

Sore throats caused by viral infections are not treatable by antibiotics;

bacterial infection needs to be diagnosed before prescription medicine can be

used.

OK…let’s see how many quick and easy homemade remedies for sore throat

we can find…

Analgesics: are defined as medicine that relieves pain. These are typically

over-the-counter painkillers such as Ibrufen, Panadeine, Panadol, Tylenol, Aspirin, etc, and all are probably good when looking for home remedies for

sore throat pain. Whilst these may bring temporary relief from the pain

associated with a sore throat, they do not kill the viruses/bacteria

responsible for the sore throat. Use painkillers only when the home/natural

remedy for sore throats you apply do not take care of the pain sufficiently.

Courtesy spartanpharmacy.wordpress.com

Apple cider vinegar: is one of the best home remedies for sore throats!

ACV is made when crushed apples are fermented until such time that the

liquid forms acetic acid (vinegar). The acidity of ACV fights infection,

bringing relief from the viral or bacterial infection which causes a sore

throat. You can either take as a beverage or use to gargle.

Prepare a ACV beverage by adding 1 tablespoon of ACV to 8 ounces of hot

water (you can add 1 tablespoon of honey), stir and sip while still hot. Do

this 3 times a day until sore throat has cleared up. For more effective

treatment increase the ACV concentration by adding more to the water.

Credit to www.mygetridofguide.com

Baking soda: is another of those natural remedies for sore throat relief one

can depend on to deliver real results.

Add ½ teaspoon baking soda (anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory

properties) and ½ teaspoon table salt (salt is a great antiseptic and will also

loosen phlegm) to a cup of hot (not boiling) water and stir. Keep in mind it

should be gargled with while still hot; but cool enough not to burn your

throat. Take a sip, lift your head and let solution drop into your throat.

Leave for a few seconds before gargling; spit out. Repeat 2 more times. Do

3 times daily until pain in throat stops.

Candy: of the hard variety, does not cure sore throats; it merely produces

saliva which lubricates a dry throat, and only for a while. Indulge your sweet

tooth a bit; keeping in mind that sugar generally speaking is detrimental to

good health.

Cayenne pepper: Prepare a hot beverage by stirring ½ teaspoon of

cayenne pepper into a cup of boiling water. Add 1 teaspoon of honey to

make it more palatable. While cayenne pepper will not kill the virus

responsible for the sore throat, it most certainly will bring relief from the

pain associated with it.

Cinnamon and honey: is one of my personal favorites when it comes to

home remedies for sore throats and coughs. Quickest method is mixing 2-3

drops of cinnamon oil with 1 teaspoon of honey. Eat 2-3 times daily as

needed for quick relief from sore throat pain.

Courtesy beyondphys1cal.wordpress.com

Fenugreek seeds: have been found to be a very effective home remedy for

treating a sore throat, as it is antiseptic and has expectorant properties

which ultimately soothe the throat. Prepare a gargle by adding 2 tablespoons

of fenugreek seeds to a liter of cold water and simmer over low heat for

about 30 minutes. Strain and let it cool down to a temperature comfortable

to your throat and gargle with the tea throughout the day.

Side effects: Ingesting fenugreek not advised for pregnant women; also not

to be taken by people who have been treated for high blood sugar or

cholesterol.

Garlic: is one of those excellent natural home remedies for a sore throat

with both antiviral and antibacterial (allicin) properties. It also is a powerful

antimicrobial agent which builds up your immune system and helps the body

to fight off ailments.

Courtesy vgourmet.ca

Garlic tea is prepared by boiling 1 cup of water in a medium sized pot. Add 4

fresh cloves of garlic. Bring down the heat and let it simmer for about 5

minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and let it cool. You may want to

inhale the steam as the tea cools for 5 minutes; it may very well kill some of

the germs. Use cheesecloth to strain tea into a mug. Stir 1 teaspoon honey

into the tea and slowly sip until finished. Drink as often as you like to get rid

of your sore throat.

Ginger: Ginger tea, used as a sore throat treatment, can be prepared from

either powdered ginger (1 teaspoon) or grated fresh ginger root (up to 2

teaspoons) added to 1 cup boiling water. Drinking 3 cups a day for a couple

of days should take care of your sore throat.

Honey: taken straight has antibacterial properties which will soothe a sore

throat by reducing the swelling; its natural antimicrobial properties fight off

infection. A home remedy for sore throat using honey is a very tasty option,

and only 1 teaspoon is needed for welcome relief from the pain associated

with a sore throat. You may prefer to rather add honey to hot water or

herbal tea also.

Humidity: is necessary to prevent the air from drying out. A blocked nose

usually causes breathing through the mouth, which dries out the throat

causing even more discomfort and pain. The home remedy for dry sore

throat caused by a congested nose is running a humidifier. Do not sweat it if

you do not have one, you can also keep the air moist by placing a large

container with warm air near you. Natural evaporation will create enough

moisture to ease breathing.

Credit to wikihow.com

Juice bars: will soothe your hot throat. Do not suck them, as the strain of

this action will only irritate the throat some more. Rather bite off a small

piece at a time; let it melt in your mouth.

Lemonade: add 1 teaspoon of honey to ½ glass of warm lemonade and

drink; limiting yourself to only 1 glass a day in order to curb high sugar

intake. Make your own lemonade: add boiling water to 1 tablespoon lemon

juice and honey (to taste) in a mug and stir till honey dissolved. Drink once

it cooled down sufficiently without burning yourself.

Listerine: is claimed to give instant relief from sore throat pain. Gargle with

undiluted Listerine mouthwash or take equal parts hydrogen peroxide (HP)

and Listerine and gargle for 15 seconds. Do not rinse. Repeat as needed.

Orange juice: heated up in microwave with a little honey added is a great

tasting remedy for your sore throat. Alternatively, 1 teaspoon lemon or lime

juice can also be added to warm orange juice.

Credit carrotsformichaelmas.com

Peppermint: is a herb used as flavoring agent in various consumer

products. The main ingredient in peppermint is menthol which has

decongestant and expectorant properties. The herb is available in tincture,

tea, capsule and cream forms.

Prepare peppermint tea by adding 1 teaspoon dried leaves to 1 cup boiling

water. Let tea steep for 10 minutes and strain. Drink while still warm, up to

5 times daily as needed.

Not recommended for children or people who suffer from GERD

(gastrointestinal reflux).

Steam: away that sore throat! Put 2-3 cups of steaming hot water in a bowl

and add some eucalyptus oil. Test the heat by putting your hand over the

steam, if too hot, let it cool a bit. Cover your head with a towel and breathe

deeply through your nose and mouth for 5-10 minutes. Do as often as

needed.

Tabasco sauce: is your alternative when you do not have any cayenne

pepper at hand. Gargle with 15-20 drops Tabasco sauce mixed with a glass

of warm water.

Courtesy nykhunnybunch.blogspot.com

Zinc lozenges: for a sore throat is highly recommended by many to soothe

a sore throat. Take 1 every 2–4 hours as needed to clear up a sore throat;

not for longer than 1 week though.

My name is Sonia and I do research on minor ailments which plague

a large percentage of the world population. Read the full article on

home remedies for sore throat pain. Are you suffering from acne,

neck pain, hangover or overactive bladder? Find solutions to these

health conditions on this website...

If however you believe laughter is the best medicine, here is the

best treatment…

Credit to cheezburger.com