14 Home Remedies for Sore Throats

It's scratchy, tender and swollen, and you dread the simple task of swallowing. But you must swallow, and when you do, you brace yourself for the unavoidable pain.

If you've got a sore throat, you're in good company; everybody gets them, and 40 million people trek to the doctor's office for treatment every year.

The mechanics of a sore throat are pretty simple. It's an inflammation of the pharynx, which is the tube that extends from the back of the mouth to the esophagus. The leading causes of your discomfort are:

Viral infections, like colds or the flu. Often accompanied by fever, achy muscles and runny nose, viral infections can't be cured, but their symptoms can be treated. A sore throat from a viral source will generally disappear on its own within several days.

Bacterial infection, especially from streptococcal bacteria (strep throat). Symptoms are much like those of a viral infection but may be more severe and long lasting. Often a bacterial infection is accompanied by headache, stomachache and swollen glands in the neck. A strep infection is generally treated with antibiotics because permanent heart or kidney damage can result. Culturing the bacteria is the only way a doctor can determine the cause of the sore throat.

While those are the primary reasons for a sore throat, there are others, including:

Smoking
Acid reflux
Allergies
Dry air, especially at night when you may sleep with your mouth open
Mouth breathing
Throat abuse: singing, shouting, coughing
Polyps or cancer
Infected tonsils
Food allergy

A sore throat can be a minor but annoying ailment, or it can be a symptom of a serious illness. Causes range from a stuffy nose or a cold to strep throat, a bacterial throat infection caused by Streptococcus pyogenes. Since untreated strep throat can lead to rheumatic fever and scarlet fever, it's important to get medical help as early as possible into the illness. Along with producing severe soreness in your gullet, strep throat may be accompanied by fever, body aches and pains and malaise.

If you have these symptoms, or if you have a sore throat lasting more than two or three days, it makes good sense to see a doctor. For mild sore throats that accompany a cold or allergy, there are soothing remedies using common household items that can stand alone or work side by side with traditional medicine to stifle that soreness. Get started with the first home remedy on the next page.

This information is solely for informational purposes. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. Neither the Editors of Consumer Guide (R), Publications International, Ltd., the author nor publisher take responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, procedure, exercise, dietary modification, action or application of medication which results from reading or following the information contained in this information. The publication of this information does not constitute the practice of medicine, and this information does not replace the advice of your physician or other health care provider. Before undertaking any course of treatment, the reader must seek the advice of their physician or other health care provider.

1: Keep Your Nasal Passages Clear

Doctors agree that two of the most common causes of sore-throat pain are postnasal drip and a dry throat that results from sleeping with your mouth open when your nasal passages are blocked.

Decongestants, especially those containing pseudoephedrine (read package labels), may be helpful in stopping the flow; follow package directions carefully. Using saline nasal spray can help make breathing easier promptly though temporarily, and it's probably worth investing in a humidifier to run in your bedroom at night.

2: Rest and Take It Easy

Common sense dictates staying in bed or at least resting when a sore throat's got you down. Taking it easy leaves more energy to fight the infection. If your sore throat doesn't require medical attention, rest will help get you back on the road to recovery.

3: Gargle

Gargle raspberry tea. Raspberry leaf tea can make a great gargle. (To make, pour 1 cup boiling water over 2 teaspoons dried leaves. Steep for 10 minutes, then strain. Allow to cool.) If you also have a fever, the gargle can be used as a fever-reducing drink, too. Do not drink any liquid you have used as a gargle.

Gargle with sage. This curative herb is a great sore-throat gargle. Mix 1 teaspoon in 1 cup boiling water. Steep for 10 minutes, then strain. Add 1 teaspoon each cider vinegar and honey, then gargle four times a day.

Gargle with turmeric. Try this gargle to calm a cranky throat. Mix together 1 cup hot water, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Gargle with the mixture twice a day. If you're not good with the gargle, mix 1/2 teaspoon turmeric in 1 cup hot milk and drink. Turmeric stains clothing, so be careful when mixing and gargling.

Gargle with warm saltwater. If you can gargle without gagging, make a saline solution by adding 1/2 teaspoon salt to a cup of very warm water. Yes, when your mother told you to gargle with saltwater, she knew what she was talking about. It cuts phlegm and reduces inflammation. Dissolve 1/2 teaspoon salt in 1/2 cup warm water, and gargle every three to four hours.

Gargle with Listerine. Another good gargling fluid is Listerine mouthwash. If you share the product with anyone else in your household, don't drink straight from the bottle; instead, pour a small amount into a cup (and don't share that, either).

4: Drink Cider Vinegar

This sore throat cure is found in several different remedies. Some doctors still swear that it is surprisingly palatable and works wonders. (Do not give it -- or any other honey-containing food or beverage -- to children under two years of age. Honey can carry a bacterium that can cause a kind of food poisoning called infant botulism and may also cause allergic reactions in very young children.)

1 tablespoon honey, any kind
1 tablespoon vinegar, preferably apple-cider vinegar
8 ounces hot water

Mix all the ingredients together in a mug and sip slowly (but don't let it get cold). Use as often as desired.

For gargling: You'll need 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 cup cider vinegar, and 1 cup warm water. Dissolve the salt in the vinegar, then mix in the water. Gargle every 15 minutes as necessary.

5: Make a Horseradish Cocktail

Try this Russian sore-throat cure. Combine 1 tablespoon pure horseradish or horseradish root with 1 teaspoon honey and 1 teaspoon ground cloves. Mix in a glass of warm water and drink slowly.

6: Use Citrus

Sip lemon juice. Mix 1 tablespoon each of honey and lemon juice in 1 cup warm water and sip away.

Drink lime juice. Combine 1 spoonful with a spoonful of honey and take as often as needed for a sore throat.

7: Take an Analgesic

Plain old aspirin, acetaminophen or ibuprofen can do wonders for sore-throat pain. However, aspirin shouldn't be given to children under the age of 19 because of the risk of Reye's syndrome, a potentially fatal condition. Pregnant and nursing women should check with their doctor before taking any medication. For a list of precautions to take when using over-the-counter analgesics, click here.

8: Eat a Juice Bar

Juice bars are cold and soothing to a hot throat. Don't suck, though. Sucking may irritate the throat even more. Simply let small pieces melt in your mouth.

9: Drink Hot Liquids

Especially if you're not good at gargling, drink hot fluids, such as coffee, tea or hot lemonade. Coating the tissue in your throat with warm liquid provides a benefit similar to applying hot packs to infected skin. (And sipping hot tea is more pleasant than trying to swallow a hot pack.)

To make a soothing tea, use a spoonful of marjoram steeped in a cup of boiling water for 10 minutes. Strain, then sweeten to taste with honey.

10: Grab Some Hard Candy

Think of a sore throat as an excuse to indulge your sweet tooth, since some doctors say that sugar can help soothe a sore throat and the ticklish cough that may come with it. If nothing else, sucking on hard candy -- in the sugar-free variety -- can help keep your mouth and throat moist, which will make you feel more comfortable.

11: Steam It Out

One old-fashioned remedy for a cold or sore throat is a steam tent -- sitting with your face over a bowl of steaming hot water and your head covered with a towel to keep the steam in. Adding 1 to 2 drops eucalyptus oil can be soothing.

While it's easy to dismiss such a simple measure as an old wives' tale, several scientific studies have shown that steaming can actually shorten the duration of a throat infection.

12: Keep the Fluids Coming

Drink as much fluid as possible -- at least eight to 10 8-ounce glasses per day. Keeping your throat well lubricated with soothing liquids can prevent it from becoming dry and irritated and may even help banish the infection faster.

13: Suck on Garlic

This Amish remedy can treat or prevent sore throats. Peel a fresh clove, slice it in half, and place 1 piece in each cheek. Suck on the garlic like a cough drop. Occasionally, crush your teeth against the garlic, not to bite it in half, but to release its allicin, a chemical that can kill the bacteria that causes strep.

14: Spray It

Analgesic sprays, such as Chloraseptic, may be effective in temporarily relieving sore-throat pain. The only problem is that the effect doesn't last long. You may have to spray several times an hour. However, the sprays won't harm you and may take the edge off an extremely painful throat.

Also, when treating a sore throat, nix the colas and scratchy foods, such as chips and pretzels. They'll irritate an already irritated throat.

For more information, see our main Home Remedies page and Herbal Remedies for Sore Throat.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Timothy Gower is a freelance writer and editor whose work has appeared in many publications, including Reader's Digest, Prevention, Men's Health, Better Homes and Gardens, The New York Times, and The Los Angeles Times. The author of four books, Gower is also a contributing editor for Health magazine.

Alice Lesch Kelly is a health writer based in Boston. Her work has been published in magazines such as Shape, Fit Pregnancy, Woman's Day, Reader's Digest, Eating Well, and Health. She is the co-author of three books on women's health.

Linnea Lundgren has more than 12 years experience researching, writing, and editing for newspapers and magazines. She is the author of four books, including Living Well With Allergies.

Michele Price Mann is a freelance writer who has written for such publications as Weight Watchers and Southern Living magazines. Formerly assistant health and fitness editor at Cooking Light magazine, her professional passion is learning and writing about health.

ABOUT THE CONSULTANTS:

Ivan Oransky, M.D., is the deputy editor of The Scientist. He is author or co-author of four books, including The Common Symptom Answer Guide, and has written for publications including the Boston Globe, The Lancet, and USA Today. He holds appointments as a clinical assistant professor of medicine and as adjunct professor of journalism at New York University.

David J. Hufford, Ph.D., is university professor and chair of the Medical Humanities Department at Pennsylvania State University's College of Medicine. He also is a professor in the departments of Neural and Behavioral Sciences and Family and Community Medicine. Dr. Hufford serves on the editorial boards of several journals, including Alternative Therapies in Health & Medicine and Explore.

Publications International, Ltd.

This information is solely for informational purposes. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. Neither the Editors of Consumer Guide (R), Publications International, Ltd., the author nor publisher take responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, procedure, exercise, dietary modification, action or application of medication which results from reading or following the information contained in this information. The publication of this information does not constitute the practice of medicine, and this information does not replace the advice of your physician or other health care provider. Before undertaking any course of treatment, the reader must seek the advice of their physician or other health care provider.

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