It's most definitely not fun to have a sore throat, right? Here are some ways to help your sore throat heal faster. Please note that this won't treat your sore throat altogether and/or in an hour! It's just ways to help ease your throat.
Steps
Easing Throat Pain Quickly
- Take a spoon or two of honey. Honey is a natural antiseptic and has also been shown to suppress a cough. Take one or two spoonfuls of honey and swallow slowly, allowing it to sit at the back of your mouth for as long as possible.[1][2]
- Honey can also be added to hot water to create a soothing drink, though this is usually less effective in the long-term.
- Children under 1 year should NOT be given honey. It contains bacteria that their bodies cannot process.
- Gargle with warm saltwater. Add 1 spoonful of sea salt or 2 spoonfuls of table salt to a glass of warm water. Gargle with a mouthful of the solution at a time until it is gone. This sanitizes your throat and reduces inflammation, in turn reducing pain. [3]
- You can also gargle an apple cider vinegar solution. It works in much the same way. Add one or two spoonfuls of apple cider vinegar to a glass of water and gargle the solution. Honey can also be added to improve the taste, though it won't taste fantastic no matter what and isn't intended to.
- Breathe steam. You can take a hot shower, use a humidifier, or stand over a boiling tea kettle. Breathing the steam will soothe your throat, as dry air is very painful on your throat.[4]
- Eat hot foods. Try eating foods like broth, soup, warm applesauce, or soft fruits (though you should avoid foods with too much sugar). These can reduce pain.
- Try washing, separating and freezing blue berries, canned oranges, or similar small fruits. Suck on these once frozen to reduce the pain.
- Drink warm tea. Drink some warm tea like Throat Coat Tea with honey.
- Suck on cough drops. Suck on a cough drop to relieve soreness.
Getting Your Body Better
- Stay in bed. The most important thing to do is to stay in bed. Don't get up and move around a lot, because if you're sick, running around everywhere will make you feel worse and get everyone else sick too! Rest and sleep are very important. You can even watch TV or read a book to keep you occupied and get your mind off the sickness.
- Get some fruit juice. It is known that fruit juice such as apple juice eases sore throats. Some top two recommended juices are apple juice and orange juice. Be aware that hot apple cider may not help as much.
- Try to avoid juices with a lot of sugar. Sugar will create an environment where germs can multiply quickly. Drink natural or fresh squeezed juices instead. Lemon-based juice and other high vitamin C content juices will be best.
- Avoid having cold drinks and food. They constrict and tighten your passageways instead of easing them.
- Avoid milk and ice cream products. They give you phlegm, which causes you to cough more.
- Make some soup. Soothing broth is just what you need. Chicken noodle soup and Top Ramen are both delicious and very helpful for your throat.
- Take some medicine. This will really help your throat get better. Kids should take either Motrin or Benadryl. They will make you sleepy, but hey, sleep is just what you need!
- Get some sleep. Take some time off your throat issues and take a nap! This is perfectly fine and very helpful.
- Bundle up! It's important that you bundle up, because if you have a cold, sore throat, flu, or fever, you shouldn't expose yourself to coldness, because it could make you more sick.
- Keep yourself entertained. Because you're staying home from school or work, you could get a little bored sometimes. If you wrap yourself in a blanket or robe, you could easily go on to the computer (wikiHow!!) or something away from your bed. Things you could do at your bed are: read, write, play some sort of portable video game system, etc.
- Whatever you do, don't be too hard on your throat. Don't eat things like tortilla chips, because this will make your throat feel horrible. Stick to broth, juice, and hot tea.
Tips
- Eat a spoonful of honey.
- Just remember if it gets too bad, you must see a doctor!
- Rest your throat, don't talk!
- Don't drink anything acidic!
- Fill the bathroom up with steam by putting the shower all the way hot. Sit down and breathe it all in.
- If the sore throat does not seem to be getting better or even worsens in a week, see a doctor. It could be something much more serious.
- Use a glass of warm water and salt to gargle with, then swallow slowly a spoonful of honey.
- Try not to eat dry foods.
- You can also try to eat a marshmallow! When you swallow it, it makes a smooth coat over your throat so it will almost numb your throat.
- Try sucking on lozenges such as Strepsils!
- Eat a spoonful of peanut butter! It's soothing and coats your throat but, this is temporarily.
- Eat Hot Porridge it helps soothe your throats and it is very tasty.
Warnings
- Don't be too hard on your throat!
Sources and Citations
