Soothe a Sore Throat Quickly

The discomfort of a dry, throbbing throat can be impossible to ignore. To soothe a sore throat quickly, try some home remedies, like honey and ginger. If your throat is really uncomfortable, a trip to the pharmacy might be necessary to get stronger medicine.

Steps

Soothing Your Throat with Non-pharmacological Therapies

1. Gargle with warm saltwater. Add 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of salt to 8 ounces (237 ml) of warm water. Gargle for several seconds, spit, and repeat. The salt in the water can draw excess fluid from inflamed throat tissues, making them less painful.
   • Add one teaspoon of hydrogen peroxide to the gargle if your throat has a lot of mucus. Hydrogen peroxide acts as a debriding agent, getting the mucus out.
   • You can also make an apple cider vinegar solution and gargle that, for a similar effect. Mix 1 or 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with 1 cup water and gargle. You can add honey to make the taste better.
2. Take a spoonful or two of raw honey. It coats the throat and eases discomfort, and can even be a cough suppressant. Instead of simply spooning down the honey, you can also add it to a soothing tea if you would rather do that. This may be less effective, however, as your throat will be less exposed to the honey. Steep a slice of lemon or several chunks of peeled ginger (or both, or neither) in hot water for five minutes, add honey, and enjoy.
   • Do not give honey to children under one. It contains bacteria which their bodies are unable to handle.
3. Get in a steamy shower or tub for ten minutes. Alternatively, use a cool-air humidifier to moisten the air. Dry air will further irritate your throat. Even putting your face over a steaming bowl of water and then putting a towel over your head can work to ease your sore throat
4. Eat soothing or cooling foods. Switching to throat-friendly foods like broth, applesauce, soft fruits, or even popsicles will reduce irritation while you recover. You can freeze fruits like blueberries or canned mandarins to suck on. Make sure that they are rinsed and separated before you freeze them. Place them apart on a plate so that they do not stick together.
5. Make ginger tea. You can choose a commercially made tea or make your own. If you decide to do it at home, you need to buy fresh ginger at the store.Ginger is a strong and spicy flavor that not everyone loves, but it will sanitize your throat and ease the pain.
   • Prepare some fresh ginger. Get a roughly 2"x1" piece of ginger. Peel it and then slice it.
   • Add the ginger to boiling water. Put the ginger slices into 4 cups of boiling water. Boil for 15 minutes. Remove from heat when done and remove the ginger with a slotted spoon.
   • Add lemon and honey. Add the juice from 1/4 - 1/2 of a lemon (to taste). Then add 2 tablespoons or more of honey (also to taste).
   • Pour and drink the tea while it is still warm. Keep in mind that this is not designed to be an extremely tasty tea. It is designed to make your throat feel better. It may sting for a while while it sanitizes your throat, but it will make you feel better.
6. Try an onion gargle. This may not sound appealing, but it can help relieve pain. This onion gargle is easy to prepare with ingredients easily available at the grocery store.
   • Finely chop 1 onion and place it in a bowl.
   • Finely chop 1/2 a fresh red chili and add it to the onion. Wearing gloves (or Ziploc bags) while you do this will keep your fingertips from becoming spicy; if you don’t have protection, avoid touching any delicate areas of your skin for a while.
   • Add 1 tsp of salt and the juice of 2 lemons. Let the mixture sit in the refrigerator for one hour.
   • Strain mixture into a clean glass. You can do this with a cheesecloth or even clean kitchen towels.
   • Gargle for several seconds, spit, and repeat. This will help keep your sore throat at bay.
7. Make a garlic paste. This is an intense but effective way to relieve throat pain. This paste should be swallowed as slowly as possible, so that it has time to work on your throat. The allicin in garlic can help your throat -- you can even try sucking on cloves of garlic throughout the day with occasional bites.
   • Finely chop 1 small piece of ginger and 1 clove of garlic on a cutting board. Make the pieces as small as possible to make them easy to consume. Transfer them to the small bowl.
   • Mix in a pinch or two of cayenne pepper. Don’t go overboard or it will be very spicy.
   • Add two tablespoons of honey. Stir until well blended.
   • Thin your paste with a few drops of water. This will make it easier to get down.
   • Spoon this mix into your mouth and swallow until it is all gone. This will make it worse for about ten minutes, but then it will soothe it.

Getting Help at the Pharmacy

1. Suck on some throat lozenges. You can buy lozenges over-the-counter (OTC) at the pharmacy. Lozenges often contain menthol and/or other anesthetic, such as ambroxol, lidocaine, or benzocaine, to soothe and numb your throat.
   • Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about how often to use throat lozenges. If you still have a sore throat after two days of use, talk to your doctor.
   • Do not chew the lozenges or swallow them whole. Dissolve one lozenge in your mouth slowly, as directed by your doctor or the manufacturer's instructions.
2. Take some acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Most doctors will recommend some basic pain medication for a sore throat. You should generally avoid aspirin, as it is tough on the stomach, though.
3. Use a throat spray. Throat sprays are more fast-acting than cough drops and can be extremely soothing. There are many different types available, depending on where you live, and some are more effective than others, so experiment to see which might work best for you.
4. Ask your pharmacist for advice. Most pharmacists will gladly dispense free advice on what you should take and when. They will be able to steer you toward the products they think are most helpful and help you choose between the many cough drops and throat sprays available.
5. Take prescribed medications. Your sore throat might be a symptom of something more serious. If your sore throat is accompanied with fever or doesn't go away in a few days, contact your doctor. It might be strep throat or bronchitis, both of which are easily treated by your doctor with medication. You can still soothe your throat with the home remedies and over-the-counter medicines while recovering from your illness.

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Sources and Citations

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