subject: Home Remedies for Sore Throats [print this page] Home Remedies for Sore Throats Home Remedies for Sore Throats
A sore throat is an annoying illness which results in the inflammation of the pharynx so that it becomes scratchy, tender and swollen and hurts even while swallowing. A sore throat may occur by itself or it may signify the occurrence of a serious illness like a throat infection or influenza.
It is estimated that approximately 40 million people suffer from sore throat every year and although the causes in each case may be varied, the two main causes of sore throat are viral infections and bacterial infections. The sore throat which is a result of a viral infection like cold and flu is normally accompanied by fever and a running nose and generally disappears in a couple of days. On the other hand, a sore throat occurring from a bacterial infection is much more long lasting and is severe to the extent that it requires the intake of antibiotics for treatment. Sore throat may also occur due to smoking, allergy, dry air, breathing through the mouth and infected tonsils.
There are many home remedies for sore throat and each one of them is discussed as follows:
In order to overcome sore throat, the first step which one must take is to keep one's nasal passage clear so as to facilitate breathing through the nose. When one suffers from a cold, it is easier to sleep with your mouth open due to the blockage in the nose and this leads to dry throat and severe pain in the throat. This can be prevented by the use of decongestants, using a saline nasal spray or running a humidifier in the bedroom at night.
Gargling is considered by many people to be one of the best home remedies for sore throat and one can use a variety of substances for effective gargling. Gargling with raspberry tea leaf not only reduces the pain in the throat but also checks the fever accompanying the infection. Sage combined with apple cider vinegar and honey makes a great gargling mixture where as gargling with a combination of turmeric and salt helps to lessen the irritation which is typical of a sore throat. Gargling with the saline solution brings out the phlegm and also reduces the inflammation caused due to the sore throat. Many people even use the Listerine mouthwash for gargling.
A spoonful of apple cider vinegar combined with a tablespoon of honey and dissolved in a glass of warm water may not be very palatable but serves the purpose of curing sore throat if sipped slowly over a period of time.
Although all countries follow their own home remedies for sore throat, the Russian remedy of combining horseradish root with a teaspoonful of honey and a teaspoonful of ground cloves mixed in warm water and sipped slowly is considered to be particularly effective.
Citrus extracts like lemon juice and orange juice are a rich source of vitamin C and therefore are recommended to individuals suffering from sore throat.
Since a sore throat is capable of disrupting one's sleep, one of the home remedies of sore throat suggests the intake of an analgesic after dinner and just before retiring for the night. The analgesic may be an aspirin or an ibuprofen but pregnant ladies are advised to check with their physicians before the intake of these pain killers to acquire relief from sore throat.
Having hot fluids like tea, coffee or hot lemonade is one of the age old home remedies for sore throat which is followed by almost all the victims of this malady no matter where they reside.
Steaming with eucalyptus oil and breathing in the vapors is one of the remedies of sore throat which have evolved from the old wives' tale and have withstood scientific testing.
Apart from all the above mentioned home remedies for sore throat, one must take plenty of rest and drink lots of liquids, preferably water, in order to recover from sore throat. In case the inflammation refuses to subside and the pain continues unabated for the fourth day then it is better to consult a doctor and undergo appropriate treatment.
