Allergies, dryness in air and pollution combined with common cold, flu are some of the reasons for sore throats. Regardless of the cause, below are some simple home remedies for sore throat that can help ease the pain.
Gargle
Gargling with warm salt water is an age-old home remedy for treating sore throat. Sore throat hurts because the cells of our throat have become swollen due to infection. Salt reduces the swelling and eases the pain in your throat. It also helps in getting rid of the excess mucous, which is blocking the inner membranes of the throat.
Procedure: Mix a cup of warm water with half a teaspoon of salt. Gargle with the mixture and repeat it at least three times a day.
Chamomile Tea
A natural painkiller for sore throats, it helps the muscles relax.
Procedure: Brew a chamomile tea bag in a mug of warm water for 2-3 minutes. Add honey and lime if needed. Drink it warm.
Hydrogen Peroxide
It kills harmful bacteria and is extremely effective at treating infection.
Procedure: Gargle with a mixture of a cap full of hydrogen peroxide diluted with warm water (one-cap full). If the taste of the mixture is too detestable, try adding a little honey to the mixture.
A Hot Toddy
If you have sore throat with cold and cough, have a hot toddy. The lemon and honey will help in soothing your throat while alcohol will help you sleep better. You can leave out the alcohol if you don’t want to have it.
Procedure: To make a hot toddy, pour 2 oz. of whiskey or bourbon in a mug and add a tablespoon of honey to it. Add warm water and a tablespoon of lemon juice to the mixture. Mix well and once honey is properly mixed, microwave the mixture for a minute. Drink this before going to bed.
Ginger
An excellent remedy for cold and sore throats, ginger is an expectorant, which helps in loosening the mucus, and opens up the sinuses. It increases the blood circulation and speeds up the healing process.
Procedure: Crush fresh ginger and boil it with your tea for at least 2-5 minutes. Alternatively you can also just boil crushed ginger for 5 minutes in water, strain the liquid, add some honey and enjoy the warm mixture.
Milk
Warm milk may seem the perfect home remedy for sore throat. But if the pain is due to congestion, avoid milk as it coats the throat and aggravates the production of mucus thereby worsening the condition.
Procedure: If you have dry sore throat, warm milk with honey is great for you. Warm milk with half a teaspoon of turmeric is also very effective against bacterial infections in your throat.
Cloves
Cloves or clove oil is highly effective at treating toothaches, and at treating painful sore throats. They contain Eugenol which is a natural pain killer with antibiotic properties.
Procedure: Suck on two cloves till they become soft and then chew on them. You can swallow it if you want.
Garlic
A natural remedy, garlic contains allicin which helps kill bacteria and fight germs.
Procedure: Suck on a clove of garlic and ingest it juices. Garlic leaves an offensive odor so try doing this once a day before going to bed.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is highly acidic and is believed to kill the bacteria, which causes sore throat. Some people swear by this home remedy.
Procedure: Mix a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with honey in a cup of warm water. Drink the mixture while it’s still warm.
Sage
Sage apart from having a lot of medicinal properties is also an excellent astringent. The phenolic acids in sage help the tissues in your throat to contract thereby reducing the swelling. It is also great for treating bacterial infections in your throat.
Procedure: Use sage for gargling with warm water for best benefits. Add 1-3 teaspoons of sage with salt in boiling water and let it stay for at least 20 minutes. Gargle with the mixture for best effects.
Pomegranate
Pomegranates are great for fighting sore throat. They contain anti-oxidants that help in fighting infection. It is also a natural astringent and is great for reducing inflammation in the throat.
Procedure: Make a pomegranate tea or have pomegranate juice. Try to make the juice at home else find organic ones with less sugar.
Cinnamon Sticks
A spice readily found in the kitchen is a great remedy for treating sore throat and relieve the pain especially the one caused by cold. Cinnamon is high on antioxidants and helps in opening up the sinuses thereby reducing the production of mucus.
Procedure: You can drink cinnamon powder in water mixture or you can add 1-2 cinnamon sticks while making a tea of your choice.
Some more tips for sore throat:
- Keep the temperature of your food and drinks moderate. While drinking hot teas will seem tempting, try to have them warm as hot teas will just burn your throat triggering more pain.
- Have lots of fluids (water, orange juice, green tea) but avoid alcohol and caffeine.
- Have bath with eucalyptus oil. The vapors from the oil and steam will help in clearing up the sinuses and are very effective at treating dry sore throat.
While these cures are no miracle, they definitely soothe sore throat and lessen the symptoms of cold or flu. Through natural home remedies for sore throat, your body will feel better and not drowsy and low on energy as you would feel while taking over-the-counter medicines. Next time you start feeling pain in your throat, try these home remedies before the symptoms get worse. A healthy body leads to a healthy recovery.
We want to know your thoughts! Please share with us which remedies work and which don’t. You can also ask a question or leave a comment below.
