Sore throats can be a painful hassle since they often hinder us in a wide variety of everyday activities such as speaking, eating, and in severe cases even just swallowing.  This is made even more difficult by the fact that sore throats can be caused by a variety of problems.

While there is no substitute for medical treatment, we’ve gathered some home remedies to try and help you recover faster.  In addition, we’ve also provided some resources pertaining to doctors, dentists, nutritionists, insurance, and other related services.

Sore Throat Remedies

Rinse your throat with a solution

The tried and tested method of gargling salt water is known to be an extremely effective method for curing a sore throat.  This is because the saltwater mixture essentially acts like an antiseptic that draws out viruses, bacteria, and debris.

When we gargle this solution, we effectively reduce the amount of viral material or bacteria that is causing an infection.  Now, while many folks believe that saline solution can be swapped with apple cider vinegar, the use of the latter is discouraged due to its damaging effects on teeth.

Consume cold liquids and foods

Assuming you don’t have a wicked cough aggravating an already sore throat, consuming cold beverages and foods such as popsicles can provide some considerable relief.  Similar to icing sprains, cold foods and beverages can help reduce swelling and inflammation in the throat.

Now, it’s worth noting that citrus-flavored drinks and foods should be avoided when possible as the flavors can sometimes trigger acid reflux.  This condition can then aggravate your throat thereby worsening your overall condition

Make use of a humidifier

Dry air has a way of irritating a sore throat as it draws out moisture from your throat and tonsils when it is inhaled and exhaled.  To combat this, physicians recommend taking a nice steamy shower to fill your nose and throat with moisture and reduce pain.

Now if you’re not too keen on running up a high water bill, you can also invest in a humidifier.  This machine essentially sucks in air, moisturizes it, and introduces it back into a room thereby making the surrounding air more humid.

Sip on some herbal tea

While it may seem overrated or exaggerated, decent herbal tea can actually provide considerable relief from sore throat symptoms.  We know this from various studies that have examined the specific constituents of herbal teas and how they affect the body.

For example, the green tea compound, epigallocatechin-3-gallate, works to reduce inflammation in the body.  Because of this, it is not uncommon for some people to gargle green tea for general relief from a sore throat.

While many of these remedies have been tried and tested countless times, certain cases such as bacterial infections can require medical intervention.  If you happen to fall victim to a bacterial throat infection, we’d recommend seeking an antibacterial prescription from your local physician.