Signs and Symptoms of a Sore Throat
A sore throat is characterized by an intense burning sensation at the back of the throat. While most sore throats usually result in discomfort, they will typically disappear within a week. Additionally, some simple home remedies can be used to help soothe the pain. However, if you experience a recurrent sore throat or if it is accompanied by a fever, it is important to consult your doctor.
Causes of a Sore Throat
A sore throat is usually one of the earliest symptoms of a cold or flu. Other causes of a sore throat may include:
- Viral or bacterial infections
- Dry air
- Smoking
- Prolonged yelling or cheering (such as at a concert or sporting event)
Home Remedies and Natural Treatments for Sore Throats
Honey
Honey is considered to be one of the best natural remedies for sore throats. Therefore, a simple natural remedy to soothe a sore throat is to take one teaspoon of honey twice a day until cured. A warm herbal tea mixed with a teaspoon of honey is also an effective way to ease a painful throat. 1
Oregano Oil
Oil of Oregano is an excellent natural treatment for sore throats. It has been found that drinking a glass of juice mixed with 3 drops of Oregano Oil once per day can provide throat relief within a few hours. Or you may take 2-3 drops of Oil of Oregano under the tongue if you are able to handle the spicy taste.2
This can be repeated for up to 5 days until the symptoms are gone. It is usually best to start this remedy as soon as you feel a sore throat developing.
Garlic
Garlic has wonderful anti-viral and anti-fungal properties which make it an excellent treatment for sore throats caused by virus infections. 3
Therefore, a simple remedy is to add fresh or powdered garlic to your meals, or drink the following garlic vegetable cocktail once or twice per day:
- Add a cup of tomato juice or vegetable juice (such as V8) into a blender.
- Add two garlic cloves into the blender.
- Add a dash of Worcestershire sauce.
- Blend on high until the garlic is thoroughly mixed with the juice.
Gargling Salt Water
Many people have found that gargling salt water is an effective way to soothe a sore throat. 4 Simply stir a teaspoon of salt into a large glass of warm water and gargle with it every few hours. Do not swallow it.
Using Lozenges for a Sore Throat
Lozenges which contain benzocaine, such as Cepacol, and Chloraseptic, can help to numb the pain associated with a sore throat. 5 However, it is important to not rely on them for longer than three days, since they typically do not address the root cause of the pain (such as an infection).
References
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Honey for acute cough in children
by Shadkam MN, Mozaffari-Khosravi H, Mozayan MR. - ^
Oregano: Health Benefits, Side Effects, and Precautions Megan Ware, RDN, L.D. - ^
Garlic for the Common Cold by Elizabeth R. Bland, DVM. - ^
Gargling with Salt Water by C.-L. Tsai, et al. - ^
Lozenges for Sore Throats by Jürgen Palm, et al.
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