Having a sore throat is awful! Especially those really painful kinds that every time you swallow it feels like your throat is catching on fire. Ugh, and if you’re experiencing that right now I am so sorry!! But you’ll get through it, okay!
I have some remedies for you! It won’t completely take the pain away but it will alleviate some of the discomfort until your body fully conquers the nasty virus!
Here for you.
10 Sore Throat Remedies
1. Saltwater Gargle: Mix 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water and gargle several times a day. This helps reduce swelling and clears irritants or bacteria.
*I’m not going to lie, every time I do this I just about gag. It’s effing disgusting but the salt helps to kill those mothereffers that are causing you pain*
2. Honey and Warm Water: Mix honey with warm water or herbal tea. Honey has natural antibacterial properties and can help coat and soothe the throat.
*THIS. Lots of this. Stick with the caffeine free tea though. Your body really needs to rest not that fake caffeine energy. Sometimes I even just get a spoon and put honey on it and eat it that way*
*I’ve also read about mixing honey with cayenne pepper*
3. Hydration: Drink plenty of fluids like water, warm herbal teas, or broths to keep your throat moist and help flush out any infection.
*I know this is so hard to do especially when your throat is THROBBING. And to just swallow takes courage. What I have found to be helpful is drinking through a straw. I fill up my tumbler with ice cold water and drink with a straw. I fill my mouth up with the water, tilt my head back, and then just let the water spill onto my throat.*
4. Warm Soups/Broths: Warm, soothing soups can provide comfort and hydration.
*get you some chicken noodle soup. This is proven to help, look it up!*
5. Throat Lozenges: These can help stimulate saliva production, which keeps your throat moist.
*These are hit or miss. Sometimes they help, and sometimes they just can steal that pain away. Always worth the try though.*
6. Humidifier: If dry air is irritating your throat, a humidifier can add moisture to the air, making it easier to breathe and reducing throat dryness.
*Night is always the worst. Especially when all you want to do is sleep. I can’t say I’ve ever tried this one but I may need to if I ever have a sore throat like this most recent one that I had. The dryness of my throat would wake me up and it felt like someone had cut my throat and it was bleeding out! If you don’t have a humidifier, I would suggest NyQuil for the nighttime. It will knock you out.*
7. Herbal Teas: Teas with ingredients like licorice root, chamomile, or slippery elm can be soothing for sore throats.
*as I mentioned previously, stick with caffeine free tea*
8. Apple Cider Vinegar: Mix 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with warm water and honey. This can help break down mucus and fight bacteria.
*never tried this one. If you have, leave a comment below!*
9. Over-the-counter Pain Relievers: Medications like ibuprofen or acetaminophen can help with inflammation and pain.
*Yes to this, especially if your sore throat is accompanied with a fever.*
10. Vapor Rub: rub some on your throat and chest to help you breathe more easily and cough less.
What To Avoid With A Sore Throat
When you have a sore throat, it’s good to avoid certain things that can irritate it or make it worse:
1. Spicy or Acidic Foods: Foods like citrus, tomatoes, and spicy dishes can irritate the throat further.
2. Dry, Crunchy, or Hard Foods: Chips, crackers, and other rough foods can scratch and aggravate the throat.
3. Caffeine and Alcohol: Both can dehydrate you, which can make the throat drier and more irritated.
4. Carbonated water/drinks: they can actually cause more irritation!
*I know drinking a carbonated drink feels so good on a sore throat. It does, like a super good burn. But you actually may doing more harm than good. Stick with the cold water and teas.*
5. Shouting or Talking Too Much: Resting your voice can help prevent further strain on your throat.
*you have my permissions to ignore every single call when you have a sore throat.*
6. Lemon: some people add lemon to their teas, however if your sore throat is sever AVOID adding lemon to your drinks.
*I know this one from experience. Another burn that feels good, but the next day your throat will feel WORSE! Don’t do it!*
Avoiding these irritants can help your throat heal faster and keep it more comfortable!
I’m so sorry friend that you are hurting right now. I know how that feels. The light is near. Get lots of rest. Sometimes these sore throats can last a couple of days! I had one that lasted 6 days and I kept saying Jesus take the wheel! It was horrible! You’ll get through this!
I hope this blog helped you.
Peace and love always.
The Wild Gems 