Often times, no matter how careful you are, catching a cold or dealing with seasonal allergies is inevitable. Along with these comes a painful and uncomfortable sore throat. In this post, I want to share my most effective home remedies that you can do to instantly sooth your sore throat.
Understand What Causes Your Discomfort
Before you even get into the remedies, your first going to want to try and determine what is the cause of your sore throat. Determining whether it is from allergies, a cold, the flu, etc. can help you avoid potential triggers.
For example, if you have seasonal allergies and your sore throat is a result of pollen in the air, you would want to stay indoors.
Remedies
Now let’s get into my go to remedies for instant relief from a sore throat.
1.Gargle Salt Water
Gargling salt water is by far my favorite remedy that I’ll outline. It provides the longest and most instant relief and if you’re only going to give one remedy a try, make it this one.
You’re going to want to fill about a quarter of a cup with warm water and add about two tsps. of salt. Mix it until the salt dissolves, or is almost dissolved since it’s unlikely that all of it will dissolve.
Then, you’re going to want to fill your outh with about 1/3 of the solution and gargle for about 20 seconds. Spit, and do this about 2-3 times or until the solution is gone.
You can do this as often as you want. When I have a sore throat, I usually end up doing this about every two hours as that’s usually how long the relief lasts.
2. Eat Honey
Honey is often put into cough drops for it’s smooth texture and soothing qualities. Because of this, eating just pure honey, without the whole cough drop part, can provide similar benefits.
Simply grab a spoonful of any type of honey and let it coat the back of your throat. As you swallow the honey, it should create a thin coating down your throat, soothing any irritation.
I don’t find that this remedy is as beneficial as gargling salt water, but it still works and tastes a whole lot better.
3. Drink Ice Water
Like icing any other injury, ice water helps to decrease swelling and irritation in your throat. So, drinking a cup of ice cold water helps decrease the inflammation in your throat and relieves the pain.
Keep a cup of ice water with you throughout the duration of your sore throat and take small sips to keep calming your throat little bits at a time, rather than drinking the whole glass at once.
4. Drink Something Carbonated
This is a weird one and I’m not exactly sure the science behind why it works but it works for me. Take caution with this one as it usually causes instant discomfort and then relief.
Take a big cup of any carbonated drink, water, soda, etc., and quickly drink it. Don’t drink it too quickly as that would cause other pain and discomfort, and make sure to take breaths in between gulps.
Again, I don’t know why this works but it relieves my throat pain so give it a try if you’re feeling up to it.