The good news: Sipping warm teaand sucking on cough drops or zinc lozenges can usually soothe the throat irritation and inflammation that are causing your agony, says Brett Comer, MD, a head and neck surgeon at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine.
The most common remedy for sore throat is gargling with salt water, which helps clear throat mucus build-up. Salt can also kill bacteria by drawing water from cells and dehydrating them. Most healthcare professionals recommend dissolving 1/4 or half a teaspoon of salt in eight ounces of warm water.
Gargling salt water seems to be the go-to remedy for sore throat. All you have to do is mix and dissolve table salt at about ¼ to ½ teaspoon with 4 to 8 ounces of warm water. You can prepare this antiseptic solution anytime, given that salt and water are typically available in the kitchen.
In most cases, a sore throat gets better in a day or two. Sometimes, it may linger for a while. The key is to know when this common symptom may require for a trip to the doctor, especially when it may be caused by a serious disease, including cancer.
Warm salt water and hot tea help your throat, but so do cold liquids, ice chips and popsicles. Popsicles are especially helpful for young children - the cold acts as a temporary numbing agent to ease the discomfort. Over-the-counter throat sprays and pain relievers can also help with pain control.
Strepsils provides fast acting relief which helps prevent sore throat pain from getting worse. Not only do Strepsils Honey & Lemon Lozenges soothe your throat, they also help fight bacteria too as they contains two effective antiseptics.
Most sore throats caused by a cold or flu-type virus go away in a week to 10 days. If your sore throat is caused by bacteria, your doctor will prescribe an antibiotic. You will feel better in a few days. It is important to take all your antibiotics.
You can soothe a sore throat as follows:
It's very important to stay hydrated, even though it hurts. Drink water, tea (herbal or decaf), broth, soup, and non-caffeinated sports drinks e.g. Gatorade. Hot tea with lemon and honey can help. Gargle with warm salt-water.
A sore throat can make you feel rotten and sometimes home treatments aren't enough. When your throat is painful, you can try a pain medicine like Panadol for sore throat. The medicine in Panadol has been shown to provide effective relief from the pain of a sore throat.
Drinking very cold ice water or sucking on something cold may seem counterintuitive, but cold can numb the throat. But don't choose cold orange juice or other acid-based liquids; they will only intensify the pain.
Breathing through your mouth — often because of chronic nasal congestion — also can cause a dry, sore throat. Irritants. Outdoor air pollution and indoor pollution such as tobacco smoke or chemicals can cause a chronic sore throat. Chewing tobacco, drinking alcohol and eating spicy foods also can irritate your throat.
Getting enough sleep gives your body time to rest, recover and fight off whatever is causing your sore throat.
Antibiotics are important for F-throat. But pharyngitis that's caused by a virus won't get better with antibiotics. You'll just need to take care of yourself and wait for your body to fight off the infection. To soothe a sore throat, drink warm liquids such as tea with honey or lemon.
You should contact a healthcare provider if your sore throat lasts longer than a week, gets worse or you develop symptoms like fever or swollen lymph nodes.
Generally speaking, avoid fatty, spicy, or acidic foods as they can all increase irritation. You should also avoid crunchy or hard textured foods like dry toast or cereals, as they can scratch your already delicate throat.
Knowing whether your sore throat is viral or bacterial is usually determined by symptoms. Viral sore throats usually consist of a cough, swelling in the throat, and runny nose whereas bacterial sore throats are typically accompanied with nausea and vomiting, stomach ache, and there is no cough.
You can never go wrong with water, but you can also feel free to get some teas, fruit or vegetable smoothies, and soups. Make sure the drinks are not too hot as these could further irritate the throat.
Sore throat can be a symptom of strep throat, the common cold, allergies, or other upper respiratory tract illness. Sore throat caused by a virus or the bacteria called group A Streptococcus can have similar symptoms. Sometimes the following symptoms suggest a virus is causing the illness instead of Strep throat: Cough.
The recommended dose is Adults, Children (over 6 years) and the elderly – One lozenge to be dissolved slowly in the mouth every 2-3 hours up to a maximum of 12 lozenges in 24 hours. It is not recommended that children under 6 use this product. Remember that young children can choke on lozenges.
Can Ice Cream Cure a Sore Throat? Sadly, no, ice cream will likely not cure what ails you — especially if your sore throat is caused by a bacterial or viral illness. However, cold and creamy foods like ice cream can help ease your pain.
A glass of cold milk or a few bites of frozen yogurt may soothe a sore throat. It also could help you get some nutrients and calories when you might not feel like eating, such as when you're sick. Julie Baughn, M.D.