Life’s tough when you have a sore throat. Eating becomes a dreaded chore when swallowing feels like death. On top of that, you easily have a few additional and equally-unexciting symptoms like a cough, sinus pain or a runny nose to deal with.
Whether your throat just started hurting or you’ve been nursing an ache for a week, thankfully there are a few home remedies that can help provide relief and kiss the cause of your sore throat goodbye.
Understanding the cause of your sore throat
Your tonsils are swollen, your glands are tender and the back of your throat just plain hurts, but why? Viral and bacterial infections can cause inflammation of the pharynx, which is what makes your throat feel so uncomfortable. Other conditions that cause such discomfort include environmental allergies, acid reflux, dry air, coughing, yelling, smoking, food allergies and tonsillitis.
Medically, the seriousness of having a sore throat depends on the cause. A sore throat from all the cheering you did last night at the football game might not be anything to worry about, but an untreated infection like strep throat can lead to rheumatic fever.
If your sore throat persists for a few days despite your at-home treatments, consider setting up a doctor’s appointment for professional help.
Finding a set of at-home treatments that works for you
Depending on your particular circumstances, what relieves your sore throat pain may differ from what treatment options help another. Consider these suggestions and adapt them to your own situation as needed. Best wishes on a quick and speedy recovery.
Find irritant-free alternatives to keep your self discipline intact
Perhaps the most effective way to help your condition is to simply not aggravate your throat any further, which means saying no to all the irritants. No playtime with the cat you’re allergic to, no bowl of ice cream because of your dairy intolerance and no fatty foods that will set off your acid reflux. I know: it’s a cruel, cruel world; but you want to get better, right?
Using self discipline now to help nurse your throat back to health is important and you can always look for irritant-free alternatives to stay satisfied.
When it hurts to swallow, eating’s not that great anyway so find other ways to reward yourself after a hard day of feeling sick. Cue up a good movie or light some candles around the bathtub for a luxurious treat. If you’re feeling super-duper indulgent, let yourself go to bed an hour or two early so you can catch up on the rest you always want but never seem to get.
Stay hydrated by drinking soothing liquids
When it comes to easing sore throat pain, even if the relief is temporary, I think most of us will happily take what we can get. Sometimes, getting five minutes of throat peace is simply a matter of drinking the right beverage. Caffeine can actually aggravate your throat so skip the coffee and tea entirely. An apple cider may feel soothing, but if the acid in fruit juices is also too much for your throat to comfortably handle right now, stick to some store-bought or do-it-yourself herbal teas.
Chamomile, peppermint and honey teas can all be great options for sore throats. Make sure to let the liquid concoction properly cool so you don’t aggravate your throat by pouring burning-hot tea down it. For some throat conditions, cool options are even more palatable than warm picks so feel free to throw your pot’s worth of tea into the fridge for safe keeping throughout the day.
Learn the magic of gargling
Because you can only drink so much homemade herbal tea, don’t forget the magical blessings that come from the art of gargling. You can use a warm salt water mixture to help lessen swelling and pain, combining a teaspoon of salt with eight ounces of water every hour.
You can also take turns gargling with other homemade concoctions created by throwing a teaspoon of sage or dried raspberry leaves into a cup of boiling water instead. Let the hot water rest for at least ten minutes before trying to gargle.
Set up a conducive set of resting conditions
You may be interested in setting up a humidifier next to your bed to help maintain moisture in the air and keep your throat hydrated. Hopefully, you can also train yourself to keep your mouth closed while sleeping to prevent drying out your mouth during the night.
I know, when your nasal passages are clogged up, sleeping with your mouth closed is easier said than done, but give it the old college try anyway. Position some extra pillows to keep your head comfortably propped up, as needed, so sinus congestion and pain doesn’t worsen when you go to lay down.
Steam your sinuses back to health
If your sore throat is part of a multi-faceted problem involving sinus congestion, trapped mucus and head pain, you can easily benefit from a nice steam. If you’re a hot shower kind of guy or gal, go ahead and start up the water for one. Keep a washcloth on the side of the tub if you’re opposed to just letting your nasal passages freely drip. Also consider giving yourself some massage therapy to ease the tightness of your forehead, cheeks, nose, neck and shoulders.
If hot showers aren’t for you, boil a pot of water on the stove for a mini at-home steam session. Once the water is hot, place the pot on a hot pad on the table and lean your face over the pan. If you’re concerned about getting too close to the hot pot, go ahead and pour the steaming water into another pan that you can more freely hover over. Place a towel over your head and the pan or bowl to trap in the heat while you let the excess mucus, which is dying to come out, drip from your sinuses.
Find out what nature’s antibiotics can do for you
If you’re not the type to go on prescription antibiotics, you may be interested in taking an herbal alternative such as goldenseal, which can provide similar germ-killing benefits. If your throat continues to hurt even after being on goldenseal for a few days, consider consulting your doctor after all.
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