Most of the time a sore throat is a non-serious illness that can be easily treated at home using items that most of us already have in our kitchen or pantry. The most common causes of a sore throat are a cold or flu virus or even allergies, which although not serious can still leave you feeling bad. Luckily there are quite a few home remedies designed to give you quick relief from the pain of a sore throat. Many of these remedies have been around for quite some time, and you may in fact recall your own parents or grandparents using them to treat your illnesses as a child. Which just goes to show that mom really does know best.
Gargle With Salt Water:
According to WebMD gargling with warm salt water is one of the most effective ways to treat your sore throat. Just mix one teaspoon of salt into a glass of warm water, stir until the salt dissolves and gargle. This can be done, depending on your needs once every hour. The salt water helps to loosen mucus and soothe sore throat tissues.
Use A Vaporizer Or Humidifier:
Using a vaporizer or humidifier in your bedroom at night helps to soothe and relieve hoarseness and swollen air passages. Some problems with sore throats can actually be caused by sleeping in a room with overly dry air. This is fairly common during the dry winter months, which is why you may want to invest in a humidifier in order to keep the climate in your home at a more comfortable level.
Eat Chicken Soup:
Turns out mom really did know what she was doing when she made you that fresh pot of chicken soup when you were ill as a child. Not only is chicken soup soothing and comforting but researchers have also reported that it contains anti-inflammatory substances that help to relieve the symptoms of upper respiratory infections.
Stay Hydrated:
When suffering from a sore throat it’s important that you stay hydrated and you will find that consuming hot liquids to be more soothing and comfortable on your throat than cold ones. The most popular drink of choice for sore throat sufferers is a cup of hot tea with honey and lemon. I also find it helpful to add a sprinkle of cayenne pepper to my tea. The pepper helps to kill germs and also relieves sore throat pain.