Home Remedies for a Sore Throat

I had a sore throat the other day and I had a feeling it was leading to a cold. I was right. The first day it started out as just a simple but irritating sore throat and that night after I went to bed, I started having cold chills which I knew from past experience from having a cold or the flu, I was going to wake up feeling achy all over. I was right again. The next day I woke up with aches and pains all over my body. My chest and head was congested and I was coughing my head off. I am feeling a little better today but I still have the cough and runny nose. It was terrible.

A sore throat can be caused by many things. The most common things to cause a sore throat are viral infections, such as a cold or the flu, and a bacterial infection, such as strep throat. There are other things which can cause a sore throat. These include smoking, acid reflux disease, allergies, dry air, mouth breathing, throat abuse such as singing, shouting, or coughing, Polyps or cancer, infected tonsils, and food allergies. Some of these you can avoid and others you cannot. Try some of the following home remedies to soothe a sore throat.

Home Remedies for a Sore Throat: Keep Your Nasal Passages Clear

When dealing with a sore throat, doctor's say it is best to keep your nasal passages clear. This means keeping your mouth closed when sleeping, if possible. When sleeping with your mouth open it can cause a dry mouth and lead to a sore throat. Try using decongestants, saline nasal sprays, and a humidifier to prevent and heal a sore throat.

Home Remedies for a Sore Throat: Rest

Rest is the best medicine when dealing with any kind of ailment. Get plenty of rest when you are dealing with a sore throat and cold. Resting leaves more energy to fight the infection. Also when you are sick, you don't feel like doing much anyway so lay in bed and take a day off. When you are feeling better in the next day or two you will be happy that you did.

Home Remedies for a Sore Throat: Gargle

Gargling with raspberry tea, sage, turmeric, warm salt water, and Listerine can help ease a sore throat.

Gargling with Raspberry Tea

To use raspberry tea as a home remedy, pour one cup of boiling water over two teaspoons of dried raspberry leaves and steep for ten minutes. Then strain, allow to cool and gargle. Raspberry tea is also good for reducing fevers. Do not drink any kind of gargle.

Gargling with Sage

Sage is a great curative herb to treat a sore throat. To use sage as a home remedy, mix a teaspoon of sage in a cup of boiling water. Strain and cool and add one teaspoon each of honey and apple cider vinegar. Gargle four times a day.

Gargling with Turmeric

Turmeric is good for calming a sore throat. To use turmeric as a home remedy, mix a cup of hot water with a teaspoon of turmeric and a half of teaspoon of salt. Gargle with this twice a day. If you can't handle the taste, mix ½ a teaspoon of turmeric with a cup of hot milk and drink. Turmeric stains clothes so be careful when mixing and gargling.

Gargling with Warm Salt Water

Salt water can help cut up the phlegm and reduce inflammation. Mix together a ½ teaspoon of salt to a very warm cup of water and gargle with it every three to four hours to help soothe a sore throat.

Gargling with Listerine

Gargling with Listerine is another great way to soothe a sore throat. If you share a bottle with other family members, use a cup and don't share that with your family or you will make them sick too.

Home Remedies for a Sore Throat: Apple Cider Vinegar

Drinking apple cider vinegar can help soothe a sore throat but do not give it or any honey containing food or beverage to children under two because it can cause something called infant botulism which is a kind of food poisoning. Apple cider vinegar and food or drink containing honey can also cause allergic reactions in very young children.

To use apple cider vinegar as a home remedy mix together one tablespoon of honey, one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, and eight ounces of warm water. Sip this mixture slowly but do not let it get cold. Use this home remedy as often as you think you need to. You can also gargle with apple cider vinegar by mixing together one teaspoon of salt, ½ cup of apple cider vinegar and one cup of warm water. Dissolve the salt in the apple cider vinegar and mix in the water. Gargle with this mixture every 15 minutes.

These and many other home remedies can help ease a sore throat. For more home remedies to ease a sore throat, visit the website below:

Home Remedies for a Sore Throat