18 Home Remedies to Cure a Sore Throat

A sore throat is often the first signal our body gives in reaction to the infection which has entered our body.

It is an infection that can be either viral or bacterial. It is most commonly caused by a contagious viral infection (such as the flu, cold), although more serious throat infections can be caused by a bacterial infection (such as strep, mycoplasma or hemophilus). Bacterial sore throats respond well to antibiotics while viral infections do not. Infections in the nose can cause sore throats. Smoking, breathing polluted air, drinking alcohol, and hay fever and other allergies may cause sore throats.

A person who shouts or yells loudly gets a sore throat due to muscle strain and the rough treatment of throat membranes.

For viral infections, there are many natural remedies that you can take to cure a sore throat. Some of these remedies work within an hour or two, others take effect overnight.

If you do not see some improvement overnight, please visit your doctor.

Sore Throat Remedies:

1. Gargle with cayenne pepper in water every fifteen minutes.
2. Add 2 tbs of Apple Cider Vinegar to an 8oz glass of water, and gargle and every 30 minutes.
3. Take half a teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate and a teaspoon of salt and mix. Add two tablespoons of boiling hot water. The temperature activates the bicarb and salt and it bubbles furiously for a few seconds. Add cool water until temperature is warm/hot cool enough to gargle -and gargle it until all gone.
4. You can drink hot tea/coffee with little cayenne pepper powder added to it.
5. Drink soup with lots of chicken broth and cayenne (red) pepper would help your sore throat.
6. Gargle with warm salt water 6 to 8 times a day.
7. Drinking homemade lemonade with a pinch of baking soda periodically is a fast, safe, and effective way to bring relief.
8. Use a small amount of cayenne pepper with 3% hydrogen peroxide or sea salt in a gargle. Drinking a little amount of it will give your body a tremendous boost.
9. Boil water in a small pot. Add several cloves of garlic, pieces of fresh ginger, cayenne pepper as you can take, a flavored tea bag or tea dust and honey or jaggery to taste. Boil for 4-5 minutes and strain and drink a cup in the morning and one in the afternoon.
10. Drink a glass of hot water with 1 teaspoon lemon juice and some honey. You'll get quick relief and will feel better instantly. You can also drink a chamomile tea with lemon and honey added.
11. Eat garlic. Garlic is an anti-septic and is good.
12. Mango bark is efficacious in the treatment of a sore throat and other throat disorders. Its fluid, which is extracted by grinding, can be applied locally with beneficial results. It can also be used as a throat gargle. This gargle is prepared by mixing 10 ml of the fluid extract with 125 ml of water.
13. The leaves of holy basil have also been found beneficial in the in curing sore throat. Water boiled with basil leaves should be taken as a drink, and also used as a gargle to relieve a sore throat.
14. Cinnamon is regarded as an effective remedy for a sore throat resulting from a cold. One teaspoon of coarsely powdered cinnamon, boiled in a glass of water with a pinch of pepper powder, and two teaspoons of honey can be taken as a medicine in the treatment of this condition. Two or three drops of cinnamon oil, mixed with a teaspoon of honey, also give immense relief.
15. Sage is another effective cure for a sore throat. Half a litre of boiling water should be poured on a handful of sage leaves. When moderately cool, a little vinegar and honey should be added according to taste. This mixture should be used as a gargle. A teaspoon of this mixture call also be taken internally at the same time.
16. A decoction made from tea leaves is very beneficial in the treatment of a sore throat. This decoction, mixed with a pinch of salt, should be used as a gargle. It can be used two or three times daily for obtaining relief.
17. The herb "belleric myroblan" is a valuable sore throat remedy. A mixture of two grams of the pulp of the fruit, a quarter teaspoon of salt, half a teaspoon of powdered long pepper and two teaspoons of honey should be administered in the treatment. India, this is called bahera, thanni, thanri, tani.
18. Ginger tulsi tea or masala chai can do wonders for your throat. I just boil water with some tulsi leaves, crushed ginger, and add jaggery and drink.