Sore throat is one of the most common medical complaints that can make you feel very uncomfortable and sometimes you may not be able to sleep well. In some cases, it can lead to severe problems like high fever, rash, blood in saliva, excessive drooling in children, etc. Medical attention is necessary in such cases.
Sore throat is an infection or inflammation of the pharynx accompanied with pain, discomfort, or scratchiness in the throat. It is contagious in most cases and can spread through coughing and sneezing. It can also spread by sharing drinks, kissing, and nose blowing.
Sore throats are normally caused by either viral or bacterial infection. Glandular fever, tonsillitis, measles, sinus drainage, infectious mononucleosis, and allergies may also cause sore throat under some circumstances.
The most common symptom of sore throat is aching in the back of the throat. The pharynx gets red and inflamed. Enlarged and tender lymph nodes may also present. Sore throat may accompanied by fever with pain on swallowing. Hoarseness, blood in saliva or phlegm and lump in neck are also some of its symptoms. Headache may occur in this condition.
1. Drink a cup of hot tea that contains honey. It is an effective way to soothe a sore throat.
2. Mango bark is beneficial in the treatment of sore throat and other throat related problems. A decoction of it can be used as a gargle in this condition.
3. The herb belleric myroblan (bahera) is a valuable herbal remedy for sore throat. Mix 2grams of the pulp of bahera fruit, a quarter teaspoon of salt, half a tablespoon of powdered long pepper (pipli) and two tablespoons of honey. This mixture should be administered in the treatment of this condition.
4. Bishop's weed (ajwain) is a popular home remedy for sore throat. An infusion of the seeds mixed with salt can be used as a gargle in an acute state caused by a cold.
5. Cinnamon (dalchini) is another effective home remedy for sore throat resulting from a cold. Boil one tablespoon of thickly powdered cinnamon in a glass of water with a pinch of pepper (kali mirch) powder, and two tablespoons of honey. Take this to get relief from throat pain. Alternatively, mix two or three drops of cinnamon oil in a teaspoon of honey. This will also give relief from this condition.
6. A gargle made from fenugreek (methi) seeds has been found to be a very efficient remedy for treating a sore throat. To make this gargle, two tablespoons of fenugreek seeds should be put in a liter of cold water. Allow to simmer for half hour over a low flame. This should then be allowed to cool to a bearable temperature, strained, and then used completely as a gargle.
7. Holy basil (tulsi) leaves are beneficial as a sore throat home remedy. Boil basil leaves in water. This solution can be taken as a drink or as a gargle to relieve sore throat.
8. Licorice (mulethi) is a popular home remedy for sore throat. Suck a small piece of raw licorice, which allows the juices to pass slowly through the throat. The healing property of licorice soothes inflammation rapidly.
9. A decoction prepared from tea leaves is helpful 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 to three times daily to get relief. You can also use dry leaves for this purpose.
10. Eucalyptus tea is also a valuable home remedy for sore throat. You can make eucalyptus tea by boiling a cup of water with a couple teaspoons of the crushed leaves. It has a soothing action on the throat.
11. Garlic (lahsun) is another simple and easily available home remedy for treating sore throat. It helps fight off viruses and bacteria from the body enabling it to treat both strep and cold throat.
12. One of the oldest sore throat home remedies is to gargle with warm salt water. Put four teaspoons of salt in a liter of water. Warm the water, but not too much. Gargling with salt water is a simple and effective way to relief your throat irritation.
13. Add a tablespoon of honey and the juice of one lemon to an 8oz. glass of hot water. Honey and warm lemon are great for soothing a sore or rough throat.
14. Add five drops of grapefruit seed extract to a glass of water and gargle with the solution. Grapefruit seed extract has powerful antimicrobial and antiseptic properties.
15. Add a tablespoon of ground mustard (sarso) seed, one tablespoon of salt, one tablespoon of honey, and the juice of one half of a lemon in one and a half cup of boiling water. Allow the mixture to stand for 15 minutes and then gargle with it.
16. Another easy home remedy for sore throat is fenugreek seeds. Add two tablespoons of fenugreek (methi) seeds to one liter of water and simmer over low heat for half an hour. Cool to room temperature, strain the mixture, and gargle with the strained solution.
17. Take two cloves of garlic (lahsun) and some cloves (laung). Make them into a paste and take it with two tsp honey. This also gives relief from sore throat.
18. An infusion of cardamom (elaichi) preferably with cinnamon (dalchini) is used as a gargle for the treatment of sore throat problems. This infusion is good even if the sore throat is cause due to influenza.
19. Ginger (adrak) is an effective home remedy to treat sore throat. Take ginger in the form of tea. You can also take fresh ginger juice taken with honey in order to relief from sore throats.
20. Avoid curds and other sour foods. Eliminate fried foods completely from your diet. Do not consume cold or refrigerated foods when there is a throat infection. Even foods with a cold propensity such as bananas, watermelons, cucumbers, papayas, etc. must be avoided.
21. Increase your liquid intake as it helps to hydrate dry mucous membranes and keeps your throat coated with moisture. Warm and soothing drinks like ginger and honey tea, holy basil and clove tea, and warm water with lemon and honey are some of the best natural remedies for sore throats.
22. Use a humidifier in your room as dry air irritates sore throat. Humidifier reduces the irritation by adding moisture to the air.
23. Another effective home remedies for sore throat is tamarind. It is also helpful in the treatment of sore throat. A powder of the dry tamarind leaves or, an infusion of the bark can be used for preparation of a gargle to relieve sore throat.
24. Massage the throat externally with camphor (kapoor) added to mustard (sarso) oil. This relieves sore throat.
25. Chew slowly few onion (pyaz) bulbs mixed with a little jiggery (gur) and slowly swallow the juice. This give relief from the pain and discomfort associated with sore throat.
26. Gargle with a decoction prepared by boiling the bark of the pomegranate (anar) tree. Gargle with this decoction two or three times a day to get natural relief.
