Does every swallow feel like sandpaper seems to scratch your throat?
Or perhaps, a million rough-legged caterpillars dragging their legs on your pharynx?
Maybe a one kilo stone has been chained to your tonsils and it hangs down on them?
Whichever analogy you use, it's very unpleasant! Waking up with a sore throat can really put a drag on the day (and days to follow!).
What Actually Causes a Sore Throat?
1. Infections from Viruses and Bacteria
- Flu, colds, measles, chicken pox, whooping cough are the most common and widespread
- Infectious mononucleosis is a virus in the lymph system, causing swollen tonsils; swollen glands in the neck, armpits, and groin; white patches on tonsils, fever, headache
- Streptococcus bacteria infections
- Tonsillitis
- Nose and sinuses infections
- Epiglottitis or infection of the larynx
2. Allergies
- Pollen
- Dust
- Molds
- Cats, dogs, or horses
- Chemicals and synthetic perfumes
- Pollutants
- Drugs
3. Irritation
- Dry air
- Dry heat
- Chronic stuffed nose
- Chemicals
- Smoke
Signs & Symptoms of Sore Throats
If it hasn't fully reared it's ugly head yet, here are a number tell-tale symptoms of an impending sore throat. Catching it early, will allow you to begin treating it sooner rather than later!
Depending on the cause of your sore throat, the symptoms might include:
- Pain and scratchy sensation in the throat
- Pain when swallowing or talking
- Swollen and sore lymph nodes around your neck and jaw line
- Swollen, red tonsils
- White patches or pus on your tonsils
- Hoarse or muffled voice
- Fever
- Cough
- Fatigue
- Runny nose
- Body aches
- Headache
- Nausea
Now, that you know the causes and the symptoms, let's discuss the best ways to treat sore throats naturally at home.
15 Highly-Effective Sore Throat Natural Remedies
1. Drink More Liquids
One of the first things you’ll need to do is hydrating and soothe your poor throat. Drink hot herbal teas, natural fruit juices, or just plain water. Drinking enough fluids will help your body eliminate the mucus that keeps bacteria and viruses like in a nursery and nurture them.
Constantly drinking liquids will drain the mucus and bacteria down the pipes, helping your body eliminate them from the system, eventually.
2. Humidify Your Room
Place a humidifier in your room. If buying one is an expensive option for you, make a simple one at home. Just fill a thermoresistant bowl or cup with water and place it on your heater.
The water vapors will moisturize the air in the room, your airwaves and it will help you breathe easily.
3. Gargling with Salt and Water
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends gargling with a solution of 1 teaspoon of salt in 1 cup of warm water. Gargle and spit. Salt has anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antibacterial, healing effects.
It washes away microbes and sanitizes the mucous membrane of the throat, helping it heal.
4. Warm Herbal Tea
Search for herbs with antiviral, antibacterial, antiallergenic, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, emollient, expectorant properties, depending on the case.
Sage, Licorice root, Echinacea, Peppermint, Marshmallow root, Slippery elm, Ginger, Pepper, Cinnamon, Chamomile are some of them. Drink 3-4 times a day an infused hot tea with a mix of herbs.
5. Garlic
Garlic has powerful antiviral, antibacterial, and immunostimulatory properties. Eat it raw, as it is, taking 1-3 cloves of garlic daily. Or put it in raw in your food.
6. Honey and Lemon Relief
This power-pair is very effective for a sore throat, coughing, colds, and a weak immune system. You can use it in your tea: 1-2 teaspoons of raw honey and 1 slice of lemon for each cup of hot tea you drink.
7. Ginger, Honey, and Lemon Paste/Tea
Make this Turbo Concoction to ease your coughing, kill the germs, stimulate your immunity, clean your lymph, soothe the throat pain, and fight the infection.
Mix in a food processor 1 fresh Ginger root (peeled), 2 times more honey and the juice from 1 lemon. Transfer the content into a jar, put the lid on, and store it in the fridge. Take 1 tablespoon, 3-4 times a day, until you completely get rid of your sore throat symptoms and you feel better.
8. Cayenne pepper and Honey
Cayenne pepper is one of the hottest spices in the world, but it’s also one of the best anti-inflammatories. It contains capsaicin that relieves the pain. Because it’s too hot to take it as it is, combine it with honey
9. Essential Oils
Essential oils are the very essence of herbs. Hence, they have the amazing ability to heal and restore health. They are a concentrate of therapeutic molecules.
Some of the essential oils that can help you with fighting throat infections and inflammation, relieving pain, soothing throat, and boosting your immunity are: Clove oil, Cinnamon oil, Tea tree oil, Thyme oil, Lavender oil, Lemon oil, Eucalyptus oil. You can drip them in your tea, mix them with honey, or inhale them.
10. Coconut oil
Coconut oil has antiviral, antibiotic, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and emollient properties. Take 1 teaspoon or tablespoon of raw, cold-pressed coconut oil 4 times a day. It will soothe your throat and fight the infection.
11. Propolis – The Nature’s Antibiotic
Propolis is known to be the nature’s antibiotic. You can suck on hard tiny balls or drops of propolis, 3-4 times a day. You can also use the liquid form and drip it in your drink – 20 drops in a cup of drink.
12. Apple Cider Vinegar
This sore throat cure is amazing and has many other benefits for your health as well. Use it as a gargle or as a drink, diluted with water, 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in 1 cup of warm water. As a drink, you can add honey, cinnamon, and a few drops of essential oils.
13. Horseradish Syrup
Horseradish is very good for a sore throat. Attention, it is spicy and hot! Add 1 teaspoon of freshly grated horseradish in 1 cup of warm water, with 1 tablespoon of honey.
14. Colloidal Silver
Colloidal silver has powerful antiviral, antibacterial, antiseptic and immunostimulatory properties. It penetrates easily through skin, mucous membrane and tissues. Spray 5-6 puff of colloidal silver directly in your mouth, towards your throat or add 1 tablespoon of colloidal silver in 1 cup of water or tea.
15. Turmeric Throat Soother
Turmeric contains curcumin, which is one of the world’s renowned anti-inflammatory spices. Add a teaspoon of turmeric powder and honey in a cup of tea or milk (it can be either cow, goat or vegetable milk).