It’s cold and flu season again and that means you may suffer from a sore throat. A sore throat is usually a sign of a viral infection and is usually accompanied by other symptoms such as cough, sneezing, watery eyes, and/or a low grade fever (below 101 degrees). There are remedies for sore throats that include both over the counter prescription medication and home remedies. A sore throat may indicate something more serious such as strep throat which is a bacterial infection and not a virus. I highly recommend seeing your doctor if your sore throat is accompanied by difficulty breathing or swallowing, rash, a fever of 101 degrees or higher, blood in your saliva, or your sore throat frequently reoccurs. A recurring sore throat may also indicate other serious problems such as tonsillitis or may even be caused by allergies.
There are many ways to treat a sore throat. I will list the home remedies to begin with. Home Remedies include:
First and most importantly is getting plenty of rest. If you take it easy and rest your body will use the energy to help fight the infection which will result in a quicker recovery from the infection. The first at home remedy includes mixing 1 Tablespoon each of honey and lemon juice in 1 cup of warm water. Slowly sip the mixture. Gargle with warm salt water, add 1/2 a teaspoon of salt to a cup of warm water. Continue to gargle with warm salt water every three to four hours. Gargling with warm salt water will help reduce inflammation and also reduces the amount of phlegm. Combine 1 Tablespoon pure horseradish with 1 teaspoon honey and 1 teaspoon ground cloves mix in a glass of warm water a drink slowly. Drink plenty of hot liquids. The hot liquids will coat your throat tissues which will provide some relief. Keep your throat lubricated by drinking plenty of fluids this will help it from becoming dry and possibly making your throat worse. You can also try steam. Fill your sink or a large basin or bowl with hot water and add 1 to 2 drops of eucalyptus oil, cover your head with a towel and inhale the hot steam. Do this with caution to prevent burning your skin any. You may also want to try hot tea with 2 teaspoons of honey and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice. Sip the tea slowly and repeat every three to fours hours or as necessary to help relieve your symptoms.
Remedies from your medicine cabinet:
Keeping your nasal passage clear is very important. One of the most common causes of a sore throat include postnasal drip. To keep your nasal passages clear you may use saline spray or an over the counter medication that contains pseudoephedrine. You may also combine the use of saline nasal spray and Keeping your nasal passage clear is very important. One of the most common causes of a sore throat include postnasal drip. To keep your nasal passages clear you may use saline spray or an over the counter medication that contains pseudoephedrine. Gargle with Listerine or the mouthwash of your choice although Listerine is highly recommended. Be sure if you share the bottle with another member(s) of the household you don’t drink directly from the bottle instead use a cup and be sure not to share that with other members of the household. Use Analgesics sprays use as directed. You may also want to take aspirin, ibuprofen, or acetaminophen. Follow the dosing directions on the bottle. You may also want to use lozenges such as Sucrets or Halls to help relieve the pain and soreness of your sore throat. You may combine remedies if you desire and find what remedy or combination of remedies work best for you.
Please note that these are only some remedies and they may not be suitable for everyone. It is best to discuss your treatment options with your doctor or medical physician. Also remember if your sore throat is recurring or has other serious symptoms that you should seek medical help as soon as possible. Below are some other links that also contain sore throat remedies and also provide you with other information on strep throat.
altmedicine.about.com/od/healthconditionsdisease/a/sore_throat.htm
www.kidshealth.org/parent/infections/lung/strep_throat.html
