Dealing with a sore throat can be very painful and inconvenient, especially if your body is weak from fighting the flu. Croaking with a groggy voice aside, it makes simple day-to-day activities like talking, laughing and sometimes even breathing difficult.

You should see your doctor if you are having trouble breathing. In other cases, you can get rid of a sore throat fast at home with natural remedies.

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how to get rid of sore throat fast

Although a sore throat is a malady common to young and old alike, children, smokers and people with allergies to mold, pets or pollens are more prone to it.

Those with a compromised immune system like patients with HIV or cancer also easily get in the grip of a sore throat for various reasons. A sore throat is more often a symptom of an illness, rather than an ailment itself.

While some natural remedies like garlic and apple cider vinegar are not the best tasting in the world, a ginger-honey-lemon combo or chamomile tea is tasty, as well as soothing for your throat and your nerves.

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What you need to do is be persistent in your endeavors until the week is up. So if you’ve got a frog in your throat, here’s what we suggest that you do.

Here are four methods that you can use at home to get rid of your sore throat fast.

Method 1: Use Gargles

# Salt Gargle

Things you’ll need:

Salt gargle things need

  • Warm water – 1 cup
  • Salt – ½ teaspoon

Step 1. Add salt to warm water

Add salt to warm water

  • Pour 1 cup of warm water into a glass and add ½ teaspoon of salt to it. Simple table salt will do fine.

Salt creates an inhospitable environment for the bacteria causing your sore throat. It also brings down swelling in the throat.

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Step 2. Stir well and gargle

Stir well and gargle

  • Stir the salt thoroughly into the warm water. Gargle with this salt water, keeping it in your throat for some time before spitting it out.

Do this 3 times throughout the day to get fast relief from pain and inflammation. Repeat as needed.

# Honey Gargle

Things you’ll need:

Honey gargle things need

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  • Warm water – 1 cup
  • Honey – 1 to 3 teaspoons

Step 1. Add honey to warm water

Add honey to warm water

  • Pour 1 cup of comfortably warm water into a glass.
  • Add 1 to 3 teaspoons of honey to the water. Use unprocessed raw honey rather than the processed variety available in the market, as the former is more beneficial.

Honey has long been lauded for its healing properties and has been effectively administered to people of all ages for treating sore throats. (6)

Step 2. Stir well and gargle

Stir well and gargle

  • Stir the honey thoroughly into the warm water and use the liquid as a soothing gargle.

You can easily do this 2 or 3 times a day to cure sore throat quickly. Repeat if necessary.

# Apple Cider Vinegar Gargle

Things you’ll need:

Apple cider vinegar gargle things need

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  • Warm water – 1 cup
  • Apple cider vinegar – 4 tablespoons

Step 1. Add apple cider vinegar to warm water

Add apple cider vinegar to warm water

  • Pour 1 cup of tepid water into a glass
  • Add 4 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to it.

You may dislike the taste of apple cider vinegar, but so do the bacteria. The acidity of the apple cider vinegar eliminates the trouble-causing bacteria, thus easing your sore throat in the process. (2)

Step 2. Mix well and gargle

Mix well and gargle

  • Stir thoroughly to mix the apple cider vinegar into the water.

Gargle with this once a day for a few days to get good results.

# Hydrogen Peroxide Gargle

Things you’ll need:

Hydrogen peroxide gargle things need

  • Warm water – 1 cup
  • Hydrogen peroxide (3% solution) – 1 tablespoon

Step 1. Add hydrogen peroxide to warm water

Add hydrogen peroxide to warm water

  • Pour 1 cup of warm water into a glass.
  • Add 1 tablespoon of 3% food-grade hydrogen peroxide to it.

Remember using hydrogen peroxide to disinfect your cuts and wounds? Similarly, it rids your throat of the germs guilty of causing the trouble.

Take care that you use hydrogen peroxide labeled as a 3% solution and not more. The water you use shouldn’t be very hot either.

Step 2. Stir well and gargle

Stir well and gargle

  • Stir the liquid well, then use it to gargle.

Repeat once a day for quick relief. While the taste may not be very favorable, the results certainly will be.

Method 2: Use Warm Drinks

# Lemon and Honey Drink

Things you’ll need:

Lemon honey drink things need

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  • Warm water – 1 cup
  • Honey – 1 teaspoon
  • Lemon – ½

Step 1. Add lemon and honey to warm water

Add lemon and honey to warm water

  • Add 1 teaspoon of honey to 1 cup of warm water.
  • Squeeze in the juice of half a lemon as well.

Lemon and honey is basically the oldest remedy for a sore throat that there is. It is also extremely effective. While you may substitute apple cider vinegar for the lemon juice, the latter is more appealing taste-wise.

Step 2. Mix well and sip your drink

Mix well and enjoy

  • Stir the contents well. Sip on it, letting it rest on your throat for a while.

This warm drink should be taken just after waking up in the morning and before going to bed at night for best results. Repeat for a few days if needed.

# Cayenne Pepper and Honey Drink

Things you’ll need:

Cayenne pepper honey drink things need

  • Warm water – 1 cup
  • Honey – 1 teaspoon
  • Cayenne pepper powder – ½ teaspoon

Step 1. Add honey and cayenne pepper powder to warm water

Add honey and cayenne pepper powder to warm water

  • Add 1 teaspoon of honey to 1 cup of warm water.
  • Put in a ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper powder as well.

While the cayenne pepper may sound odd, it actually does help better the situation. The capsaicin present in cayenne and some other hot peppers is antibacterial as well as anti-inflammatory. (4) Honey improves the taste as well as soothes your throat. (6)

Step 2. Mix well and drink

Mix well and drink

  • Stir the contents well. You can take this drink throughout the day. Ensure that you drink it warm.

Always stir your drink before consuming, as the cayenne pepper tends to settle at the bottom. If you’re sensitive to the heat of the pepper, you may cut the quantity by half.

# Cinnamon and Apple Cider Vinegar Drink

Things you’ll need:

Cinnamon apple cider vinegar drink things need

  • Warm water – 1 cup
  • Honey – 1 teaspoon
  • Cinnamon powder – 1 teaspoon
  • Apple cider vinegar – 1 teaspoon
  • Lemon juice – 1 teaspoon

Step 1. Add honey and cinnamon powder to warm water

Add honey and cinnamon powder to warm water

  • Add 1 teaspoon of honey to 1 cup of warm water.
  • Add in 1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder as well.

While honey is an obvious choice for your throat as well as for improving the taste, cinnamon is another unique ingredient that helps ease a sore throat. (6) This spice opens up the sinuses, letting you breathe freely.

Step 2. Add apple cider vinegar and lemon juice

Add in apple cider vinegar and lemon juice as well

  • Add in 1 teaspoon each of apple cider vinegar and freshly squeezed lemon juice.

These two ingredients create an acidic environment in your throat that works against the trouble-causing bacteria and viruses. Lemon juice also brings down the swelling in your throat.

Step 3. Mix well and sip the warm drink

Mix well and drink

  • Stir the mixture well and sip on this drink while it’s warm.

Drink this twice a day to ease your sore throat quickly. Repeat if needed.

Method 3: Use Soothing Teas

# Chamomile Tea

Things you’ll need:

Chamomile tea things need

  • Hot water – 1 cup
  • Chamomile tea bag – 1

Step 1. Steep a chamomile tea bag in hot water

Add chamomile tea bag to hot water and let it steep

  • Put a chamomile tea bag in 1 cup of boiling water. Let the tea steep for 3 to 4 minutes.

Chamomile is a natural pain-reliever and antibacterial agent.

Step 2. Discard the tea bag and enjoy your tea

Discard the tea bag and enjoy your tea

Discard the tea bag and drink your tea.

Chamomile has a mild flavor that will also soothe your nerves. You can drink this up to twice a day.

# Licorice and Cinnamon Tea

Things you’ll need:

Licorice cinnamon tea things need

  • Water – 1 cup
  • Dry licorice root powder – ½ tablespoon
  • Cinnamon powder – ¼ teaspoon
  • Honey – ½ teaspoon

Step 1. Pour 1 cup of water into a pan

Pour 1 cup of water into a pan

  • Measure 1 cup of water and pour it into a pan.

Step 2. Add licorice and cinnamon powder

Add in licorice and cinnamon powder

  • Add ½ tablespoon of dried licorice root powder.
  • ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon powder to the water.

Licorice root is a very old remedy for sore throats that has been popular in Europe as well as Asia. Licorice root eliminates the symptom-causing virus in your throat as well as brings down swelling and irritation. (6)

Step 3. Bring the mix to a boil, then let it simmer

Bring the mix to a boil before letting it simmer for about 10 minutes

  • Bring the contents of the pan to a boil. Turn the heat down and let the tea simmer for 10 minutes.

Step 4. Strain the tea

Strain the tea

  • Strain the tea to remove the solid particles.

Step 5. Add honey and enjoy

Add honey and enjoy

  • Add ½ teaspoon of honey to the tea. This will help with the taste as well as increase the goodness of the tea. Enjoy your tea twice a day for noticeable relief from pain. Repeat for several days if needed.

# Ginger Root and Honey Tea

Ginger root has long been used to treat sore throats, both in traditional Chinese medicine as well as Ayurveda. Ginger is both anti-inflammatory as well as bactericidal. (3)

Things you’ll need:

Ginger honey tea things need

  • Water – 1 cup
  • Ginger root, peeled and sliced – 1 inch
  • Honey – 1 teaspoon

Step 1. Combine water and ginger root in a pan

Combine water and ginger root in a pan

  • Pour 1 cup of water into a pan.
  • Add 1 inch of peeled and thinly sliced raw ginger root to it.

Step 2. Boil and strain the tea

let the mix boil to make ginger and honey tea

  • Turn on the heat, cover the pan and let the ginger boil for 3 to 5 minutes.
  • Strain the tea to remove the pieces of ginger.

Instead of boiling, you can also steep the ginger root in hot water.

let the ginger steep to make ginger and honey tea

  • Put 1 inch of raw ginger root that has been peeled and very thinly sliced in a glass. Alternatively, you may finely chop it.
  • Pour 1 cup of hot water over it.
  • Cover the glass and let the drink steep for about 3 minutes. This will give the ginger time to infuse its goodness into the hot water. The temperature of the water will also become comfortable to drink.
  • Strain the liquid to remove the ginger pieces.

Step 3. Add honey before you drink your tea

Add honey before you drink your tea

  • Stir 1 teaspoon of honey into your ginger tea. Sip on this tea while it’s piping hot. Honey sweetens the drink as well as acts as a salve on your throat.

You may have this ginger root tea 3 times a day to relieve your sore throat. You can also try this ginger lemon tea recipe for instant relief.

Method 4: Use Garlic Paste

Things you’ll need:

Using garlic paste things need

  • Garlic cloves, minced – 3
  • Cayenne pepper powder – ½ teaspoon
  • Honey – 1 teaspoon

Step 1. Combine minced garlic, cayenne pepper, and honey

Combine minced garlic, cayenne pepper and honey

  • Put 3 minced cloves of garlic in a small bowl.
  • Add ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper powder to it.
  • Add 1 teaspoon of honey as well.

Honey will improve taste as well as soothe your throat. Garlic contains allicin that fights off the symptom- inducing bacteria. (1) Cayenne pepper brings down the inflammation in your throat. (4)

Step 2. Mix well and consume every 30 minutes

Mix well and consume every 30 minutes

  • Mix the contents well to form a paste.
  • Consume a ½ teaspoon of this paste every 30 minutes for improvement in your condition. While you may not be able to socialize when using this remedy, your throat will surely thank you. Repeat if needed.

Tips to keep in mind

  • Suck on some homemade lozenges for a sore throat to get an interim relief from the pain and inflammation.
  • See your doctor if your sore throat persists longer than a week, as it may be a symptom of an underlying medical condition. You should also seek medical attention if your sore throat is accompanied by a high fever or difficulty breathing.
  • For gargles and warm drinks, use tepid to slightly warmer water that feels soothing to your throat. Be informed that some ingredients are not beneficial when mixed with very hot water, and water that is too hot may also end up scalding your throat instead of soothing it.
  • A saltwater gargle should not be repeated more than 3 times a day, as it may end up drying out the healthy soft tissue of your throat, thus worsening your troubles.
  • You can also suck on a piece of dried licorice root to relieve a sore throat and effectively stop coughs.
  • Essential oils are antimicrobial as well as anti-inflammatory – basically, the two things that your sore throat needs. You may inhale them, apply them topically or ingest them for good results. Essential oils are very potent, so be sure to always dilute the oils before using them. Peppermint, lemon, eucalyptus, oregano, clove, hyssop or thyme are some essential oils that you can easily use for this purpose

Resources:

  1. Allan GM, Arroll B. Prevention and treatment of the common cold: making sense ... CMAJ: Canadian Medical Association Journal. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3928210/. Published February 18, 2014.
  2. Johnston CS, Gaas CA. Vinegar: medicinal uses and antiglycemic effect. MedGenMed. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16926800. Published May 30, 2006.
  3. Chang JS, Wang KC, Yeh CF, Shieh DE, Chiang LC. Fresh ginger (Zingiber officinale) has anti-viral activity against human respiratory syncytial virus in human respiratory tract cell lines. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23123794. Published January 9, 2013.
  4. Rose, Kouassi, Clément K, et al. Antibacterial Activity of Two Bell Pepper Extracts: Capsicum annuum L. and Capsicum frutescens. AGRIS: International Information System for the Agricultural Science and Technology. http://agris.fao.org/agris-search/search.do?recordID=US201400180381. Published January 1, 2012.
  5. Sore Throat. AAFP Home. https://www.aafp.org/afp/2004/0115/p390.html. Published January 15, 2004.
  6. Stead W. Symptomatic treatment of acute pharyngitis in adults. UpToDate. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/symptomatic-treatment-of-acute-pharyngitis-in-adults?search=pharyngitis treatment§ionRank=3&usage_type=default&anchor=H2014924&source=machineLearning&selectedTitle=1~150&display_rank=1#H1463151102. Published February 16, 2018.

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