Difference between revisions of "Make a Sore Throat Remedy"

Everyone experiences that painful, irritating, and sometimes itchy and scratchy feeling in their throat at some point! A sore throat is very common and can be a symptom of a viral (such as the flu, common cold, chicken pox, and measles) or bacterial infection (tonsillitis, strep throat, pharyngitis).<ref name="rf1">http://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx%3FContentTypeID=1%26ContentID=2089</ref> A sore throat can also be a symptom of allergies, under-hydration, muscle strain, Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), HIV infection or tumors.<ref name="rf2">http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/sore-throat/basics/causes/con-20027360</ref> Fortunately, most of us can treat a sore throat at home and it should go away within a few days to a week.

#Make a sea salt water gargle. Remember when your Grandma gave you salt water to gargle? Well, it works! The salt acts as a mild antiseptic and reduces the swelling by drawing out the water in the swollen tissues in the throat.<ref name="rf3">http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/tc/sore-throat-home-treatment</ref> Research has shown that gargling is helpful in alleviating sore throats and also congestion.<ref name="rf4">http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20088240</ref>

#* Add about 1 teaspoon of either table salt or sea salt to 8 ounces of warm water and stir to dissolve the salt. Gargle with the solution for about 30 seconds and spit it out. Repeat once every hour.<ref name="rf5">http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/sore-throat/basics/treatment/con-20027360</ref>  

#Make a spicy gargle. Add 10-20 drops of Tabasco sauce to an 8oz glass of water. Tabasco is made from hot chillies so it works like capsaicin, which helps to treat aches and pains, and it also has antiviral properties.<ref name="rf6">http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1993-02-07/features/1993038218_1_tabasco-sauce-mcilhenny-peppers</ref>

#Gargle with apple cider vinegar. No one knows exactly why, but apple cider vinegar seems to work much better than any other sort of vinegar. The acid in the vinegar kills bacteria. Add 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to 8 oz of warm water.<ref name="rf7">Cavender, A;, Folk medical uses of plant foods in southern Appalachia, United States. J Ethnopharmacol; 108 (1) 74-84, 2006.</ref>

#* Add ½ teaspoon of baking soda to 1 cup of very warm water. Add 1/2 teaspoon of table or sea salt. Gargle with this mixture every 2 hours.<ref name="rf8">http://kidshealth.org/parent/infections/bacterial_viral/botulism.html</ref>

#Add honey or tea to gargles. You can add 1 tablespoon of honey and/or lemon to any of the gargles listed above.  Honey is antibacterial<ref name="rf9"> Viuda-Martos, M., Ruiz-Navajas, Y., Fernandex-Lopez, J., Perez-Alvarez, JA. Functional Properties of Honey, Propolis and Royal Jelly.  J Food Sicence; 73 (9) R117-R124, 2008.</ref> and soothing because it draws water out of inflamed tissue, while lemon is acidic, contains Vitamin C and is both antibacterial and antiviral.<ref name="rf10">Bevilacqua, A., Corbo, MR.; Sinigaglia, M. In Vitro Evaluation of the Antimicrobial Activity of Eugenol, Limonene, and Citrus Extract against Bacteria and Yeasts, Representative of the Spoiling Microflora of Fruit Juices. J Food Protection, 5; 812-1002, 2010.</ref>

#* Do not give honey to any child under the age of 1 because young children may be susceptible to infant botulism which can contaminate honey.<ref name="rf8" />

#* Hot lemon water with honey can also relieve discomfort and reduce swelling. Combine the juice of half a lemon with hot water. Add 2 teaspoons of honey to the mixture. For an extra soothing kick, you can add a tablespoon of brandy or whisky.<ref name="rf11">http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/28/health/28real.html</ref>

#*Throat Coat Herbal Tea in a randomly controlled study was found to reduce the intensity of pain with swallowing 30 minutes after drinking.<ref name="rf12">Brinckmann J, Sigwart H, van Houten Taylor L. Safety and efficacy of a traditional herbal medicine (Throat Coat) in symptomatic temporary relief of pain in patients with acute pharyngitis: a multicenter, prospective, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study. J Altern Complement Med 2003; 9:285.</ref>

#Make a cayenne pepper tea. Cayenne acts as a counter-irritant and depletes a pain mediator called “Substance P”.  Take 1/4  teaspoon of ground cayenne pepper and stir it into 1 cup of boiled and steaming water.  Stir in about 1-2 teaspoons of honey (to taste) and sip.  Stir occasionally to re-suspend the pepper in the tea.<ref name="rf13">Sandu, D., Heinrich M. The Use of Health Foods, Spices and other Botanicals in the Sikh Community in London, Phytotherapy Res., 19, 633-42, 2005.</ref>

#* If the 1/4 teaspoon is too much for you, you can decrease it to 1/8 of a teaspoon.<ref name="rf13" />

#Drink licorice root tea.  Most supermarkets and health food stores carry herbal teas and licorice root is pretty common and easy to find. Licorice root has anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties. Use one teabag per cup of boiled water and add honey to taste. <ref name="rf14">http://www.researchgate.net/profile/David_Heber/publication/7332760_Antibacterial_compounds_from_Glycyrrhiza_uralensis/links/549357b10cf22d7925da2f5d.pdf</ref>

#Drink ginger or clove tea. Fresh ginger is the best way to go! Peel the ginger and chop finely. Add 1/2 teaspoon of minced fresh ginger to 1 cup of boiling hot water. Add honey to taste.<ref name="rf13" />

#Add a stick of cinnamon to any tea you are drinking. Cinnamon is high in antioxidants and has antiviral and antibacterial properties. You can find cinnamon sticks in grocery stores and health food stores. You can use it as a stirring stick in your tea and for multiple uses as the cinnamon essence seeps into your teas.<ref name="rf15">Sandu, D., Heinrich M. The Use of Health Foods, Spices and other Botanicals in the Sikh Community in London, Phytotherapy Res., 19, 633-42, 2005</ref>

#Obtain the following herbs and ingredients. You should be able to find the herbs at a natural health foods store or a bulk foods store. They should be ground or in powder form:<ref name="rf16"> http://www.diynatural.com/home-remedies-for-sore-throat/</ref>

#Dissolve the marshmallow root in the hot water. Put the 2 tablespoons of honey into a glass measuring cup and add enough of the hot marshmallow liquid to have a total of 1/2 cup.  Pour this into a mixing bowl and discard the rest.<ref name="rf16" />

#Add the 1/2 cup of Slippery Elm Bark powder  to a mixing bowl. Hollow out a well or a depression in the middle of the powder. Pour the honey/marshmallow solution into the well of the Slippery Elm Bark powder and, using clean hands, mix the ingredients together. Form small oblong shapes about the size of a grape (think lozenge size). You should get about 20 lozenges.<ref name="rf16" />

#Wrap each lozenge. Once dry, wrap lozenges in waxed or parchment paper. Store in a cool, dry, and dark place.  They should stay good for about 6 months.<ref name="rf16" />

#* These lozenges are for adults but can be for children who are old enough for lozenges to be safe, usually over the age of 5. For children younger than 5 years, lozenges can be a choking hazard.<ref name="rf17">https://www.health.ny.gov/prevention/injury_prevention/choking_prevention_for_children.htm</ref>

#Gather ingredients. All of these ingredients are classic for battling sore throats and colds. You'll need:<ref name="rf18">http://portandfin.com/throat-soothing-chamomile-ginger-popsicles-with-lemon-and-honey/</ref>

#Combine all ingredients except for the water. In a heat-proof bowl, mix the lemon juice, ginger, honey, and chamomile tea bags. Pour boiling water over top of the tea bags and let steep for 10 minutes.<ref name="rf18" />

#Remove tea bags and ginger pieces. You can use a strainer to do this so your don't burn your hands. Let rest until water has slightly cooled.<ref name="rf18" />

*In addition to making any of the above remedies, be sure as well to drink plenty of water and eat lots of soups and broths to slow the movement of immune cells, which boosts their activity.<ref name="rf19">http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/10/12/the-science-of-chicken-soup/?_r=0</ref>

*Most people find relief drinking hot liquids, but this is not written in stone. If you feel better drinking lukewarm or cool teas or broths, go right ahead. Iced drinks can be helpful as well, especially if you have a fever.<ref name="rf20">https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/ear-nose-throat/conditions-we-treat/sore-throats.aspx</ref>

*If your sore throat last longer than a week and/or causes severe symptoms (such as high fever, difficulty breathing and swallowing, rashes, and joint pain, you should consult your physician.<ref name="rf21">https://www.entnet.org/?q=node/1451</ref>