Days of sickness are way too painful. A sore throat is like a cherry on top of a fever or cold. You are not able to swallow things, you are not able to talk properly, and it's way too uncomfortable all the time. In this article, I will show you with some home remedies for a sore throat and ease your trouble. Before moving ahead, let us understand the theory behind the condition of a sore throat.
A sore throat is a virus or a bacterial infection that causes inflammation in the throat. As a consequence of this condition, there is itchiness, pain, and scratchiness. Going back to the kitchen and bringing back the tradition of grandma's remedies, I will talk about all the remedies curated from everyday ingredients available in your kitchen.
1. Honey
Honey is the day to day quotidian to cure a sore throat and other such problems. This magical potion can be easily found and helps in the speedy recovery of an inflamed throat. All you need to do is mix it up with black tea or green tea and gulp it down. It helps in repressing night coughs as well.
2. Water and salt
Gargle to cure a sore throat. Studies show that using a solution of hot water and salt, lacerates the bacteria in the throat and keeps it clean. Mix half a tablespoon of salt in hot water and gargle every three hours or so. It helps in easing out the inflammation and results in reduced swelling.
3. Fenugreek
Don't you love the smell of fenugreek? After a tempting meal, fenugreek is the best buddy. Moving on, fenugreek is loaded with benefits. Fenugreek tea, when consumed after a sore throat, gives instant relief. You can munch onto fenugreek as well. Here is a little fact check: all the pregnant women should stay away from the consumption of fenugreek.
4. Licorice root
This one needs special attention. As kids, we loved sucking onto licorice sticks with loads of sugar. However, licorice has been known for its special benefits of calming an inflamed throat. All you need to do is mix diluted licorice root in hot water. From time to time, use this solution to gargle. All the pregnant women and breastfeeding women are requested to stay away from this remedy too.
5. Apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar has a history of healing infections because of the anti-bacterial nature. In the case of a sore throat, the acidic nature of apple cider vinegar results in the breakdown of the mucus. Thus, the spread of bacteria in the throat stops. In case you feel a little itchy and scratchy in your throat, mix a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar into a glass of water. After every two hours, use the solution to rinse the mouth. It is recommended to consume a lot of water during the gargle sessions.
6. Ginger and honey
A lot of sore throat medicines contain a combination of ginger and honey. Stop going to the drugstore and buying all these medicines. Instead, use some home remedies for a sore throat. Before going to the bed, grate some ginger in a bowl. Mix the juice of the ginger in honey and lick it, two or three times. Go to sleep. This will reduce the inflammation of the throat and will result in reduced coughing while sleeping. Make sure not to consume water after licking the ginger and honey solution.
7. Garlic
Weren't we pressured to suck onto a garlic clove when we were kids if we had a sore throat? We used to hate this remedy back then. As we grew up, we started becoming more inclined towards home remedies for bacterial infections. Garlic is known for fighting bacterial infections because it contains allicin. Allicin is an organosulfur compound that helps in attacking the bacterial infection. It is recommended that you consume garlic along with your daily meals to eliminate any risk of bacterial infections.
8. Baking soda
Salt water gargle is a most common solution used to cure a sore throat. However, these days, people have started mixing a pinch of baking soda with salt water for speedy recovery. The primary benefit of this solution is that it destroys yeast and fungi growth in the throat.
9. Peppermint
The availability of menthol flavor in the peppermint twists its nature into an antibacterial and anti-inflammatory compound. The reason behind this is that the menthol present in the peppermint helps in the thinning of the mucus and results in the oppression of a cough. Use diluted peppermint oil sprays to cure a sore throat. Peppermint oil is covered under the category of essential oils.
However, essential oil should never be used without a carrier and are not supposed to be ingested. Carrier oil covers olive oil, coconut oil, mustard oil etc. For this solution, make a concoction of five drops of peppermint oil with the carrier oil of your choice. Keep on spraying it every now and then.
10. Chamomile tea
Chamomile tea is recently gaining a lot of momentum in the medical world and the Indian market. It is a natural solution, used to calm down the problem of a sore throat. This organic substance holds anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory properties and is an antioxidant as well. Go, grab some chamomile tea bags to cure your throat infection and give an added boost to your immunity.
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These remedies will work wonders for you. Most of the time, a sore throat is an invitation for viral fever and cough. Don't fall into this trap. Use some the natural ways to cure your inflamed throat. If the inflammation persists and none of the remedies are of help, make a visit to your doctor and figure out the problem.
