11 Simple Home Remedies for a Scratchy & Sore Throat
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Cold and flu season brings the promise of sick days and scratchy throats. And many homesteaders don’t like taking medications if we can avoid it. So knowing a few home remedies for a sore throat will surely come in handy.
Sore throats can be the worst. You try to swallow but your throat feels like sandpaper. No matter what you try to do, you simply cannot avoid having to swallow and endure the pain from that horrible scratchy sore throat.
The good news is you may have just what you need to soothe that throat pain in your kitchen cabinets. Here are a few home remedies for a sore throat to help ease the pain and discomfort of this common cold symptom.
Drink warm tea
Even if you’re not an avid tea drinker, you may consider drinking warm tea during the time you suffer from a sore throat. Drinking any warm liquid beverage easily soothes the pain from a sore throat.
You can add some honey or lemon zest to boost the relief of your sore throat.
Chew on some raw garlic
When crushed up, raw garlic releases properties that have antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties. And it has been shown to ease the pain from your sore throat.
Due to its antimicrobial features, chewing raw garlic may also help you heal quicker. To help you stomach the flavor try adding the crushed garlic to a spoon full of raw honey or spread it on some soft bread.
Garlic is also said to have decongestant properties which is a benefit if you’re also suffering from a stuffy nose.
Gargle with salt water
This tried and true home remedy for a sore throat is sure to curb the pain and discomfort that arrives with a cold or the flu.
The measurement of this gargle mix should be 1 teaspoon of salt per 8 ounces of warm water. Gargle the salt water in the back of your throat for a few seconds then spit it out. Do not swallow the mixture.
This will help cleanse your throat and loosen phlegm while also easing the burden of your sore throat.
If you have some high-quality essential oils that are safe for human consumption, consider adding a drop of clove oil for additional pain relief.
Sip licorice tea
This is a natural home remedy for a sore throat that eases pain quickly.
https://youtu.be/_Gjf6yzWEy8
If you don’t have access to licorice tea ingredients, you might consider purchasing a tea called Throat Coat. This tea blend is made from licorice, marshmallow root, and elm inner bark.
Read the raving reviews for Throat Coat tea to ease sore throat pain.
Try an herbal throat spray
Herbs like sage and echinacea work well together to create a homemade sore throat spray. Herbal throat sprays work as well or better than over the counter throat sprays for soothing sore throat pain.
Plus creating you own sore throat spray using herbs will be better for you than over the counter medications that aren’t usually all natural. Try mixing these herbs into a throat spray using the recipe here.
Or buy herbal throat spray on Amazon.
Don’t underestimate the benefits of honey
When you suffer from a scratchy throat, sometimes you just need a quick home remedy to help ease your discomfort. Honey has many healing properties and has been shown to reduce inflammation when used topically.
Learn more about the healing properties of raw honey.
Add a couple teaspoons of honey to a cup of warm water or any tea and sip slowly. It is a tasty addition to any recipe or warm beverage as a means to provide your body with antibacterial fighting agents.
Suck on ice chips
If you have none of the ingredients for these home remedies for a sore throat but you need relief right away, try sucking on some ice chips.
The freezing cold temperature of your ice chips will numb the scratchy pain in your throat, and it’s an easy way to try to stay hydrated while also soothing the pain.
Fill up on homemade chicken soup
While you are feeling under the weather due to the discomfort from your sore throat, a bowl of homemade chicken soup can help ease some pain.
Soothing and comforting homemade chicken soup will fill your belly without being painful to swallow. Plus, a stomach full of healthy and hearty chicken soup will help you sleep and nourish your body while it’s fighting off disease.
Try this easy crockpot chicken soup recipe.
Eat some marshmallows
Have you ever heard that eating marshmallows can soothe a scratchy throat? It sounds like a crazy concept, but it is rooted in some truth.
The little white puffs of sugar and gelatin can coat the irritated membranes in your throat and provide some relief, but they do not have any magical healing powers.
The root and leaves of the marshmallow plant do have medicinal properties and can be used to make herbal teas and throat sprays. Try this throat soothing herbal tea recipe.
However, the commercially made fluffy white treats we know as marshmallows do not contain any of this natural healing herb.
If you would like to make your own healing marshmallow root marshmallows, you can do that! Here’s an easy recipe.
Get adequate sleep
If the pain from your sore throat keeps you up at night, getting some extra sleep during the day can help speed your recovery. While your fighting off a cold or the flu, your body needs to be well rested.
Take a nap or sleep late in the morning if you need to. You might be surprised how a little extra shut-eye will help curb the pain you feel from a sore throat.
Turn on the humidifier
Often times a sore throat will feel dry and scratchy. Try getting a humidifier to add moisture to the air while you sleep at night. Inflamed tissue easily dries out which makes it more painful.
Running a humidifier at night will give you a little extra boost of moisture so you don’t wake up to an extra scratchy throat.
Use these home remedies to help ease the pain of a scratchy sore throat.
But don’t use them as a substitute for seeking medical attention.
A sore throat can be the first sign of a viral cold, a sign of strained vocal cords, or something more serious than that. While using each of these home remedies for a sore throat will ease the pain, it’s highly recommended that you keep a watchful eye on your symptoms.
If you feel your sore throat is actually a sign of a deeper infection, please do seek medical help with your doctor.
Have you used other home remedies for a sore throat?
Let us all know how they worked for you! Leave me a comment below!
I find that a warm tonic of lemon juice, apple cider vinegar and honey works wonders for not only soothing the sore throat but also fighting the bacteria and viruses! Thanks for sharing.
Absolutely! 🙂
Thank you. I will definitely try it!!!
I gargle with room temp raw ACV watered down a little and then just drink it. Gargling with it helps a sore throat too…will have to try to warm with honey.
ACV is pretty good stuff, too!
The best home remedy I have found is to gargle with a small amount of Apple Cider Vinegar in half a cup of water a few times a day. I know it sounds awful but it really helps if you can get through it.
Honey mixed with ginger juice is the best for indtant relief from sore throat, cough rtc.
It works everytime for me.
Plus it sounds tasty! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for pointing out that one of the best ways to battle a sore throat is to take adequate rest as the body needs this to heal and get and get back on track. The only problem I am facing is that I cannot sleep or let alone rest because of my sore throat. It just hurts. Perhaps, I need to get in touch with an ENT expert to see what I can do to fix my situation.
Definitely, see a doctor if you’re in too much pain to sleep. Hope you feel better soon!