Sore throats can be very annoying and itchy. This pain in the throat can also make it difficult for you to swallow. Sore throats are very common and may be a symptom of a bacterial or viral infection (pharyngitis). A sore throat may also be a symptom of allergies, lack of fluids, muscle tension (from shouting, talking, or singing), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), HIV infection, or a tumor. However, most cases of sore throat are caused by viruses (influenza viruses, colds, mononocleosis, measles, chickenpox, and upper respiratory tract infections in children), or bacteria (strep throat due to streptococcus bacteria). Fortunately, simple home remedies such as salt water gargling are effective enough to relieve sore throats from a variety of causes.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Gargle with Salt Water
Step 1. Add 1 teaspoon of table salt or sea salt to 240 ml of water
Salt water can reduce swelling in the throat by drawing water out of the tissues in the throat. Salt is also efficacious as an antibacterial so it is also often used to preserve food because it can inhibit the growth of bacteria.
Step 2. Gargle with a saline solution for 30 seconds
Take a deep breath before gargling, then pour 60 ml or 90 ml of saline solution into your mouth without swallowing it. Tilt your head back (about 30°), cover the back of your throat, and rinse your mouth for 30 seconds before draining the solution.
Ask the children to gargle with plain warm water first. A limitation of salt water treatment is the ability for children to gargle without swallowing, which is usually around 3 or 4 years of age. Do not ask children to gargle for the full 30 seconds. Turn it into a game, asking the child to sing a song like "little star" while he gargles
Step 3. Repeat the above steps until you rinse your mouth with 240 ml of saline solution
Depending on how much solution you put in your mouth, you should be able to gargle 3 or 4 times. Take a deep breath and then rinse your mouth for 30 seconds each time you add the saline solution.
Step 4. Try another solution if you can't use a saline solution
Some people find it difficult to gargle with salt water because of its sharp salty taste in the throat. You can gargle with another solution, or add essential oils to disguise the saltiness of the salt. Options that may be considered include:
- Add apple cider vinegar. The acid in apple cider vinegar kills bacteria just as much as salt water. You can add 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to the salt solution to strengthen the antibacterial properties and disguise the salt taste. While you may not like it, this solution tastes much better.
- Add 1 or 2 drops of garlic oil. This essential oil has antibacterial and antiviral properties.
- Add 1 or 2 drops of burdock oil. In traditional Chinese medicine, burdock oil is commonly used to treat sore throats. Even so, there is not much scientific evidence to support the benefits of burdock.
- Added peppermint. You can also add 1 or 2 drops of peppermint oil which has been traditionally used to soothe a sore throat.
- Add 1 or 2 drops of marshmallow. These herbs (not sweets) contain mucilage, a gel-like compound that can coat the throat and relieve pain.
Step 5. Repeat as needed
You can use the entire saline solution to gargle every hour (or more often) as needed. The thing to note is not to swallow salt water because it can dehydrate the body just as salt water dehydrates the tissues in the throat.
Method 2 of 3: Using Other Home Treatments
Step 1. Drink plenty of water
This step can prevent dehydration while keeping the throat moist and reducing the discomfort you feel. Some people prefer to drink room temperature water, but you can drink hot or cold water if it makes your throat feel more comfortable.
Drink at least 8 240 ml glasses every day and drink more when you have a fever
Step 2. Humidify the air around you
Keeping the surrounding air moist will also prevent a dry throat. Use a humidifier if you have one. You can also place bowls of water in your living room and bedroom if you don't have a humidifier.
Step 3. Get enough sleep
Getting enough sleep is one of the best ways to increase the body's resistance against bacterial and viral infections. Try to get a full 8 hours of sleep at night, especially when you are sick.
Step 4. Eat soft foods without a lot of seasoning
Eat soup and broth. The ancient history of overcoming colds and flu with chicken soup turns out to be true. Research shows that chicken soup can slow the movement of certain immune cells, and this slower movement makes these cells more effective. Chicken soup can also increase the movement of the fine hairs in the nose which helps reduce infection. Other unseasoned soft foods include:
- Applesauce
- Rice
- Scrambled eggs
- Cooked pasta
- Oatmeal
- Smoothies
- Ripe beans and peas
Step 5. Bite the food little by little and chew until smooth
The smaller and more moist your food is, the less likely it is to aggravate throat irritation. Cut the food into small pieces and chew it finely so that your saliva can moisten it before swallowing it.
Method 3 of 3: Visiting the Doctor
Step 1. Know when to see a doctor
A sore throat can be a symptom of another disease, such as a bacterial or viral infection. See a doctor immediately, if your sore throat lasts more than 1 week (or more than 3 days after gargling with salt water regularly), or if you also experience the following symptoms. Other symptoms include:
- Difficulty swallowing
- Difficulty breathing
- Difficulty opening mouth
- Joint pain
- Earache
- Rash
- Fever above 38, 3°C
- There is blood in the phlegm or saliva
- There is a lump on the neck
- Hoarseness more than 2 weeks
- Note to children, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that your child see a doctor if they have a sore throat that persists overnight and does not subside after being given fluids, or if it is accompanied by difficulty swallowing, breathing, and/or strange/unusual drooling.
Step 2. Have a medical examination
Your doctor will ask you to undergo several tests to diagnose a sore throat. This examination includes a physical examination, namely observation of the throat using a flashlight.
Other tests include taking a sample from the throat to be grown so that the cause (type of bacteria) can be identified and confirmed. If the test result is negative, it is likely that the cause of the infection is a virus, especially if it is accompanied by a cough. However, your doctor may also order you to have an allergy test and a complete blood test to measure your body's immune response
Step 3. Take antibiotics to treat bacterial infections
If the results of a bacterial culture test confirm that the cause of your sore throat is a bacterial infection, your doctor will likely prescribe antibiotics to fight it. If you are prescribed antibiotics, take them for the recommended duration, even if you feel better. Otherwise, some of the bacteria (bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics) will survive and multiply the population of resistant bacteria, also increasing your risk of complications and recurrence.
- While using antibiotics, consume yogurt that contains active bacterial cultures to replace normal gut bacteria that also die from antibiotics. You should consume active cultured yogurt because it contains bacteria, whereas pasteurized or processed yogurt does not contain active bacteria. Intake of cultured active yogurt is recommended to prevent diarrhea which is sometimes caused by taking antibiotics, while maintaining normal gut bacteria which are very important for your health and immune system.
- Watch for unusual diarrhea symptoms while taking antibiotics. Unusual diarrhea may signal another illness or infection.
Step 4. Rest if the infection is caused by a virus
If your doctor says that your sore throat is caused by a viral infection (such as the flu or a cold), your doctor may advise you to get plenty of rest, drink plenty of water, or eat a healthy diet. All of these suggestions are helpful for boosting your immune system which will help you fight off infections.
