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Harness the Power of Cayenne Pepper for Strep Throat Relief

| Modified on Jan 22, 2025
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Cayenne Cure for Strep Throat

Cayenne pepper stands out as an accessible, rapid-response natural treatment for the discomfort and infection of strep throat. Celebrated for its powerful healing properties, cayenne pepper provides swift relief and assists in the recovery process. It's noteworthy that over 50 Earth Clinic readers have acclaimed cayenne pepper as the most favored remedy for combating strep throat symptoms.

Effective Ways to Use Cayenne Pepper for Strep Throat

Earth Clinic readers have shared several innovative and successful methods for using cayenne pepper to treat strep throat:

1. Cayenne Gargle: Quick Pain Relief

  • Preparation: Mix 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper with 1/4 cup of warm water.
  • Application: Protect your lips with lip balm to prevent burning. Gargle the mixture for immediate effect.
  • Frequency: Gargle every two hours on the first day, reducing to four times on the next day. Continue once or twice daily until fully healed.

2. Cayenne Throat Spray: For Sensitive Palates

  • Preparation: Combine 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper with 1 cup of water in a spray bottle.
  • Usage: Spray directly on the back of the throat. Use hourly on the first day and four times or more on the second day. Continue until the throat heals completely.

3. Cayenne on a Q-tip: Direct Application

  • Method: Moisten a Q-tip, dip it in cayenne pepper, and apply directly to the back of the throat.
  • Variation: Use honey on the Q-tip before dipping in cayenne pepper for added antibacterial benefits.
  • Frequency: Apply four times a day.

4. Adding Cayenne to Food: Gentle and Gradual

  • Method: Incorporate cayenne pepper into your meals, especially soups.
  • Note: If results are not immediate, consider combining this method with one of the direct application techniques above.

Cayenne pepper is not just a kitchen staple but a powerful tool against strep throat.

Have you tried cayenne for sore throat relief? We'd love to hear your experiences and feedback! Please continue reading for feedback from Earth Clinic readers about how they effectively used cayenne to get rid of strep throat in 3 days.

Related Links:

Apple Cider Vinegar for Strep Throat
Garlic for Strep Throat
Natural Remedies for Strep Throat Relief

The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
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Posted by The Vegan Herbal Lover (Los Angeles, USA) on 04/10/2023
 ★★★★★

I don't remember how I happened upon this forum for cayenne for strep. I thought I had searched “what herb kills strep”. But now looking back none of the many articles that initially come up even mention cayenne as an option. I drink cayenne lemon water daily and have been for years so when my 14 yo daughter encountered strep throat, maybe this prompted me to eventually search specifically for the effects of cayenne on strep. But I'm glad I did! I initially gave her most of the recommended remedies listed in all the articles from cinnamon to gargling with sea salt water mixed with the many recommended essential oils with MINIMAL results.

My daughter also slept most of the day these first two days and ate and drank very little as she was in constant miserable pain whenever she swallowed. Her sleeping so much actually became a concern as lethargy is not listed as a common symptom of strep.

So we were very relieved after discovering and implementing cayenne as an option. I made a gargle for her that consisted of hot lemon water and added sea salt and as much cayenne as she could stand. After 1 day of gargling about 4 times (3 hours apart), my daughter felt immediate relief and was able to drink an entire smoothie that night. As she gargled she noticed white cloudy stuff the mucus filled water she spit out. We noticed the white patches on her throat disappearing after every session. We wondered if what was coming out was the actual white stuff on her throat, but couldn't be sure.

However as the patches decreased the pain also drastically decreased and by the end of day two of gargling all the pain was gone. She continued gargling 3 times daily for two weeks however even though she was pain free as we treated the cayenne like a medical antibiotic. I had read to do this to ensure the virus is completely gone. So CAYENNE CAYENNE CAYENNE FOLKS!!!! And shame on all those articles for not including this as a natural home remedy option for strep!!

Cayenne has done so much for me from detoxing me as well as regulating my blood sugar. It has also worked in lowering my sisters blood pressure.

Replied by Tina
(Iowa)
01/22/2025

Can you suggest how much cayenne you added to the lemon water.? Thanks

Mama to Many
(TN)
01/22/2025

Dear Tina,

The original poster wrote her post a couple of years ago and I don't know if she will see your question so I will chime in...

When we are dealing with strep I put about 1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne (depending on how hot your cayenne is) in 3 ounces of warm water. You can add a pinch of salt and clove if you like - both are also antibacterial and the clove helps to numb the pain.

We also use garlic for strep with the cayenne. I was shocked that odorless garlic pills actually are very effective. I think we used 2-4 pills 3-4 times a day. Once I used an actual clove, crushed 4x a day. (It's tolerable spread on toast with butter or honey.)

~Mama to Many~

Cayenne
Posted by Becca (Cedar Hills, Utah) on 09/20/2020
 ★★★★★

Editor's Choice

My granddaughter had a sore throat, so I looked at her tonsils and saw the white puss pockets on her tonsils. I thought oh no strep throat! I had read on EC about cayenne. I got a q-tip and wet it and dipped it in the cayenne, and dabbed it on both tonsils. The pain stopped, and she was better the next day! I have Dr Christopher's books. Love him and EC! It's my 1st go to for ailments.

Cayenne
Posted by Sugarandspice (Huntsville, Al) on 03/29/2017
 ★★★★★

Editor's Choice

I contracted strep my first week of working at a preschool. I had swollen tonsils, white patches on the left side of my tonsil, ear pain and it hurt so bad to swallow. I was miserable. I tried Garlic, chamomile tea, and ACV solution. NONE of those worked AT ALL. I got anxious because I wanted to feel better without wasting hundreds of dollars to see a dr(I didn't have insurance). I tried gargling Cayenne Pepper with warm water and within MINUTES I felt relief. I continued doing it for 3 days, every so often. Even on the 3rd day I felt 99%, but I wanted to be sure. I wanted to cry from happiness. I've suffered for years with strep and I literally look forward to it every year. This remedy has saved me money, time and headache. I was able to go back to work the day after.

Cayenne
Posted by Val (Long Island, Ny) on 02/16/2016
 ★★★★★

Editor's Choice

I was sick with strep back in December. I got put on antibiotics and it went away. I got sick again 2 months later with strep which turned into Scarlet fever. Was put on antibiotics which got rid of the rash, but not the strep or the fever. My glands were very swollen and it was difficult and painful to swallow anything solid. The last thing I wanted was yet another trip to the doctor. I came across a remedy on here which consisted of putting Cayanne pepper into lukewarm water and gargling with it. I did 1tsp in 8oz of water. Within hours, the pain was bearable and within 2 days the strep was gone and my throat was back to normal. The best part was, unlike with antibiotics, there were ZERO side-effects. I highly recommend this for anyone suffering with throat pain!

Cayenne
Posted by Sheila (Temecula, California) on 11/05/2015
 ★★★★★

Editor's Choice

I have been using the site for years and have tried many many remedies on here. Unequivocally without a doubt I can say that the Cayenne pepper for strep throat remedy is the quickest most miraculous instantaneous natural treatment I have ever tried. For me it literally works quicker than antibiotics.

Apple cider vinegar does not work, hydrogen peroxide does not work, and gargling with saltwater does not work for my strep at all. And antibiotics take approximately eight hours for me to notice the effects. But gargling with Cayenne pepper in lukewarm water provides instant relief. And cures the strep. I have tried and tested this and told many people. It is truly a miracle and actually quite silly that anyone would try anything other than This!! IT WORKS. It CURES strep throat.

Gargle with it, your lips will feel warm/ hot but it won't even burn your throat. Avoiding all dairy also helps prevent strep BUT once you have it the cayenne kicks it's butt. If your children have strep you can put the cayenne / water solution into a spray bottle and spray their throats. This method took my five year old son from screaming hysterically to sleeping soundly. I had to come up with a way to get the cayenne onto his throat cuz no way would he gargle with it. Well of course it worked like a charm and saved us a trip to the emergency room at midnight, God bless you all!!!

Cayenne
Posted by Mae (Portland) on 08/26/2015
 ★★★★★

Always know when I am getting strep throat. Read about cayenne and decided to try it. Within 24 hours my white spots in the back of my throat were gone! I used raw honey - dipped a q-tip in that and rolled it in cayenne pepper powder. Swabbed it on the back sides of my throat every few hours for 2 days. In between I gargled with cayenne and warm water. About a tsp. This is the third day and my strep is almost gone!!!! Really works but you have to keep at it for the first days .

Cayenne
Posted by Kari (Denver, CO) on 11/17/2014
 ★★★★★

My son was diagnosed with strep on Friday. I was feverish with body aches Friday and Saturday. By Sunday my throat felt so sore with that razor blade feeling when I swallowed. I had been drinking ACV since Friday but looked on here for something specifically for the throat pain. At first I sprinkled organic cayenne pepper on my dinner and I felt it working instantly. The pain came back 2 hours later so I gargled with 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice in warm water. It was very unpleasant but I pushed through. The pain was gone in about 10 minutes. I went to a Walgreens clinic today and had my throat tested for strep and I don't have it!!! I am so happy! Thank you Earth Clinic.

Cayenne
Posted by Louise (Ab, Canada) on 11/29/2013
 ★★★★★

I have suffered from a sore throat (strep), headache, body aches and high fever for a couple days now. I really didn't want to go on antibiotics again because I was on a very high dosage just a little over a month ago for an unrelated incident. I was very happy and rather surprised at how quickly the remedy provided relief and with ingredients I presently found in my home. I will keep up the gargling until the symptoms subside completely. Thanks!

Cayenne
Posted by Andrew (Elkhart, In) on 11/16/2013
 ★★★★★

So yea cayenne for strep works. But I just want to add that I didn't have cayanne peppers or powder or anything in the house. But I did have franks red hotsauce. With cayanne peppers being the main ingredient. Plus the bonus ingrediants of vinegar and garlic powder. So it worked out well for me, maybe u don't have peppers or powder? Try hot sauce!

Replied by Gary
(Montreal)
07/06/2017
★★★★★

Frank's Red Hot reduced the pain by 80% in a few minutes of gargling. It's currently 2 am. No way to buy cayenne pepper at this time. I have slept less than 2 hours per night in the last 4 nights due to the pain. Thank you for your comment Andrew. I'm going to try to get some sleep and I'm going to have some more hot sauce for breakfast!

Cayenne
Posted by Christine (On, Canada) on 06/20/2013
 ★★★★★

Strep Throat: I used the 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper in hot water as I could take with 1/4 lemon juice then I gargled it. I am amazed at the relief I felt. I was able to sleep the night. I'm going to keep at it a few times a day until it clears up. Amazing!!

Cayenne
Posted by Jessica (Riverside, Ca) on 12/30/2012
 ★★★★★

I contracted strep throat on my right tonsil (unmistakable white patches) and spent several days taking ibuprophen for the pain, hoping that the strep would clear up on it's own. When it became difficult to swallow, I found the home remedy of using cayenne pepper on this website. I applied the cayenne pepper with a qtip dipped in honey and then the pepper, directly to my inflammed tonsil. The next morning the swelling and pain were reduced by roughly 50%! I reapplied the honey/cayenne pepper twice more throughout the day and by the second morning the white patches were almost gone and the swelling was as well. By day three my throat was completely back to normal! I am absolutely amazed that such a simple cure worked so well! Thank you earth clinic!

Cayenne
Posted by Ursula (Weston, Fl) on 06/15/2012
 ★★★★★

I loved the Cayenne on a Q Tip idea! It worked! I dipped it in a bit of honey first to make it sticky and then the cayenne. I swabbed the white pus pustules on my tonsils with the cayenne Q tip. Gagged a bit but was worth it because the pain was gone in 5 minutes. Did this 4 times a day for next two days. By day two was able to remove the white spots with the Q tip. Kind of gross but I got the infection out! No doctor no antibiotics! Wow!

Cayenne
Posted by Dawn (Orlando, Fl) on 03/22/2012
 ★★★★★

WOW, what a cure! I woke up a few nights ago with a raging sore throat; every swallow felt like I was choking down razor blades and I was in tears. Sleep was impossible so I did a net search for remedies and found earth clinic.

I've tried ACV in the past without much effect, but cayenne was a new idea to me. It sounded terrible, but I was in too much pain and willing to try anything. Mixed up a cup of warm water with about a quarter teaspoon of pepper, and added a squirt of lemon for good measure.

I found the gargle much easier than I expected. It felt pleasantly warm, not blazing hot, wrapping my throat in soothing heat. The relief was instantaneous and within minutes the raw pain had subsided to a dull ache that I knew I could sleep through. When I awoke the next morning I still had a cold, but the sore throat was gone, and never came back while the virus ran its course. Wow. I am a believer! Cayenne really works!

Cayenne
Posted by Jessie (Lakewood, Ohio, United States) on 11/20/2011
 ★★★★★

Yes! It works! I was skeptical it would help my strep throat but I did it nonetheless. I gargled before bed and felt like it did nothing to help. When I woke up I felt what I would estimate to be 70% reduction in swelling and pain. Unbelieveable.

Cayenne
Posted by Krasavitza (Philadelphia, Pa, Usa) on 11/14/2011
 ★★★★★

Yesterday I could feel the strep throat coming on so, I came to my favorite forum to find out how to treat it. I went to the doctor today and have the antibiotics just in case, since this is my first time trying a home-remedy for strep throat, but I am hoping to not have to start taking the prescription. After reading numerous posts on strep throat, I decided to take everyone's advice and tweak it to what I hope will work for me.

What I did was take about a teaspoon of raw, organic honey and mixed into it about 1/2 teaspoon of organic cayenne pepper. It made a thick, sticky reddish paste. I then (using a small flashlight to aid in seeing back into my throat) used a cotton swab to dip into the paste and then brush it onto my tonsils and uvula. (the uvula is the dangly thing hanging in the center of the back of your mouth and the tonsils are on the sides). I am keeping it in a tiny tupperware container to use until my strep throat (hopefully) goes away.

I was gargling with a warm-water and cayenne mixture, but that was burning my tongue so much that I thought this might be better; plus I'm applying it directly to the problem so, I think it is a better idea. I love that it doesn't burn at all when I apply it directly to my tonsils!


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