Soothe Your Sore Throat Naturally with Cayenne Pepper

Cayenne

Posted by Ivanna (Springfield Gardens, USA) on 12/17/2008
★★★★★

I was realy freaking out because a week before I was to sing at my talent show I got a sore throat. The show is tomorrow and my throat has gotten so bad that it is hard to talk let alone sing. I tried the first thing I saw and I instanly felt better. My dad even said he could here my voice from outside (in a good way). I hope this keeps us because I have some high notes to sing.

Cayenne

Posted by Marty (Chicago, IL) on 12/14/2008

Alright, I'm sick of feeling terrible these past few nights with a very sore throat, and am trying the cayenne gargle. I love spicy food, so there's that; but after a few gargles with the recommended amounts, I can't say I feel a difference yet - definitely not an instant one, anyway. I'll keep at it, as it's definitely cheaper than antibiotics (I got strep regularly as a kid, years and years and years ago). Wish me luck!

marty

fyi... 1/8 tsp cayenne into 2/3 cup of hot water is my first attempt on this...

Cayenne

Posted by Marx (SG, Singapore) on 12/13/2008
★★★★★

Saying HI from Singapore! YES! Gargled for few times using MAX limit i can withstand the spiciness b4 bed. Cayenne Pepper really cured MOST of my throat the nex following day!

Cayenne

Posted by Robert (New York, NY) on 12/12/2008
★★★★★

The worst sore throat I can remember in my life. White spots on the tonsils, the ears starting to have pressure. A mess in other words. I couldn't sleep, so ended up hunting for remedies and found this site at 2:30AM in the morning. A quick trip to the kitchen, find the Cayenne powder and after 10 minutes of gargling, 5 minutes apart, blessed relief. I was asleep 45 minutes later. Thanks very much.

Cayenne

Posted by Mike (langley, B.C. CANADA) on 12/06/2008
★★★★★

Cayenne for Sore throat. Gargled with it and put some in my Clamato juice and drank it. Sore throat was almost completly go in a few minutes. Awesome. Thanks.

Cayenne

Posted by Erin (Dallas, TX) on 12/05/2008

There is no way that cayenne pepper is good for a sore throat. The pepper just destroys your nerve endings, leaving you with a numb sensation. If you are looking for numbness, use sore throat spray. That's gentler on the sores and doesn't trick you into thinking that you are cured. I would suggest going to the doctor to see if you need antibiotics and drinkiing lots of warm tea with honey. Also, taking certain vitamins like B12 can help your body build up a strong immune system to fight sore throats and other sicknesses. Sometimes there is no magic instant cure, only medicine, good habits, and time.

Cayenne

Posted by Mommy (Boise, ID) on 05/14/2009

Sounds like you are part of the medical model.....FOOD IS MEDICINE. Do some research before you "nay say".

Cayenne

Posted by Dan (Huntington Beach, Ca) on 04/26/2010

Antibiotics do not treat viral infections. They treat bacterial infections and used when not necessary can cause their effectiveness to diminish when and if you really need them. Most over-the-counter "medications" used to treat viruses were derived from plants and other flora. Cayenne peppers contain vitamin A, B6, E, C, riboflavin, potassium and manganese. Their healing properties have been known for centuries and the relief they provide for a sore throat has nothing to do with turning off pain receptors. You'd be mistaken in your assumption.

Cayenne

Posted by Jeff (Pittsburgh, PA) on 12/01/2008
★★★★★

I was on day 4 of the worst sore throat that I had ever experienced. I am sure it was strep throat but never went to a doctor. After researching this site I finally developed a remedy: 1 cup hot water, 3 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar, 3 tablespoons Honey and enough Cayenne Pepper to cover the entire top layer of water (5-6 sprinkles). Then I gargled then swallowed about 4 full mouth full every 30 minutes to an hour over a 6 hour period. I went from severe pain (9 of 10) to slight pain (2 of 10) within 4 hours. I also sprinkled the Cayenne Pepper on dinner, The next morning the sore throat was completely gone. Side note: On day 3 of my sore throat I tried gargling and swallowing ACV and hot water for a 7 hour period, this only gave me temporary relief but the sore throat was back in full swing the next day.

Cayenne

Posted by Celena (Albuquerque, NM) on 11/29/2008
★★★★★

I found mixing cayenne pepper with Odwalla Superfood works well to ease the pain of a sore throat. i used 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper and 6-8 ounces of superfood The superfood helps with the burn and also has iodine and immune boosting vitamins.

Cayenne

Posted by Robert (Tequesta, Fl, USA) on 11/21/2008
★☆☆☆☆

Cayenne for sore throat. Nay: Coupled with the fact that it's a form of torture, it didn't seem to help at all. The salt water with ACV is at least bearable tho I don't know if it works yet.

Cayenne

Posted by Kaylee (Hyde Park, Utah) on 11/20/2008
★★★★★

I tried the Cayenne remedy for my sore throat. I read about one person who tried mixing the Cayenne with bullion and it got me thinking. I don't really enjoy downing hot drinks, but being in college, I have a lot of Ramen Noodles around. I made some of the noodles and then put 1/4 tsp of the pepper (I accidentally put a little too much in, so be careful!) in the normal amount of broth. I felt immediate results while just eating lunch. Drinking the broth afterwards is suggested, but I found it a bit difficult to do. I also tried just a little bit of the pepper straight on my tongue. Not a lot, but just enough to taste. It wasn't uncomfortably hot, but it gave just enough heat that when I breathed it would go to my throat and soothe it.

Cayenne

Posted by Stef (Jacksonville, FL) on 11/11/2008
★★★★★

I have had the worst sore throat this past week I can't eat I can hardly drink and unfortunately don't have insurance right now. I Googled sore throat cures and found this sight. I tried one of the first remedies I found which was 3 shakes of Cayenne Pepper to one cup of hot water and INSTANTLY I started feeling better. It's almost completely normal again! I hope it lasts!

Cayenne

Posted by Kim (Maplewood, MN) on 11/07/2008
★★★★★

WOW! I was having trouble sleeping because my throat and tonsils hurt so bad. I've never experienced such sharp burning and sore pain like that before. I hate spicy foods, but a few sprinkles of cayenne pepper in some hot water and just one sip helped immediately! ...3 shakes of pepper to one cup water.

Cayenne

Posted by Rodney (Kaysville, UT - USA) on 11/04/2008
★★★★★

Many thanks to both the Yea and Nays. My daughter brought home "that 1st ugly cold" of the year and I've been off work for 2 days with this horrid sore throat and a cough that won't stop. I am trying the cayenne pepper with a small can of V8 vegetable juice. Wow! I'm glad I had a V8...with cayenne pepper. My ears have quit hurting...they're burning a little, but I think it is from the infection that was trying to harbor in there. My sinuses have opened and my throat is not sore anymore, just a pleasant kick. I used a small can + 3/4 tsp (pretty strong) of cayenne. For those that don't tolerate hot/spicy foods, start out with 1/4 tsp. Good Luck!

Cayenne

Posted by Stel (Sydney, Australia) on 11/02/2008
★★★★★

I have had a sore throat for 2 weeks now. I was prescribed antibiotics but they had no effect after finishing the course, so I was then re-diagnosed with a viral infection.

I've been trying to ride it out since. I've been taking lozenges with anaesthetic agents in them to ease the soreness, as well as an iodine gargle, which is supposed to kill viruses and bacteria. Both have only had temporary effects. So as a last resort, I bought some Cayenne pepper, after reading the many comments on this website.

My concoction is based on the good old honey lemon water recipe.

- 1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper
- 1/2 lemon, squeezed
- 2 tsps honey
- 1 tsp raw sugar
- Water, boiled

I'm drinking my first cup right now, and I can definitely say that there has been an immediate improvement. I am actually not a fan of chilli and spices, but this drink goes down quite nicely. It doesn't taste that much different from the standard honey lemon drink, except it has a nice kick to it. I am noting that the further down the cup I go, the spicier it gets, as the Cayenne pepper tends to settle down to the bottom. Cayenne pepper seems to only produce a kick in my throat; I don't feel it in my mouth at all. And it feels nice! The razor-in-throat feeling has now been replaced by a spicy tingle.

As it is only my first day of drinking Cayenne pepper, time will tell whether the sore throat will go away once and for all. I will definitely continue drinking this in the next hours/days, as the short-term effects at least are noticeably positive.

Cayenne

Posted by Elizabeth (Hollywood, CA) on 11/02/2008
★★★★★

Cayenne Pepper for sore throat!

Yesterday I woke up with a wicked sore throat, every time I swallowed it was like swallowing razor blades, and the infection had spread to my ears, because my ears were burning as well.

Today I read about using the cayenne pepper and decided to give it a try.

At 12:00 noon, I drank 1 cup of chicken broth with 1/4 teaspoon cayenne. I didn't notice a change in my throat right away, but the burning and pressure in my eardrums went away immediately.

At 1:30 I drank a cup of tea with:

1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey.

THIS REALLY WORKS! Immediately after finishing the tea, I felt 50% better. I will drink some more in about 2 hours.

Good luck and feel better!

Cayenne

Posted by Ouida (West, Texas) on 11/19/2008
★★★★★

Thanks for the recipe. I used mint tea, 2 tsp honey and 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper in a mug and have been sipping it. I can tell a difference in the sharpness of the pain. After having several children I am pretty pain tolerant but this throat pain had me up at all hours of the night and I am exhausted. Thanks. It seems to be at least taking the edge off but I suspect that in a day I will feel much better all around.