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.
Cayenne
Posted by Max (Montreal, Quebec, Canada) on 03/15/2013
★★★★★
I had a sore throat for 2 days and I'm finally healed on the 3rd day after reading some of the posts on this site. The gargle-and-sip technique worked for me. I used 1 teaspoon of Cayenne and half a teaspoon of sea salt in 1 cup of warm water. I gargled for 30 seconds, spit it out and sip a little bit of that mixture. I did it again (gargle spit and sip) and lo and behold, my regular voice came back 30 minutes later. Cayenne is so powerful.
*** YOU MUST USE WARM WATER OR ELSE THIS WILL NOT WORK ***
Cayenne
Posted by Michele (Harrisburg, Pa) on 11/01/2016
★★★★★
There was a nasty sore throat going around work, which incapacitated my workaholic boss for days. I started feeling it myself one morning, and knew I'd need to be aggressive with trying to kick it out before it became miserable. After reading this post, I decided to give the soup with cayenne a try. I've tried gargling with cayenne in the past, but it's not for me. I made the vegetable soup, but added the cayenne as I ate it, not putting it in the whole batch (in case I overdid it). That way I could also gradually reduce it as I got better. I really added it in heavily at first. That night, I didn't have any throat pain. The next day I ate more with the same amount of cayenne, which I couldn't tolerate as much so I diluted it a little with bouillon broth. That night I also didn't have any pain, nor have I had any since. I definitely have a cold, but the cayenne really seemed to help avert a sore throat crisis. Thanks so much for posting this! I would've never thought to put it in soup.
Cayenne
Posted by Athena (Mount Dora, Florida ) on 02/25/2024
★★★★★
Last night I came down with a sore throat which I haven't had in so long, I forgot what they felt like. My kids had sore throats last week so it is possible they passed it on to me. So last night I'm laying in bed, not able to sleep because my throat just feels so swollen, irritated and it hurt to swallow. That's when I came onto Earth Clinic to see what other remedies there are instead of the common salt and water gargle. I came across the Cayenne pepper remedy which is funny. I just bought a ton of it wanting to add it to my food etc due to its great benefits for the blood. So last night I gargled some which gave me instant comfort. It burns a little on the tongue and lips but that's it. It's not too bad. I laid down and woke back up around 2a for my son. My sore throat was back and I couldn't fall asleep. So I got up and gargled again. Finally I fell back to sleep until the morning. Morning came and I still had the sore throat. Not as bad as the night time but I choose to do the gargle again. That was my last time. The sore throat was gone within the hour after and has not come back. So amazing!!
Cayenne
Posted by Rich (Atlanta) on 03/02/2015
★★★★★
Had sore throat from cold. Gargled with the cayenne and instantly felt relief. It took about 3 days for the sore throat to completely go away. I gargled 3-4 times per day.
Cayenne
Posted by Miyo (Tennessee, US) on 01/21/2015
★★★★★
I had had a chronic sore throat for about a month.. I had tried to kick it with fermented garlic ( which used to help quite a bit) and probiotics, and oregano, but had eventually gone to a conventional route and taken some antibiotics, which helped for a while. However, the sore throat crept back and I didn't want to do another round of antibiotics, so I tried gargling with cayenne ( a tsp) in a cup of warm water with salt- yes, it burned but a day and a half of this, gargling about three times total, has cured me of the sore throat.. Just want to say, thanks, Earth clinic people- you have save me another trip to the doctor!
Cayenne
Posted by Stanster (Wilmington, Nc- USA) on 12/12/2016
★★★★★
In addition to the tomato tea, I would also recommend the Sore Throat gargle recipe:
To a coffee cup of very warm, purified water, add
1 tsp ACV (natural, unfiltered apple cider vinegar)
squeeze a lemon slice, tsp of local honey,
1/4 tsp powdered cayenne pepper. Take a sip, lean head back and gargle in throat for 10 secs and then swallow. Do this 3 times a day, esp in morning and before bed. I did and my sore throat pain went away for 5 hours at a time. The second day it went away forever. This site is a blessing!
Cayenne
Posted by Victor (San Antonio, Tx) on 11/22/2012
★★★★★
Hi I am an avid cayenne peper fan even have a garden in my back yard. any way I had a cough sore throat for 3 days but due to my laziness I fail to take my home remedie.
2 hours ago after staying home from thanksgiving celebrations finnaly broke down and chopped 2 garlic cloves saturated them with cayenne powder and chewed on them till they were all gone ate a peace of lemon and amen. Pain and cough is gone thank you for reading. if in doubt visit your doctor.
Cayenne
Posted by Jane R. (Boston, Ma) on 08/30/2012
★★★★★
OMG I can't believe this worked. I am 51 and had a sore throat for 2 weeks that wouldn't go away and was going in for a medical procedure that you can't be sick for so I was in a panic. I rinsed with the Ground Cayenne Pepper (found in the spice aisle in the alphabetical section under P for Hot Pepper). I used 1/4 teaspoon in a cup of water every 3 hours or so for a total of 3 times. I didn't feel any different the first day but I was completely pain free the next day. It is now day 3 and I still don't have a sore throat. So weird that this hot spice cools a burning throat.
Cayenne
Posted by Mia (Formerly Of Lyons, Ny) on 09/02/2012
Reply to Eddie95: I've never had strep throat clear up within two days with the exception of taking antibiotics. It does not get better on it's own. Also, within hours of the first dose there was a marked improvement in my case.
Cayenne
Posted by James (London, United Kingdom) on 11/04/2012
★★★★★
Cayenne pepper not only cured my sore throat and cough it also cleared up an ear infection that antibiotics could not. Again thanks
Cayenne
Posted by Carrie (Livonia, Mi) on 12/31/2014
★★★★★
1 tsp of cayenne with 8 ounce glass of water and my sore throat was gone overnight. What a relief to find this site, I'm so grateful!
Cayenne
Posted by Mary (Denver, Co) on 03/14/2013
★★★★★
Wow! It worked- cayenne pepper 2 tbsp, 1 tbsp acv, honey and warm water.. 50 min later I feel more alive than I have in the past 2 days being sick--- it burns my chest a little but the sore throat is going away and my energy is going way up!
Cayenne
Posted by Karen (Michigan) on 12/05/2015
Oh heavens, do NOT use 2 TBS. I personally use 1/8 of teaspoon, and if I am brave I can amp it up to 1/4 teaspoon. The most I have seen anyone use is 1 teaspoon. You would have the hot runs if you survived drinking it. Oh my mouth hurts to think someone even attempted anything over 1 teaspoon.
Cayenne
Posted by Sebastian (Melbourne, Australia) on 06/03/2012
★★★★★
After coming down with a sore throat and chest cough, I tried every possible remedy I was recommended. For two days waking up every two hours with the worst throat and then losing my voice I tried betadine throat gargle, honey and lemon, lozenges, warm salty water and paracetamol. All these treatments would have an effect for a short term so I thought I would at least try cayenne pepper.
After mixing 1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 lemon in 1/2 a cup of water and gargling every 15 min for 2 hours and then the rest every so often for the rest of the day, I wake up with no sore throat.
I would say to anyone before you go and spend a load of money on antibiotics give this a go and you may be as plesantly suprised as I was. I still have the cough and heavy chest but gone are the razor blades in my throat.
Cayenne
Posted by Jeegen (Pleasant Ridge, Michigan) on 07/15/2012
★★★★★
I have been suffering from a sore throat now for five days, but the last two nights have been unbearable, tossing and turning, coughing, waking up my spouse, etc. This morning I couldn't speak. I rarely get sick or have sore throats, but this is awful. I just tried the above remedy, not 20 minutes ago and my pain has halved and I can talk. It IS very spicy, though I have a pretty low tolerence for spice, but I figure the worse it tastes the better it works? I also made myself swallow a teeny tiny bit after I read further below that it needs to coat the entire throat and not just the top.
Cayenne
Posted by Apple Schmidt (Twin Falls, Idaho) on 02/21/2013
★★★★★
It definitely does not suprise me how well this worked for me today. I have been an all natural freak my whole life and never ended up with something other than a broken nose and folded septum that needed a doctor's attention. (I actually straitened it my self, 2 days later, it required surgery. ) This includes, well, you name it. Cayenne is something I heard about years ago from the mother of a cousin who is 99 years old and can still whoop anyone's ass. I used 1/2 tsp. in a coffee cup of warm water, and pretty much instant relif.
Cayenne
Posted by Cath (Ottawa, On, Canada) on 05/29/2012
★★★★★
I just had to give it one more YEA vote in case it helps give even one more person the relief it gave me. THANK YOU!
Cayenne
Posted by Tyler (Wylie, Texas) on 05/25/2012
★★★★★
I have suffered for about one year with a indescribable discomfort/throbbing pain on one side of my tongue. I have visited a few different doctors who could not find anything wrong with me. Anyone going through this same kind of thing has probably had the same horrible fears and emotions I have -
worrying that it might be something serious such as cancer. Two days ago I decided to use cayenne pepper as a mouthwash for a sore throat. Not only is my sore throat cured, but the tongue pain goes away for hours after using it. It does not just improve - the pain completely dissipates. Even opiate painkillers do not provide relief like this.
Here is what I do: I put one-half of a teaspoon of very hot cayenne pepper into a mouthful (2 tablespoons) of warm water. I then rinse my mouth, thoroughly, and gargle deep into the back of my throat, for about two minutes. This burns intensely the first few times.
After two minutes I spit and rinse my mouth out with water. The tongue pain worsens for about two minutes, and then goes away, completely, for several hours. Each time I go back and rinse with more cayenne, the pain goes away for a longer period of time. I have a feeling that this is somehow improving the blood flow into the tiny blood vessels in the tongue and soon I might be entirely cured.
Another thing I have done differently is I have started to brush with a little bit of coconut oil twice a day. It's very moisturizing to your oral tissue. Anyone suffering from burning tongue issues probably chews on their tongue or rubs it against their teeth, which is a constant source of irritation. The coconut oil helps soothe the irritation to a degree.
Anyway, give cayenne a shot. You have to do it regularly, but it's incredible and I feel like I have my life back. For the first time in a year I have been able to enjoy the day without constantly thinking about my tongue.
P.S. - Burning Mouth disorder has been known to drive people to insanity and even suicide. This is a serious problem and a serious source of constant pain, discomfort and irritation which can cause serious depression. If cayenne seems to be working for you, leave a reply to help others learn about this cure.
Cayenne
Posted by Michael (Clifton Park, Ny) on 12/13/2014
★★★★★
I have used cayenne for sore throats for many years and I recently found a natural over the counter throat spray made with hot peppers and horseradish. It's great stuff. One spray and my sore throat is gone.
Cayenne
Posted by Mama To Many (Tennessee) on 02/02/2015
Dear Patricia,
I have used cayenne pepper in a gargle for a sore throat for a child as young as 9. It worked very well, but she was willing and my family is somewhat used to spicy foods.
If you want to try it, I would mix 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon clove powder in a cup with 4 ounces of water. Have the child put on lip balm first to avoid burning the lips and gargle a couple of times. (Perhaps have him gargle a couple of times with just water first so he knows what to do.)
You should try it yourself first and see how spicy it feels and gauge whether or not to have your child try it. For a child that is not very cooperative or hates spicy foods, this may be the best solution.
~Mama to Many~
Cayenne
Posted by Martha (Hermosa Beach, California) on 05/07/2014
★★★★★
I woke up yesterday with a sore throat and looked online for natural remedies. Saw the cayenne pepper cure and tried a few shakes of cayenne in some warm water and then gargling. I felt better immediately, I can't believe it! I gargled 2 more times later in the day and my sore throat disappeared. Yea!!
Cayenne
Posted by Gina (Montana, Usa) on 12/11/2013
★★★★★
I woke up yesterday morning with a wicked bad sore throat that has been going around my kid's school. I saw the cayenne cure for sore throats and immediately started gargling with it. Not a fun burn, but it definitely worked! I did it 3 times yesterday - a few shakes of cayenne in hot water - and then once this morning and my sore throat is gone! Hopefully I kicked the virus out of my body too.
Cayenne
Posted by Press Gray (New Orleans, Louisiana ) on 01/17/2013
★★★★★
The cayenne pepper definitely works, I could not sleep so at 3am I found this and tried it out. It's like a miracle cure I can swallow with no problem already only 30 minutes later. No sore throat at all. I'm going to do it again in the morning before work just as a precaution.
