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.
NAC and Bromelain
Posted by Findcount (Singapore) on 02/02/2025
★★★★★
NAC and Bromelain for Red, Swollen Sore Throat
I just accidentally discovered NAC and Bromelain(taken together on empty stomach) really help with sore throat that's red and swollen......i took it as I had a bad runny nose and flu......and after taking 2 pills of each for 3 times on empty stomach within 12 hours - my runny nose is gone and my sore throat felt so much better.......
Iodine
Posted by Grammyp (Gaithersburg USA) on 02/11/2024
★★★★★
I'm 64, when I was a kid my mom would literally paint my tonsils with Iodine or Merthiolate...
While you write of Iodine painting the outside, she used her fingers and a cotton ball dipped in iodine, stuck her fingers down our throat(s), and quickly swiped around the Uvula. We gagged and it was over. Our sore throat(s) and any lingering disease causing germs were wiped out in a flash.
Question(s): Has the Iodine and Merthiolate available to our mother back in the 60's and 70's changed? Now I only find a tincture that has a warning "for external use only" which is higher in alcohol content than iodine and/or a tincture for thyroid with various inactive ingredients.
Does anyone know what the formulation was back in the 60's and 70's?
Citric Acid + Methylene Blue
Posted by hello (France) on 08/19/2023
★★★★☆
Sore throat is due to microbe infection and virus infection.
Take citric acid as needed (multiple tablespoons) and make a cure of methylene blue for one week for example
Citric acid is for the microbe and methylene blue for virus
Tongue Stretch
Posted by Homeschool Mom (Minneapolis, Minnesota) on 04/27/2023
★★★★★
Tried this while waiting for some tea to brew to help relieve my sore throat. I mostly tried it out of curiosity and didn't expect it to do anything. Much to my surprise, the stretch itself was a tad painful, like trying hard to stretch a tight hamstring. However, I gave it all I had and discovered after the stretch I could instantly swallow without pain. My overall sore throat pain reduced about 70-80%. Talking no longer hurts, either. I did a little quick research and discovered this stretch is part of the yoga move "Lion's Breath."
Epsom Salt
Posted by Nat (Brooklyn NY) on 11/22/2022
★★★★★
Rinsing the mouth (chewing the liquid) and gargling every few hours with Epsom salt and water helps relieve painful sore throat caused by Covid or other respiratory infections. Also swallowing a bit as well.
Chlorophyll
Posted by Jae (Walnut Creek, California) on 03/11/2022
★★★★★
If you suffer from chronic sore throats (like I did for 10 years), try gargling chlorophyll powder every day.
Chlorophyllin is a natural form of copper that kills bacteria/viruses on contact. It's the only thing that has worked for me and healed my never ending chronic sore throats. I use the World Organics Mega Chlorophyll (100mg) brand.
Open the capsule, pour some of the powder into your mouth, add some water in your mouth, then swallow a little, gargle for a few minutes, then spit out. I did this every day, morning and night. Warning: this will stain things green very easily so exercise caution!
Anytime I feel a sore throat coming on and like I'm getting sick, I'll gargle this multiple times a day and kill it on the spot. As someone who got sick with sore throats every few weeks, I wish I would've tried this years ago (and saved tons of time & money on useless doctor/ENT/gastro visits, endoscopies, prescriptions, etc).
Iodine
Posted by Nita (Jennings) on 02/11/2022
★★★★★
Hey.. so an old neighbor when I was a kid would take iodine and paint the back of my throat with it.. always worked and still does... Try that... It tastes awful but it works... Get the long qtips.
Garlic and Cayenne Extract Gargle
Posted by Ria (Nevada) on 01/23/2022
★★★★★
I've tried a lot of things for a sore throat, but this worked the BEST.
One dropper (one squeeze) of garlic extract and one dropper (one squeeze) of cayenne extract in a spoonful of water. Gargle and hold back for 30 seconds to a minute, two to three times a day (more if you need it). This is also edible if mixed with more water, but I didn't have to do that. MAGIC.
Cayenne Pepper Recipes
Posted by Laurie (Vancouver Island) on 10/06/2021 3 posts
Hi Annelle:)
Surely you do not mean you ingested 6 teaspoons of cayenne pepper in one dose, 4 teaspoons cinnamon?? Half a teaspoon of cayenne would burn out my stomach. This sounds like a recipe fit for constipated elephant. I am not intending to be rude. Please clarify if you truly ingested that amount of spice at one time??
Coconut Oil
Posted by Sunny (Ca) on 09/05/2021
You don't need to use the clove and it will still work. But I'm sure the clove powder makes it better.
Coconut Oil
Posted by SUNNY (Ca) on 09/05/2021
Best way is to gargle and spit it. And swallow some. Best kind is cold pressed organic coconut oil. This works! Coconut oil is antibacterial and antiviral and warm and relaxing.
Coconut Oil
Posted by Sunny (Ca) on 09/05/2021
★★★★★
Coconut oil works the best for sore throat. It is antibacterial and antiviral. It relaxes the throat with is warming and soothing capabilities. I gargle some and swallow some. The one I use is cold pressed unrefined organic coconut oil. Tried the other remedies to no help. This is magic. Thank the lord.
Goldenseal
Posted by Neva (ME) on 07/12/2021
★★★★★
I use Goldenseal when I have a sore throat. My grandmother used to get it in powder. She would put a tiny bit into the end of a straw and blow it down my throat.
I use it differently. I take a Golden Seal Capsule, open it up, put it into a cup of boiling water and let it steep for ten minutes. I then pour it through a coffee filter and put it into a bottle with a dropper, and then use a dropper full down my throat.
I warn you that it tastes really bad, but it has always worked for me. You can also use this solution on a bad tooth. It will get rid of the infection.
One really important warning. If you are taking other medications, Golden Seal will rid your body of them, so don't use it if you are on heart medication or other life-giving medication.
Listerine
Posted by Robinhood ! (Janesville, ca.) on 12/25/2020
★★★★★
Sore throat, I just take 1/2 tsp of listerine "original", hold my head up and pour it down, keep looking up and let it trickle down, and if it doesn't work, do it again in 2 hours.
It kills a sore throat almost every time. I had a bad one the other day and did it, but the next day it bothered me again so I did it once and bang gone 3rd day now and no problems.
Remember 1/2 teaspoon, and good to go :) It might work for a virus also, don't know about that though, might try it, it kills germs!
Chronic Sore Throat Remedies
Posted by Wendy (Columbus, Oh) on 12/20/2018
Chronic Sore Throat Remedies
Posted by Craig (Albany, Oregon) on 12/20/2018
★★★★★
One of the things that I've discovered over my (almost) 70 years, is that whenever I'm having health issues, it often means that I'm doing something wrong. The trick then becomes figuring out what that something is.
In other words, dealing with the cause rather than its symptoms.
With that in mind, I'd like to address the cause of my recent sore throat.
It went on for weeks. My ears were plugged. My glands were swollen. My throat felt like something was stuck in it. I gargled with warm salt water, which had no effect.
And then I finally figured it out. I'd been using a floss threader to clean beneath my dental bridge. Once finished, I'd put the threader into a baggie, still wet, until the next use.
One night, after flossing, I was sitting around and suddenly could barely swallow. That's when I put two and two together. I began cleaning and drying the threader after flossing, and all of the symptoms disappeared. Just like that.
I'd made myself sick by being unaware of my own dumb habits.
What say you?
Lime
Posted by Alan (Mexico City) on 12/13/2018
★★★★★
If you juice 12 of a cup of lime and little by little you let it stay in your throat as long as you can and then swallow it will also give you great results.
Pickles
Posted by Jackie (Gooding, Idaho ) on 04/01/2018
★★★★★
Omg.. the pickle juice and pickle helped me immediately. Thank you
Rubbing Alcohol
Posted by Gabi (United States) on 02/03/2018
★★★★★
Yes! I'm from Brazil and I grew up with my mom and grandma doing this to me, my brothers and cousins. It DOES work! I have a cloth with rubbing alcohol around my neck as I type.
Was 100% healthy, went to the doctor for my yearly physical and boom... next day woke up with a sore throat. :/ For now on I'll only be getting physicals during the summer... This stinks.
Hot Tea
Posted by Oddizee (Brooklyn, Ny) on 12/26/2017
★★★★★
I just drank a cup of plain black tea. Have a few times before. My Throat was so painful I didn't dare speak. I drank a cup earlier this morning and again when I woke(rested)at 12 pm. First cup removed most of pain, second, more plus I have my spark back. Simple to soothe if you have it. Worth a try. I also recommend going outside if not too cold. Sunshine and fresh air can do wonders. When I lived in Az. it was one of my healing tiers.
ACV and Oregano Oil
Posted by Teena (Victoria) on 07/05/2017 233 posts
★★★★★
I can highly recommend ACV 1tbs and oregano oil 1 drop for a sore throat remedy. I put this in the back of my throat and lay back to coat the throat way back. I felt relief immediately. The problem came when I swallowed the mixture, as I had nothing in my stomach. So from my mistake I would recommend eating something first, or at least have some baking soda in water first so it can reason with the Apple Cider Vinegar when it hits. As it was my stomach was nauseous for the whole day, but my sore throat was gone! So the stomach nausea sent me back to earth clinic, which I love, to find another remedy (mint tea).
FYI my oregano oil is already diluted from manufacturer, I would be really careful if you had any full strength.
Apple Cider Vinegar, Hydrogen Peroxide
Posted by Sindee (California) on 04/07/2017
★★★★★
I had persistent sore throat and sure enough after several months found out it was from the ear, especially as we age we begin to have more of these (I was told not that I believe everything I hear) however, treating the ears got rid of the sore throat. Thank you EC friends.
Tonic Water
Posted by Linstor (Uk) on 03/18/2017
★★★★★
Tonic water with Q has always worked for my sore throats, great to read not the only one.
