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.
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?
Aspirin Tea
Posted by Pchandra (Piscataway, Nj) on 12/18/2009
I think the key ingredient that worked here is the 'husband preparing it with a touch of love' that probably contributed 80% effect to the relief' rest all added to the remaining 20% :)
Castor Oil Packs
Posted by Morgan (Vancouver)
★★★★★
If I am getting a sore throat, I find that doing a castor oil pack on my throat works very well. Usually what i do is before I go to bed, I spread the castor oil on my throat and neck, tie a flannel scarf around my neck, and dose off. My sore throat is gone by morning, and I notice that this also greatly reduces the swelling of my lymph glands on my neck. Bon chance!
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.
Vicks Vapor Rub
Posted by Julia (OR) on 02/13/2006
★★★★★
PREVENTING a cold/flu: My mom learned this from a nurse years back. If you take a pea-sized amount of Vick's Vaporub with a glass of water right before you go to bed when you feel your throat starting to get sore, etc., and you'll wake up feeling great. If it starts to come back the next evening, take another. But be careful only to take a small amount. Also, I keep mine jar in the freezer so it's easier to swallow. Whenever I do this, I NEVER get sick.
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."
Pickles
Posted by Tonya (Kentucky) on 03/16/2016
★★★★★
I had a sore throat for three days. Each day, it was getting worse. I went to work, felt like I got run over by a truck. My sinuses were a mess and my throat hurt so bad, it was hard to swallow. I had brought my lunch to work and I had packed pickles. (had it in a container where I could keep some juice with the pickles). As I ate the pickle, I realized almost immediately something was changing in my throat. It was feeling better. I decided to drink the juice in the container with a spoon, and it worked! Sore throat was totally gone, and it opened up my nasal passages. I am a FIRM believer in this remedy. I experienced it myself!!
Rubbing Alcohol
Posted by Courtney (SLC, UT) on 02/17/2008
★★★★★
When my sister and I were little and getting a sore throat, my mom would tie a rubbing alcohol soaked rag around our throat (as we slept because we hated it soo much). When we woke up, the sore throat was completely gone! Has anyone else heard of this?
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.
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.
Castor Oil Packs
Posted by Mary (Long Island, Ny) on 10/14/2015
★★★★☆
After two days of using raw minced garlic and honey and the cayenne pepper and Apple Cider Vinegar remedy, I tried the castor oil pack. It worked amazingly well. Glands are still swollen but my throat feels so much better.
Cayenne Pepper Recipes
Posted by Armadillo17 (Chicago, Il) on 01/13/2013
★★★★★
I am so grateful I went to your site! I mixed about 1/2 tsp red cayenne pepper powder with a Tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1/2 cup warm water and about 1/2 tsp salt. I too was worried about teh cayenne buring my mouth, since this had happened to me years before, but it did nto happen this time. (Perhaps the salt neutralized it?) Anyhow, aftert the first 2-3 gargles I saw about 50% improvement in the pain. This convinced me to continue and now I have some hpe I will banish this miserable sore throat before I must return to work (tomorrow! )
Also, I brewed some tea with ginger, lemon, honey and Earl Grey and this is helping too. Let me add that this is by far the NASTIEST sore throat I have ever had---the phlegm has like, CHUNKS of greening yellow stuff in it. Eeeew! But I did obtain some relief and will definitely re-gargle shortly with the same mixture.
Cayenne Pepper Recipes
Posted by Jane (Auburn Hills, Michigan ) on 12/10/2012
★★★★★
I suffered from recurring sinus infections for the past few years. They would last months. Three weeks ago, I opted to have sinus surgery, a septoplasty, and turbinate reduction. The recovery has been absolutely miserable all around. About a week and a half after the surgery, I woke up with the worst sore throat imaginable. The doctor said I had a throat infection of some sort post-op and put me on Biaxin. Four days on that, and it got worse and worse. Then my doctor switched me to Augmentin. For three days I took that, and nothing helped. I also gargled salt water daily and it didnt help at all.
Last night, I woke up with my throat almost completely swollen shut and inflamed and it felt like I was swallowing glass. I dreaded swallowing and couldn't even manage water. I went to the ER and was there for several hours. The only answer they had was narcotics and to send me home with more narcotics and steroids to reduce swelling. I was in tears because I had no answer for what was wrong, I couldn't just take narcotics to mask the pain and the antibiotics were not working and I had been suffering already for nearly ten excrutiating days. Three doctors and no solution.
I came home and began to research relief for severe sore throats and stumbled across the cayenne pepper recipe on this site. I was intrigued but also nervous it would just exacerbate the pain given my luck lately. After debating for about an hour, I decided I couldn't bear the throat pain another second. I gargled the first time and the most nasty things came out of my throat. I repeated the gargling process for about ten minutes. There was relief but I was skeptical it was just numb from the burning of the hot pepper. About two hours later, my throat was somewhat better so I gargled again. More productive phlegm and dried blood. I gargled a third time this evening and still had productive phlegm come out, however, I have absolutely no more throat pain!!!! To think, this was all it took after almost ten days of needless drugs and misery. The throat still feels a little raw from the "trauma" when I drink any acidic juices, but I am 100% feeling better in the throat region. Now if only there were magic home cures for the sinus surgery recovery - congestion, sinus headaches, swelling, constant post nasal drip.
Cayenne Pepper Recipes
Posted by Annelle (Princes Town, Trinidad ) on 07/10/2010
★★★★★
Developed a sore throat after getting wet in the rain, because I (foolishly) kept my wet shoes on at work in the air conditioning. When I got home I boiled 4 cloves of garlic (crushed), 6 teaspoons of cayenne powder, and a tablespoon of peeled, sliced ginger. I let it cool, and because it was such a hot concoction, I put it in my blender with one cucumber, 4 teaspoons of cinnamon powder and a stick of celery. Also half a carrot for taste. Added an additional 1/2 cup of water, blended it and drank. Within 2 hrs, my sore throat was 95% gone. A 2nd dose will definitely get rid of the sore throat 100%.
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.
Blueberries
Posted by Maribel (El Paso, Tx) on 11/23/2009
★★★★★
****** BLUBERRIES SOOTH A SORE THROAT ON CONTACT***
This was purely trial and error.
I woke up with a terribly sore and scratchy throat yesterday morning. I'd already read about the benefits of gargling with ACV and warm water and honey... I had also seen other approaches at combatting a sore throat...
But none seemed to offer a temporary natural pain relief -- and Voila! I stumbled upon this one purely by surprise.
I was too tired to go to the supermarket to buy cough drops or whatever, so I looked to my freezer and fridge and pantry for any source of antioxidants i could consume to get rid of this cold altogether.
I found a bag of frozen blueberries that i had their to make smoothies. Well, I allowed these blueberries to thaw from their frozen state. Then as i was watching t.v. I was just scooping these berries (now at room temperature in my mouth) hey, good source of vitamin C and antioxidants, right?
WELL ... to my surprise not even 10 minutes later my sore throat was GONE. I KID YOU NOT!
GONE GONE GONE. I finally decided to do an internet search under blueberries and sore throats, and apparently they have proven to soothe sore throats (who woulda thought??)
Take it from me, it worked even much faster than an Ibuprofen, or an analgasec would. Hooray for Blueberries!!!
Cayenne Pepper Recipes
Posted by India (Coral Springs, Florida) on 08/24/2008
★★★★★
I used the idea of Jess J of Boca Raton, Florida, only I upped the dose of cayenne pepper to 1/2 a teaspoon.
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons of honey
12-16 ounces of hot water
And a teabag of your choice for flavor.
I barely took a sip because I thought it would burn or taste terrible, but it really didn't! It was a subtle spicy and it tingled and felt really good. I barely took a sip, and already I could feel my voice coming back (I had a horrible sore throat, in which it hurt to swallow etc) It didn't immediately cure the hurting to swallow, but I've still got a whole cup to go. I think it'll help. Thanks Earth Clinic and everyone for posting these remedies!
