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.
Turmeric, Salt
Posted by Jjg (Tallahasee, Fl) on 10/12/2011
★★★★★
Warm one cup of water for 30secs to 1 min. Put a tablespoon of turmeric powder and less than half a tablespoon of salt. Drink. Will help sore throat and prevent oncoming cold and flu or lessen symptoms.
Honey
Posted by Melanie (Tampa, Fl) on 10/05/2011
★★★★★
Pure honey works better for sore throats than anything. Honey coats the throat and instantly takes away the pain. 2 or 3 spoonsful, or just hold the bottle over your mouth and squeeze the bottle until your mouth is full of honey.
Honey
Posted by Veronica (Norwalk, Ct Usa) on 11/25/2011
★☆☆☆☆
Honey alone DIDN'T work for me. It did absolutely nothing. I tried salt, honey and ACV and those only worked temporarily. The cayenne with a little bit of honey is doing the best job. I'm going to add ACV and gargle for a while.
I've had this sore throat for 3 days now, so I know it won't be cured immediately, but it's doing a great job of making me feel a little better, and not just temporarily.
Whiskey, Honey, Lemon
Posted by Notadoctor (New York) on 09/26/2011
How about old fashioned Tylenol and Cepacol? Works every time.
Whiskey, Honey, Lemon
Posted by Brittany (Craigsville, West Virginia) on 12/08/2011
Notadoctor- if you're pregnant or breastfeeding you can't use many over the counters.
Multiple Remedies
Posted by Nettle (London, England) on 06/27/2011
★★★★☆
I was in such a state the other day with severe earache and sore throat. Never experienced such pain in my life. Have avoided antibiotics for 15 years but in my mad state of pain and fear, started taking amoxillin and ear sprays the other day. My stomach started hurting, had diarrhoea and I somehow felt I was making a mistake taking the AB.
So, have spent over a day on this informative website and did the following using a lot of the great ideas. Firstly, got some spicy south Indian soup from a Sri Lankan restaurant, with black pepper, cayenne, garlic, Ginger... Really nice. Called Rasam. Next, drank 8oz water with 2tbsp of Apple Cider Vinegar with a good sprinkle of cayenne. Half hour later, did neti with 4oz water with 2drops of Apple Cider Vinegar in each nostril. Painful but it seemed to slow down the post nasal drip and let mucus come out through my nostrils as must have been blocked in the sinuses which may have actually caused the ear infection. Had a break, then sipped the following - half a tsp of cayenne, 1tbsp of manuka honey, 1 tbsp of acv, 2 warm tbsp of water. Yummy. Throat felt better, like the tight ring around my neck had dissolved. Couple of hours later, my throat is much better but still dry but not painful to swallow, left ear pain and side of neck still present, rt ear pain gone and reduced p n drip. Still have headache but have not taken any painkillers.
Tonite will put hydrogen peroxide in ear and do a stronger cayenne syrup and repeat neti again. Also taking grapefruit seed extract drops(5) in coconut juice. Was so fearful of
Strep throat, but after reading so many of the positive threads, especially Ted's info. on this website with such brave and some comical souls, decided to do back down the natural
remedy route putting fear aside. Hope all I do works, and I am able to go to menorca for hols next week.
Homemade Remedy
Posted by Francisca (Michelbach-le-bas, Alsace, France) on 05/03/2011
Here is a remedy I found in one of my books, Practical Aromatherapy. It works quite well if you have a sore throat, a cough or a virus infection:
Three drops of essential oil (maybe clove, tea trea, lavender or any other antiseptic)
1 tsp of alchool (maybe vodka if you have it or another one, I have only tried with vodka because I try to use alchool I have to use in the kitchen which is then left over)
1/2 a cup of water
Stir before each mouthful. I sometimes use it as a mouthwash.
Cayenne Pepper Recipes
Posted by Les Mis (St. Peters, Missouri) on 12/26/2012
★★★★★
I have had a cold off and on for a month! Thank you mono. This tea worked really well and really fast. It is really strong.... but it is totally worth it! So, far I have had 3 teaspoons full and my sore throat is gone.
Salt
Posted by Chris Herring (Beaverton, Oregon, Usa) on 03/13/2011
A small handful of salt is easier than cayyene pepper, salt on a wet finger placed under ones tongue won't make you sneeze as much.
Salt
Posted by Tasha (Bancroft, Ontario) on 07/09/2011
★★★★★
HOORAY FOR SALT! It's been my best friend today. I was sick yesterday (bad cold), I went out to help walk the dogs in the kennel and had to break up a dog fight. I was bit on my hand, punctured my palm deeply, inflamed the back of my hand. It's still inflamed and it's been about 12h. I soaked my hand in warm salt water and so far no infection, less pain in the wound :)
My throat is still sore from the cold, so I found this site. I just tried the salt water gargle and already is feels much better. Before I was cringing with each swallow, but now it's a little more bearable. I'm definitely going to continue with it until I feel better! Thanks, everyone.
Ice
Posted by Linda (Fairview, Oklahoma, Usa) on 02/04/2011
★★★★★
Ice for sore throat. Ice; plain and simple. I have bad sinuse drainage which can really irrtate my throat which can lead to an infection. I can wake up with needles in my throat. Chop up the ice and suck on pieces in the back of your mouth. I don't have an ice crusher so I put cubes in a clean dish towel and whack them with a hammer. This always works. Sometimes with only one treatment.
Vicks Vapor Rub
Posted by Candy (O Fallon, Mo, Us) on 09/19/2010
Back when we were kids when we had a sore throat my parents put vapo rub on our throats. Of course the label says external use only. Is it really harmful in any way. I just remember that our sore throat was gone the next day and nothing we have now comes close to being that good but I wonder if I should use it. Of course I am still alive today so it is not toxic, but has it changed at all in these many years and is it ok to use internally? Nothing in the ingredients looks like to me it would be harmful.
Vicks Vapor Rub
Posted by Ben (Columbus, Oh) on 09/20/2010
Please don't try this!! At the first sign of cold/sore throat, sip a teaspoon of baking soda in a glass (8 oz!! ) of water.. Every hour if you can, or as often as you can throughout the day.. By the end of the day, symptoms will be gone.. This works by alkalinizing the bloodstream.. If you already have the sore throat, gargle a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in, again, 8 oz glass of water.. Gargle the whole glass, but spit out each time... Do this about every 3 -4 hrs and you will no longer have a sore throat!!! When I was younger I got sore throats fairly regularly; this was the only thing that worked!! OH remember to rinse rinse rinse your mouth out after using the vinegar!
Lemon Juice and Sea Salt
Posted by Martha (Dallas, Texas Usa) on 09/09/2010
I recently read Ted's post regarding sea salt and lemon juice and had an opportunity to try it out earlier in the week when, during a plane trip home, I developed chills and a sore throat. Normally, by this time (several days later), I would have a raging sinus infection. But, as soon as I was home, I took the 2 t. Sea salt/lemon juice (with a dash of baking soda) and water as described. Slept pretty well that night, and have repeated the solution for 3 days now, feeling improvement each day. Today I not only feel recovered but also energized. My question is how often is it safe to do this on a regular basis? Once or twice a day? Once a week? I would love to know as I am about to travel internationally and this would be a great remedy (or preventive?) that would not be too hard to obtain overseas. Thanks to everyone who contributes to this site as I have learned so much and am still learning.
Hyssop Tea
Posted by Yourvette (Muskegon, Mi) on 03/06/2010
★★★★★
For a sore throat use hyssop tea (prepare according to directions) and honey to sweeten as often as needed.
Side Effects
Posted by Debbie (Webster Springs, Wv) on 02/28/2010
I tried apple cider vinegar and honey for a sore throat, it cured my sore throat. The next morning i have 6 canker sores.. Hurts bad...
Vinegar
Posted by Kiwi6262 (Cullman, Al) on 11/01/2009
★★★★★
My 5 year old had such a bad sore throat that he was nearly in tears for several hours, so I was desperate. After reading the suggestions and things that have worked for other people, I decided to try out the apple cider vinegar, honey, lemon in warm water. Only problem was, I only had artificial lemon juice, white vinegar, and yellow syrup, but like I said, I was desperate! So! I warmed some water, put in a TBS of artificial lemon juice, a TBS of white vinegar, and 2 TBS of yellow syrup and tasted it to make sure it wasn't horrible (my son is 5 after all, and reasoning with him to drink something awful just because it will make him feel better isn't really an option!) and it tasted fine. I gave it to him and before he had half the cup drank he gave it back to me and said "Good job Mommy! It worked! I'm all better now!" I'd say that's the best testamonial you could get!
Vinegar
Posted by Tom (Opole, Poland) on 04/05/2011
★★★★★
Get a small plastic spray bottle, mix half vinegar and half water, and spray it at the back of your throat whenever it feels sore. I used to get sore throats all the time, but I haven't had one since using this method.
Vinegar
Posted by Jasmeena (Winnipeg, Manitoba/canada) on 07/31/2011
★★★★★
I have had the worst sore throat for the past 2 days, I couldn't even swallow because of the pain. I tried this because I was desperate. Medicine wasn't working at all. This help A WHOLE LOT. It doesn't have a bad taste and works instantly. The pain has gone down by a million.
Vinegar
Posted by Naomi (Ottawa, Ontario) on 08/07/2011
★★★★★
I tried it and it worked great. I had been previously using just lemon and honey, but the vinegar made a noticable difference.
Vinegar
Posted by Ninijo (Ytown, Sc) on 01/16/2013
★★★★★
So I've been been sick since Christmas... only to end up with bronchitis. And along with that comes the nasty sore throat. I decided to try the vinegar "drink"... I've gotta say it really eased the painful swallowing. Followed by a chloraseptic drop... I might get a decent nights sleep. Thank you so much!
Hot Tea
Posted by Mountaingirl (Asheville, Nc, United States) on 09/08/2009
★★★★★
Hot Tea for sore throat
1/2 large lemon
dash powdered cayenne
dash powdered ginger
1 tsp. manuka honey
2 cups before bed took away my sore throat completely. I've tried this in the past but never with so much lemon. I enjoy sour and this was almost too much for me but did the trick amazingly well. I knew it was working from the pleasant burn during and after drinking it.
Hot Sauce
Posted by Ashley (Jacksonville, Fl) on 07/31/2009
★★★★★
Have had the worse throat infection, woke up crying it hurt so bad. I just finished off a bowl of noodle soup. I took about two cups of the soup and added knockoff tabasco sauce, about 7-8 drops and my throat feels a lot better! Going to try gargling with it next!
Hot Sauce
Posted by Patrick (Prince Albert, Saskatchewan) on 12/03/2012
well I have a really sore throat that I had for three weeks now. And gone throught 4 packs of [cough drops] in one day, and still dont help me. Its so hard for me to talk, I cant sing, yell, and I can bariley breath half the time.
Hand Therapy
Posted by Terry (San Francisco, CA) on 07/27/2009
★★★★☆
I tried the Hand therapy and had done for about five minutes. The pain hasn't fully gone away, but the pain has swelled down significantly.
Hand Therapy
Posted by Alexander (Amsterdam, North Holland, The Netherlands) on 01/26/2012
Hand therapy is a form of tissue massage in the areas where the muscles in the neck may become hard due to the soarnness in the throat. If you find the sensitive areas in the neck and massage it softly, pressing gently on the tender muscles, it can help to ease the pain. This also helps reduce tooth ache and many problems - doubtful to be the cure, but sometimes it can be enough to ease the pain in the throat as well in order for the healing process to continue. Just take your time and massage slowly with your hand and fingers to find those little knots or stiffness in the neck. Try it a few times and wait a day in between self treatments.
Turmeric
Posted by Grayson (Orlando, Fl) on 07/26/2009
★★★★★
SORE THROAT RELIEF: Having recently stopped a respiratory infection in it's tracks by spraying a solution of 3% Hydrogen Peroxide directly into the throat using a saline nasal spray bottle that I emptied of nasal spray and filled with H202, I found that the virus has left my throat raw, sore and irritated and I was coughing up copious amounts of greenish phlegm. To alleviate the soreness, I put approximately 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric in my mouth and held it there until it was thoroughly mixed with saliva then slowly swallowed the mixture aided with a little liquid of choice such as water or coffee,etc..A very similar technique to oil pulling except there was only turmeric and saliva-no oil was used.WHAT A RELIEF!!!The turmeric will slightly numb the tongue but this passes quickly. I do not spray the H202 into the nose as it tends to decrease my sense of taste.
