A sore throat is usually caused by an inflammation of the tonsils, larynx or pharynx and can be painful and uncomfortable and is one of the most common medical complaints and some of the most common causes of a sore throat are:
Sinus drainage: If you have a sinus infection, you may develop a sore throat, especially in the morning.
Tonsillitis – This is a common throat infection when the tonsils become infected.
Strep: symptoms are fever, red or white spots on the tonsils.
It is advisable to nip a sore throat in the bud before it turns into something more serious. Here are some popular and classic sore throat remedies that you can try:
1. At the first sign of infection, gargle with hydrogen peroxide and water.
2. Take dietary supplements and many doctors recommend papaya enzymes as a natural remedy, as papaya is high in vitamin C and a powerful antioxidant. They help with stuffy sinuses, swollen throat and if your swollen tonsil does not clear even with antibiotics, papaya tablet can shrink the tonsil. You can also take a sip of papaya juice and keep it in your mouth for about 10 minutes.
3. Drink lots of water: hot drinks to help heal your throat and also iced drinks to ease the pain. In fact, it is best to drink both. Regardless of what sore throat remedies you are using, this is a must have remedy.
4. Prepare an anise and mint tea. as it is an extremely good remedy. Take 1 teaspoon of dried mint anise per cup of boiling water, let stand for 10 minutes, strain and sweeten. It can be drunk hot as many times as desired.
5. If you have swollen tonsils, put a handful of sage in 2 cups of water. Cook over low heat for 15 minutes. Use a flannel cloth and dip it in the liquid and place the sage leaves on the flannel and wrap it around your throat. Take another flannel and dip it into the liquid and wrap it around your throat, this is to keep the warmth of the first flannel, and repeat this second step when it cools down. While you’re at it, sit back and brew yourself some sage tea.
6. Suck on throat lozenges to relieve pain and keep your throat moist.
7. A popular and classic remedy for sore throat is to rest and get enough sleep and definitely recommended by your doctor.
8. You can also place a handful of selected herbs in a bowl of hot water. Cover your head with a towel and inhale the herbal scent for 5-10 minutes. Herbs to try include eucalyptus, basil, hyssop, lavender, cayenne pepper, cinnamon sticks, thyme, sage, and rosemary. All of these herbs have a detoxifying effect.
9. Gargle with an infusion of sage and thyme, as the use of these two herbs together form a powerful combination to treat sore throats and tickle coughs.
It’s always too tempting to reach for over-the-counter medications to relieve a sore throat, but give your body a break by trying some of the safe and natural sore throat remedies listed above and avoid the unwanted side effects of pharmaceutical medications.