22 Natural Sore Throat Remedies to Help Soothe the Pain

A sore throat can be a royal pain in the

uhthroat. Like blinking, we never notice how much we swallow until we start paying
attention to it, and when it hurts like nobodys business, its kind of difficult not to pay
attention. But before you go getting down about how long youre going to have to suffer with
it, consider taking some action-relief may be close than you think. Below are 22 simple at
home sore throat remedies that will help you get started on naturally soothing the ache.

Note: Do not give honey on its own or otherwise to children under the age of 1 year.
1. Gargle With Warm Salt Water:
When your Grandmother told you to gargle with salt water, she knew what she was talking
about. Gargling with salt water isnt an old wives tale-its about one of the closest to a cures
for a sore throat you can get.

When our throats hurt, regardless of what causes it, its because the cells in the mucous
membranes have become swollen and inflamed. By gargling with salt water you decrease
the swelling, as salts primary function is to draw out water, which in turn shrinks the swollen
cell and eases the pain. It also helps wash away the excess mucous and allows your stuffy
nose (if you have one) to drain properly.
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You will need

-1 cup of warm water (8 oz.)
- teaspoon of table salt
Directions
Heat water until its warm, but not hot. Thoroughly mix in salt. Gargle. Repeat 3 throughout
the day as needed. Any more than that and you risk drying out healthy soft tissue and
making things worse.
2. Make And Enjoy A Hot Toddy (or have someone make it for you.)
Typically a Hot Toddy helps a sore throat -particularly one accompanied by a cold- for 2
reasons. The honey and lemon soothes your throat, while the alcohol helps you sleep. I
personally leave the alcohol out of mine as my mother did when she made her version for
me growing up. Whether or not you use it is up to you, but keep in mind that steering clear
of alcohol when youre under the weather is usually best.

You will need

-2 oz. bourbon or whiskey (optional, not recommended)
-1 tablespoon of honey, or more to taste
-4 ounces hot water
-1 teaspoon lemon juice
-1 slice fresh lemon (optional)
Directions
If youre using it, pour the alcohol into a large mug. Add the honey, and leave the spoon in
the mug. Pour the hot water into the mug, making sure it gets the last bit of honey off the
spoon. Add the lemon juice and stir well. Place the mug in the microwave and heat until its
nice and hot, but not boiling (about 1 minute.) Add the lemon slice, and enjoy.
3. Mix up an ACV drink
Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) is probably right up there with garlic (its unfortunate the things
that make us better cant taste delicious) but some people swear by it. Its high levels of
acidity can kill bacteria quite efficiently, and when mixed with honey it can soothe the
soreness in your throat as well.

You will need

-1 tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar
-1 tablespoon of honey
-1 cup of very warm water
Directions
Mix the ACV and honey into very warm water. Drink it while its still warm!
OR
If you dont want to swallow it (and it does have a strong taste) try 2 tablespoons of ACV
and mix with cup warm water. Gargle once a day.
4. Suck on Garlic
Yup, it sounds repulsive, and you probably dont want to go on a dinner date right
afterwards, but garlic is a natural remedy that can kick a sore throat right in its painfully
swollen tush. The reason lies in the garlics allicin, a compound that can kill the bacteria that
causes strep and fight the germs causing pain and irritation.

You will need

-1 fresh clove of garlic, sliced in half
Directions
Place 1 piece of garlic in each cheek, and suck on it like a cough drop. Occasionally crush
your teeth against it to release the allicin- theres no need to actually bite it. Try this once
daily.

5. Have A Marshmallow
Dont get too excited-I am referring to the herb called Marshmallow, or Marshmallow Root. It
has been used with a fair amount of success for several centuries in North America and
Europe as it contains mucilage, which helps coat and soothe mucus membranes in the
throat.

Note that if you have diabetes, you should consult your doctor before using Marshmallow
Root, as it may lower your blood sugar.

You will need

-1 tablespoon of the dried root
-1 cup of boiling water
Directions
Put one tablespoon of dried root in a mug and pour boiling water over it. Cover and steep
for 30-60 minutes before straining and drinking.
6. Steam It Out
Steam can ease a sore throat-particularly one that hurts due to dryness-shorten its duration,
and make it easier to breathe if youre congested. You dont have to head to your gyms
sauna/steam room to get the treatment either-there are ways to use steam as a remedy
without leaving the comfort of your home.

You will need

-1 medium to large bowl
-Enough hot water to fill your bowl about halfway
-1 bath towel or a towel of similar size
-Eucalyptus oil (optional)
Directions
Boil a pot of water and pour it into your bowl. Lean over the bowl so that you can fully inhale
the rising steam-you dont have to stick your face right up to it. Drape the towel over your
head to create a tent for the steam. Add a few drops of eucalyptus oil if youd like to make it
more soothing. If youre worried about frightening someone who walks in on a mysterious
towel-draped creature snuffling and sniffling over a bowl of steaming water, taking a hot
shower and letting the bathroom steam up can provide some relief as well.
7. Kick It With Cayenne
Drinking warm water with cayenne can actually make you feel better. This is another one of
those really funky sounding home remedies, but again, a lot of people swear by it. Dumping
something involving hot peppers in any way, shape, or form down your already searing
throat seems counterintuitive to helping it, but theres a method to the madness. Cayenne
(and other hot peppers) have a chemical compound called capsaicin that temporarily
relieves pain, much like Advil or aspirin does. It accomplishes this by hindering something
called substance P, which is what transmits pain signals to your brain. Thus, the discomfort
from your sore throat is diluted when coming in contact with the Cayenne-and quickly to
boot.

You will need

-1/2 teaspoon of Cayenne Pepper
-1 cup of boiling water
-1 teaspoon of honey
Directions
Add 1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper to 1 cup of boiling water. Stir in the honey, and wait until
the mixture is warm-but not hot-before drinking throughout the day as needed. Make sure to
stir it frequently, as the Cayenne tends to settle. If youre sensitive to spice, reduce the
pepper to as little as 1/8 of a teaspoon.
8. Drink Licorice Root Tea
By drinking licorice root tea you can naturally get some relief for your sore throat. The anti-
viral and anti-inflammatory properties of licorice root help reduce swelling and irritation, and
soothe the mucus membranes in your throat. You can buy tea with licorice in it, or brew up
your own. The recipe below has a few extra ingredients to make this at home remedy for
sore throats taste extra yummy and comforting.

You will need

-1 cup chopped dry licorice root
-1/2 cup cinnamon chips
-2 tablespoons whole cloves
-1/2 cup chamomile flowers
Directions
Mix everything in a bowl thoroughly. Store in a glass jar away from light and heat if you wish
to save some for later. To prepare the tea, combine 3 heaping tablespoons of the tea mix
and 2.5 cups of cold water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, than reduce
heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes. Pour into a large mug through a strainer, sip, and
enjoy.
Recipe courtesy of Nourishing Days (www.nourishingdays.com)
9. Get Your Rest & Fluids
Its an obvious one, but its repeated so often for a reason, so dont brush it off. Combine it
with other natural remedies, and it may boost their effectiveness as well. Make sure youre
letting your body rest, and drink as much fluid as you can!

You will need

-A comfy place to curl up
-Water, orange juice, more water, herbal tea, and anything else liquid you deem appropriate
(alcohol and caffeine should be avoided.)
Directions
Get a good book or order your favorite movie. Get cozy, rest, and drink, drink, drink!
10. Make Baking Soda Tea
Baking soda is often times touted as a simple, straightforward, and effective home remedy
for sore throats. The reason? Baking soda has antibacterial properties, which could help to
kill off the nasties camping out in your throat. It also has a slightly Alkaline PH-this soothes
minor skin irritations such as bug bites and rashes, and it will act similarly on the swollen
tissues in your throat. Toss in some salt (see #1 for details on salt) and you have a mixture
thats set up for soothing success.

You will need

-1 cup of very warm water
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1/2 teaspoon or a little less baking soda
Directions
Heat the water until it is very warm, but not so warm that you cant drink it. Mix in
teaspoon of salt and teaspoon or a little less baking soda, stir, and test the temperature.
Pour some of the liquid into your throat, let it sit for a moment, then gargle. Do this twice in a
row 3 times daily.
11. Hunker In With Honeysuckle
Theres a reason why there has recently been a resurgence of the use of Traditional
Chinese Medicine (TCM) for both humans and animals alike-many of the natural remedies
really work. TCM has the effects and properties of various plants down to a science, and
while medical treatment has changed, those same plants remain working just as well as
they did way back when they were discovered. Blessed with a name so tasty you just want
to cram it into your mouth, Honeysuckle is one of those plants. It is extremely effective in
easing coughs, sore throats, and flu symptoms. Thanks to its bacterial fighting properties, it
can help ward off the nasty buggers in your system, and keep them from coming back. On
top of that, it flushes toxins out of your bloodstream, and works as an anti-inflammatory to
help reduce the swelling tissue in your throats. To enjoy its benefits, just brew yourself a
fresh cup of piping hot tea.

You will need

-2 cups of Honeysuckle flowers & leaves (fresh is best)
-1 quart of water
-A way to heat the water
Directions
If youre lucky enough to live by wild Honeysuckle, pick two cups of the flowers and leaves
in equal parts. If you dont grow it or live by wild plants, get them at a store-it can be hard to
come by sometimes, TCM shops are your best option. Once you have your leaves and
flowers, simmer them in one quart of boiling water for 10 minutes. Strain, and add
honey/lemon if you like.
12. Chomp Those Cloves
Cloves have been used for centuries, particularly in Traditional Chinese Medicine, but they
arent used nearly as much nowadays. Still, cloves were often used to help ease pain in the
mouth (such as toothaches) and throat. At one time dentists even commonly used it as an
anesthetic, and some still do today. The reason they can be successful as a pain killer is
because of the substance eugenol they contain. Eugenol can be a natural pain killer, and
can act as an anti-bacterial as well. Chewing on whole cloves will slowly release that
eugenol, and hopefully numb the pain in your throat. Just try to contain your excitement at
finally having an excuse to go chow down on cloves, ok?

Note: Do not substitute clove oil for whole cloves, as it may result in stomach upset.
You will need
-Several whole cloves
-A glass of water (optional, but you should be drinking fluids anyway.)
Directions
Pop a clove or two into your mouth and suck on it until it becomes soft, and then chew as if
it were gum. Swallowing them afterwards is not harmful. Use as needed.
13. Get Help From Hydrogen
Oh yes, it was the mortal enemy of any child who fell off their bike a lot, or did anything that
resulted in some nasty skinned knees. Youre hurt, youre upset that you fell, and then your
mom carries you kicking and screaming into the bathroom and dumps Hydrogen Peroxide
all over your cuts. Not cool mom. Of course she was correct in her actions though-it does
kill off of bacteria and clean out cuts to stave off infection. With that in mind, we can
broaden its use to helping a sore throat in the form of a gargle.
You will need
-3 percent Hydrogen Peroxide
-Water
-A drinking cup
Directions
Pour one cap-full of Hydrogen Peroxide into your drinking cup. Warm up some water (dont
make it hot) and dilute the Peroxide with one capful of warm water.
Gargle thoroughly before spitting the liquid back out. If you cant stand the taste, a little
honey wont hurt.
14. Avoid Irritants
It sounds like stating the obvious to say avoid irritants, but many of us are stoic creatures,
and well fight whatever ails us and crawl to work, soccer practice, class, or whatever it is to
keep life on track. If you truly must go out, make a very conscious effort steer clear of
fumes, smog, and smoke-more than usual. Breathing that stuff in will irritate the soft tissues
at the back of your throat that already have enough to deal with. While lozenges can help
stimulate saliva, avoid those with lots of sugar-same goes for hard candies. Caffeine and
alcohol can hinder our bodys ability to fight off infection, and prolong your sore throat, so
avoid them if you can. Do your best to rest up, and remember to take care of yourself (or
have someone take care of you!)

You will need

-1 bedside bell
-A serv-I mean-a good friend who will take care of you
Directions
Ring thy bell!
15. Do Pomegranate Power-Ups
The list of all the beneficial stuff contained in pomegranates is off the charts-it has
something to help just about anything. Focusing in on sore throats, pomegranates can help
fight off infection with anti-oxidants, while they also contain astringents. An astringent is a
substance that causes contraction of body tissue, so they will help the swelling in your
throat go down, in turn diminishing the pain. You can utilize these properties in a few ways,
either by making tea and gargling or drinking it, or gargling/drinking juice. The tea takes a bit
more work to make, so I suggest getting the ingredients prepared ahead of time so you
dont have to do much when youre ill.

You will need

-1 pomegranate
-3-4 cups of water
OR
-1 (or more) bottles of pomegranate juice-try to find organic/ones with less sugar

Directions
To make tea, peel the pomegranate and collect its rinds. Boil the rinds for 15 minutes or so
in 3-4 cups of water (time and water amount can be adjusted to your preferences.) Drink the
tea, or gargle for at least 30 seconds. You can get the rinds in advance, and then dry them
in an airtight jar away from direct sunlight. That way, you have them on hand for when you
get sick. If you dont want to make the tea, gargling or drinking pomegranate juice at least 3
times a day can help as well.
16. Make Cozy Chamomile Tea
Chamomile is a natural remedy for sore throats. Its components kill off bacteria, while it
works as a natural pain-killer. It also has anti-spasmodic properties (aka it helps the
muscles relax) which can help you rest. Overall, its one soothing wonder herb.
You will need
-1 bag of chamomile tea
-1 mug
-1 cup of boiling water
Directions
When the water has boiled, pour into your mug and add the tea bag. Cover and let steep for
10 minutes. Add a bit of honey and lemon if you like. Drink as needed.

17. Drink That Ginger

Ginger has a pretty intense-even spicy- flavor, so why would you want to ingest it when your
throat is already tender and sore? It just so happens that ginger is packed with properties
that will chase away the pain. It works brilliantly as a cold remedy as well, and colds and
sore throats often go hand in hand. Its an expectorant, which means it helps loosen and
expel mucus from your respiratory system (including the extra mucus in your throat.) It does
this in part because its aroma opens up your sinuses. It also boosts your circulation,
increasing oxygen to your cells, flushing out toxins, and speeding up the healing process.
To top it off it acts as an anti-inflammatory, and fights off bad bacteria too. To top the top off,
you can enjoy all of gingers benefits in a warm, soothing, cup of tea.

You will need

-Fresh ginger root, 2 inches long
-Honey
-A sharp knife or vegetable peeler
-A cutting board
-2-3 cups of water
-Wax paper

Directions
Wash ginger root thoroughly, then peel. Slice into small pieces, place on a cutting board,
and cover it with a piece of wax paper. Crush it using a mallet, the flat side of the knife,
anything-its not a science, a rock from your garden would probably do if it suits your fancy.
If you dont want to bother crushing, you can slice it into very small chunks after peeling.
Boil your water over medium heat and then add the ginger. Let it boil for 3-5 minutes, then
take a cup and enjoy it piping hot-add some honey or other flavorings if you like. You can
strain it before drinking if you dont want little bits of ginger at the bottom of your cup. Just
make sure you enjoy it while its nice and warm!
18. Gargle Sage
Sage was used medicinally for a long, long, time well before it entered the culinary scene.
Some people say it has something to cure a little bit of everything, but were just focusing on
how to use it as an effective natural remedy for your sore throat. Sage is an astringent,
meaning it causes body tissues to contract, which means that it can help with swelling.
Since the tissues at the back of your throat get swollen when youre ill, you can see why
sage could be of use. The phenolic acids in sage are also known to fight and kill off the bad
bacteria that could be the culprit or a contributor to your symptoms. In this case, a good way
to use the sage is in the form of a gargle.

You will need

-1 cup of boiling water
-2 teaspoons sage leaves (dried or fresh)
-1/4 ounce salt
Directions
Boil your water, and then pour it over the sage in a mug. Cover and steep for 20 minutes.
Strain, add salt, and gargle as needed.
19. Avoid Milk, Or Drink It
Warm milk might seem like the perfect thing to ease your throat. Its soothing, non-irritating,
and relaxing-plus, its getting fluid into your body. While not true for all sore throats, if your
pain comes along with congestion, it may be best to steer clear of milk. The reason is
because milk coats the throat, which already has excess mucus thanks to your illness. It
may also increase mucus production which, like coating the throat, would not help at all. On
the other hand, if you have a very dry or raw sore throat, some milk and honey may be just
the thing to help soothe it.

20. Keep Food And Drink Temperatures Moderate

A huge glass of ice water might sound fabulous, but in reality, the temperature can
sometimes make the throat ache more. Same thing goes for hot-while teas and soups are
often called for hot, err more on the side of warm. Liquid that is too hot will just burn and
cause more pain. By letting things come to room temperature or keeping them cool rather
than cold, or warm rather than hot, you can avoid aggravating your throat further (sadly, this
means popsicles and ice cream may be best avoided.)

21. Spice Things Up

Truly spicy foods should be avoided when your throat hurts, but one spicy home remedy
that helps relieve some of the pain of a sore throat (one that is the result of a cold) is
cinnamon. Its extremely high in anti-oxidants, and its aroma often times helps to open up
the sinuses, which lessens the production of mucus and helps you breathe a little easier.
There are some pretty straightforward remedies using cinnamon out there, including ones
that involve mixing cinnamon powder straight into water. To get the best of both taste and
health benefits, using cinnamon water is a great way to go about achieving a yummy drink
that will also help you feel better.

You will need

-1-2 cinnamon sticks
-1-1/2 cups of boiling water
-The tea of your choice
Directions
Bring water to a boil and add the cinnamon. Boil for about 2-3 minutes, and then remove the
cinnamon. Steep your choice of herbal or green tea in the cinnamon water, drink, and enjoy.
*Chamomile tea steeped in cinnamon water with honey to taste would be a fabulous combo
to beat off the sickness.*
22. Mix & Match
There is obviously a theme to the kinds of ingredients used in the home remedies for sore
throats. If what they are, and know whats causing the sore throat, you can try different
combinations to see what works for you. Theres a surprising amount of variation, even on
things as simple as salt water gargles! Some examples- some people will suggest simply
lemon juice and honey, while some say honey and warm water, or others say combine all
three and then add a pinch of cayenne.
If none of the remedies above seem to do it for you, below are 5 ingredients that we found
to be the most prevalent in helping a sore throat, be it on their own, combined, or in another
form.

1. Salt: It draws the water out of your swollen mucus membranes, reducing swelling and
pain.
2. Honey: Comforting and soothing honey helps coat the throat when it is dry, scratchy and
painful. It also kills bacteria. It should not be given to children under 2 years of age.
3. Lemon: Cuts through unwanted mucus, kills bacteria, and can help dull the pain in sore
spots. Often used with honey.
4. Apple Cider Vinegar: Its a major germ-buster, and while it may seem counter-intuitive,
ACV can really help relieve your sore throat.
5. Baking Soda: Due to its PH levels it can help soothe minor skin irritations, and also helps
rid your body of bad bacteria that could be lurking about and making things worse.
Knowing what causes the sore throat can allow you to know how to treat it. Below are a few of the
biggest culprits.
Swelling: The swelling of the tissues in your throat cause pain-look for something that
works as an anti-inflammatory or astringent.

Dryness: Find something that will coat your throat, but NOT create more mucus.

Bacteria: Sore throats can be cause by bacteria. Find something that naturally kills off the
germs.