How to cure sore throat: natural options and remediesédios

2023 Author: Benjamin Dyson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-21 01:37

In some cases, a sore throat can be treated at home with simple measures such as resting, avoiding sudden changes in temperature and using some home remedies, such as gargling with warm s alt water or lemon tea with honey and ginger, for example.

However, if the inflammation and pain do not go away or the presence of pus in the throat is observed, it is important to consult a doctor and start a more appropriate treatment, which can be done with anti-inflammatory drugs to relieve symptoms, such as ibuprofen, or antibiotics, such as penicillin.

A sore throat can cause symptoms such as burning in the throat, pain and difficulty swallowing, and is usually caused by prolonged exposure to the cold or infection with diseases such as the flu or tonsillitis.

Home remedies for sore throat

Some home measures that can be helpful to soothe a sore throat are:

1. Gargle with warm s alt water

A s alt water solution has antimicrobial properties that help eliminate microorganisms from the throat, reducing symptoms. To prepare the solution, add a tablespoon of s alt to a glass of warm water and mix well until dissolved. Then, gargle at least 3 times with the mixture, discarding the water each time. See other gargling recipes for sore throats.

2. Drink lemon tea with honey and ginger

Another great home remedy for a sore throat is honey, lemon and ginger tea, which should be taken 2 times a day. This remedy has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, in addition to being rich in vitamin C, which strengthens the body's natural defenses.

To make the tea, just add 1 cup of boiling water, 1 sliced lemon and 1 cm of ginger, waiting about 15 minutes before straining. And finally, if necessary, sweeten with honey.

3. Drinking mallow, sage or marshmallow tea

These plants have anti-inflammatory properties and lubricate the throat, relieving symptoms. To make the tea, just add 1 tablespoon of the chosen herb to 1 cup of boiling water, let it rest for 15 minutes and strain. Check out other teas that can help soothe a sore throat.

4. Take strawberry smoothie with honey

Strawberry has vitamin C that helps increase the body's defenses and honey lubricates the throat, helping to reduce pain and inflammation. To make this smoothie, mix 1 glass of milk and 6 strawberries in a blender, then add 1 tablespoon of honey.

Regarding what to eat for sore throat, preference should be given to liquid and pasty foods, such as soups, broths or fruit puree, avoid drinking very cold or very hot foods, which reduces pain and discomfort when swallowing.

Other homemade ways to cure sore throat are here in this video by nutritionist Tatiana Zanin:

Pharmaceutical Remedies for Sore Throat

Pharmaceutical remedies for sore throat are also very important, especially when the pain is very severe, takes more than 3 days to disappear, or is accompanied by a fever. In these situations, a general practitioner should be consulted to assess the need to start treatment with a drug from the pharmacy, which can be:

• Anti-inflammatories, such as ibuprofen or naproxen: decrease inflammation, relieving pain and making swallowing easier;
• Analgesics, such as paracetamol or dipyrone: calm the sensation of pain and are more used when there is no visible inflammation;
• Antibiotics, such as amoxicillin and clavulanic acid: are used when there is pus and an infection caused by bacteria.

These remedies should always be used only on medical advice and should not be substituted for natural options, as these natural options should always be a supplement to medical treatment. Check out which remedies can be used for sore throat.

Symptoms of Sore Throat

The main symptoms of a sore throat are:

• Discomfort in the throat;
• Dry, irritating cough;
• Sore throat when swallowing or speaking;
• Very red and swollen throat;
• Low fever;
• High fever, more common if bacterial infection is present;
• Bad breath and swollen neck.

A sore throat can be caused by the flu, cold, tonsillitis, laryngitis or pharyngitis. Other possible causes of sore throat can be irritation in the throat from inhaling toxic substances, excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages or reflux of food into the throat. See more causes of sore throat and what to do.

Main causes

The main causes of sore throat are:

• Bacterial tonsillitis;
• Virus infection, such as flu and cold;
• Gastroesophageal reflux;
• Allergy;
• Driest weather;
• Excessive use of voice.

In addition, prolonged and/or frequent exposure to smoke pollution, for example, can also cause a sore throat.

Can a sore throat be a sign of COVID-19?

Sore throat due to inflammation can be one of the signs of COVID-19, especially when accompanied by other symptoms such as headache, body ache, high fever, dry and persistent cough, shortness of breath and difficulty breathing, for example. If the sore throat happens in isolation, it is more likely to be a flu, cold, or bacterial infection. Know how to recognize the symptoms of COVID-19.