Whenever you get a sore throat, you know you're in for a rough time. With its itchy and painful feeling, you'd definitely want to get rid of this illness as soon as possible. The good news is a sore throat is just a minor illness and can perish without medical treatment.
The symptoms of a sore throat include scratching, itching, sneezing and coughs. Regardless of what its causes are, you must find ways on how to relieve your sore throat.
Jeffrey Linder, M.D., an internist at Brigham and Women's Hospital, said that the best treatments for a sore throat are over-the-counter meds and some home remedies. Health and Health Line share the following ways on how to relieve your sore throat:
.@aafp offers 5 tips on how to soothe your sore throat https://t.co/S6UlGt644i pic.twitter.com/rbPw9D5l9z
— Summit Medical Group (@SummitMedicalNJ) February 26, 2016
Over-the-Counter Remedies
1. Non-Steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drug
A sore throat can be treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) like Aleve or Advil. "These medicines are combination pain reliever and anti-inflammatories, so they make you feel better and they'll also reduce some of the swelling associated with a sore throat," said Dr. Linder.
2. Cough Syrup
Cough syrup can be bought over-the-counter, just like anti-inflammatory drugs. This eases the soreness of your condition. It is recommended that you buy Robitussin AC (guaifenesin and codeine) for pain relief and Nyquil, a pain reliever and antihistamine.
3. Lozenges and Spray
To relieve your sore throat, you may take lozenges and over-the-counter throat sprays such as Chloraseptic. These have antibacterial properties that can kill the viruses.
Home Remedies
1. Gargle With Salt Water
Mix 1 tablespoon of salt in 8 ounces of warm water. Stir it and gargle with for few seconds. Repeat it several times in a day. This can soothe your scratchy throat.
2. Eat Honey
Honey is a cough suppressant, according to a study mentioned by Mayo Clinic. You may drink tea with honey, which can help relieve your sore throat.
3. Drink plenty of fluids
Fluids such as water, fruit juice and chicken broth can relieve your discomfort. "Staying hydrated is very important, especially when you're sick and your throat is irritated or inflamed," said Dr. Linder.
4. Get enough rest
To fight the infection in your body, you need to rest. "The vast majority of sore throats are caused by cold viruses, and we know that there's very little we can do to cure a cold once we've got it," said Dr. Linder. "Making sure your body is well rested will, at least, help it fight off the virus so you can get better sooner."
