4 Ways To Minimize Sore Throat Pain
When your throat gets the telltale tickle of soreness, you’ll first want to be sure it’s not a serious infection. Strep throat is usually accompanied by a fever (101 degrees F or higher) along with large, swollen and tender neck lymph nodes, and should be promptly tested – and if positive, treated with antibiotics. Many sore throats, especially those that are mild or come with sinus congestion, require only a little time and some rest to heal. The following remedies can help stave off and lessen the discomfort of sore throats:
- Think of COVID-19. As more data has been evaluated, a sore throat alone can be an early sign of COVID-19, particularly the current Omicron variant. Notify your healthcare provider early on to determine the best course of evaluation and care. Also be armed with the lifestyle and possible supplement tools that was recently published by the University of Arizona Integrative Medicine Fellowship.
- Drink plenty of hot liquids. A good quality herbal or green tea sipped throughout the day can soothe a sore throat, as can hot water with lemon (which provides an additional vitamin C boost) and chicken soup or broth, which has anti-inflammatory properties. Feel free to add some freshly chopped garlic as well for an added antiviral “kick.”
- Soothe your throat with natural lozenges. Slippery elm lozenges can soothe the pain and (sometimes) inflammation of a sore throat. Propolis, a bee byproduct, has antibiotic, anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties (avoid if you are allergic to bees).
- Gargle. Using warm liquids to gargle can help encourage blood flow and heal inflamed tissues. Salt water is a good choice: mix one-quarter teaspoon of salt into one cup of the hottest water you can stand and gargle up to four times a day. You can make the solution stronger by adding goldenseal – try one-half teaspoon – and some red pepper to taste. Another option is to mix equal amounts of hydrogen peroxide and hot water.
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