Have a sore throat? Here are some tips to relieve the discomfort

A throat infection caused by a virus is taken care of by our body’s immune system and will often get better on its own.

By: Dr Anitha Anchan | | Updated: July 15, 2015 8:54 am

That scratchy feeling in your throat, followed by pain and discomfort are some signs of a sore throat. While out mouth and nose have a number of barriers to help keep infections at bay, there are a few things we do that can increase our chances of suffering from a throat infection or sore throat. For instance drinking cold beverages. Cold drinks tend to congest the mucosal lining of the throat making it more prone to infections. While preventing the onset of this condition is one step, once you have the ailment soothing a sore throat is essential to help you feel more comfortable. Here are a few ways to find some relief from a sore throat.

Drink soothing warm liquids

Warm water helps soothe the inflammation in the throat and also dislodge the mucus. If warm water doesn’t sound interesting go ahead and have a cup of warm soup or a glass of hot ginger tea! And remember that drinking plenty of these fluids will also help keep your throat lubricated and moist.

Gargle

Gargling with salt dissolved in warm water can offer you relief from the scratchy sensation in the throat. You can even add 1/2 teaspoon turmeric. Gargling removes the throat irritants and also thins the mucus which makes it easier to bring it up and spit out after a salt water gargle. The salt in the water drains excess fluid from inflamed areas in the throat. Take about 3 leaves of neem with a medium-sized glass of water and boil. When the liquid has cooled, mix in one teaspoon of honey and gargle with this liquid to get relief from a sore throat. For an instant relief from cough try these tips)

Steam it out

Steam inhalation moistens the airways and helps relieve a sore and irritated throat. Having a hot shower will also help. You can even add some eucalyptus oil or tincture of benzoin into the liquid you heat for inhalation or into your bath water to provide a soothing effect!

Add moisture to the air around you

Dry air dries and irritated your throat further. Using a humidifier to add moisture to the air can help ease the misery from your sore throat. Another way to add moisture to the air around you is to allow a pot filled with water to evaporate in your room.

Suck on a lozenge

Lozenge helps to cool and numb your throat and give you temporary relief from pain associated with your sore throat. Lozenges for sore throat may contain an anaesthetic, or soothing ingredients like menthol, honey, etc. With the huge number of lozenges easily available in the market you might wonder if they actually work.

Eat soft foods; avoid spicy, sour and fried ones

A sore throat makes swallowing difficult. Eat soft and soothing foods that are easy to swallow and cause less rubbing against the sore throat. Spicy or acidic foods can irritate the throat. Avoid eating them. Also, avoid fried foods because they are usually hard and crispy which makes them hard to swallow. You may like read about 5 foods to relieve a sore throat.

Try OTC medication

Whether the sore throat is caused by irritation (ultimately leading to dry cough) or because of infection and formation of phlegm (leading to productive cough), OTC medication can help. A solution for dry cough requires suppression of the cough centre in the brain and a soothing action for the irritated throat. These medications loosen & expel or expectorate the phlegm, thus relieving symptoms and letting us get on with our lives. You may like to read about why you shouldn’t neglect cough.

Try these home remedies

Ingredients found in your kitchen can come handy to relieve your throat infection. Honey is full of anti-viral and anti-bacterial qualities. It also soothes the irritated throat linings. Ginger, pepper, honey, garlic, tulsi and turmeric are known to have anti-infective and expectorant properties. Add them to your tea or make an infusion. Here are a few home remedies.

To soothe the sore throat chew on garlic. Chewing can help release allicin, an anti-bacterial. Alternatively, you may also juice four cloves of garlic, two tomatoes, and a lemon to make a delicious antibacterial and antiviral drink.
Boil onions and honey in water. Strain and drink the infusion at regular intervals.
Mix few cloves in a tablespoon of honey. Let stand for few hours. Remove the cloves and sip the honey. Cloves relieve pain and honey helps soothe your throat.
Aniseeds (saunf) help to loosen the mucus. Boil and simmer aniseeds in water for a few minutes. Strain the water. Add a tablespoon of honey. Take this mixture at regular intervals to get relief from a sore throat.
Drink a glass of warm water mixed with the juice from a lemon and a tablespoon of honey to help sooth your throat. You may like to read about natural remedies for frequent cold and cough.

Don’t forget to take rest

Get plenty of rest. Doing so will help your body fight off the infection.

See a doctor

If the sore throat progresses to a cough and persists for more than three to four days, please see a doctor. It might be a persistent bacterial infection which might require antibiotics.

Image source: Getty Images

Published: July 14, 2015 7:00 pm | Updated:July 15, 2015 8:54 am

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