Sore Throat
Most throat infections are caused by virus and a very few by bacteria. A throat infection caused by a virus is usually taken care of by our body’s immune system and therefore, will often get better on its own. But on the road to your recovery you can follow these tips to soothe your 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. (Read: How to get instant relief from cough)
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 addsomeeucalyptus 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. (Read: Why you shouldn’t neglect cough)
Eat soft foods; avoid spicy, sour and fried ones
A sore threat 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.
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. Benadryl® DR, a new variant for dry cough was launched by Benadryl®, India’s No. 1 over-the-counter cough syrup brand just does that. Benadryl® DR Dry Cough Active Relief has the active ingredient ‘Dextromethorphan hydrobromide’ in a sugar-free, alcohol-free mentholated base which helps to relieve dry cough and soothes a dry, irritated throat. This new formulation exclusively targets dry cough without causing unwanted drowsiness. OTC formulations like Benadryl CR for Congestion Relief help thin loosen & expel or expectorate the phlegm, thus relieving symptoms and letting us get on with our lives.
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 aninfusion. 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 intervalsto get relief from a sore throat.
- Drink a glass of warm water mixed with the juice from a lemon and a tablespoon of honeyto help sooth your throat. (Read: Natural remedies for frequent cold and cough)
Don’t forget to take rest
Get plenty of rest. Doing sowill 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.
Source: http://health.india.com/diseases-conditions/have-a-sore-throat-try-these-tips/
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