By: Matthew Hick
Swallowing is a normal part of our everyday lives. In fact, we probably do it around every 15 seconds of our lives. So when a sore throat makes every swallow an agony, we need to help relieve this in any way. Sore throats can be an early warning sign of a cold or flu, or they can be the result of a viral or bacterial infection. They can also be the consequence of allergies or simply sleeping with our mouths open.
A sore throat is an acute inflammation of the lower pharynx mucous membranes. It can be an inflammation of the tonsils. If sleeping with your mouth open due to a stuffed nose causes the sore throat, then a cool mist humidifier in your room will help. This will add moisture to the air and ease your congestion. If, on the other hand, your sore throat is from a cold or flu, then there are a number of remedies available to ease your misery.
Gargling is an effective way to soothe your throat and the inflammation that exists. There are a number of solutions you can gargle with. Salt water is among the most popular of these. Simply mix 1 teaspoon of salt with an eight-ounce glass of warm water. Gargle the whole mixture and repeat every hour as necessary. This combination will increase the blood supply to the area by washing out the mucous and dilating the capillaries. You can also gargle with diluted lemon juice in warm water, or add 1 spoon of bourbon or whiskey to a glass of water to numb the area. Chamomile tea cooled to a lukewarm temperature for gargling has also been known to be soothing.
Swallowing one to two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar combined with a glass of water can be effective, since the acidity in the vinegar kills bacteria on contact. Drinking a cup of warm water mixed with thirty drops of Echinacea every two hours or ginger pieces boiled in water and sipped slowly will also have soothing effects. Licorice tea will also help clear up the mucous, helping to ease your sore throat. In general, cool drinks or Popsicles can also help with your pain.
Another remedy is to suck on throat lozenges. Lozenges medicated with phenol will kill surface germs until your system has built itself up again. Phenol is also contained in throat sprays, but the duration of contact is brief, so the lozenges work better in the end. Zinc lozenges are also good to use and will relieve other cold symptoms as well.
You can always use garlic, the best natural antibiotic and antiseptic. Garlic oil capsules taken six times a day is the recommended dosage for a sore throat. Vitamin C will also help fight germs. And aspirin, which is an anti-inflammatory, will help with the pain and inflammation. Remember also to increase your fluid intake and open your nose using saline nasal drops.
If you develop severe difficulty swallowing, develop a fever, have swollen lymph glands, puss in your throat, or a red rash, you should go the medical route and call your doctor immediately. You may have a bacterial infection, which may require antibiotics.
