Sore throats are one of the most common symptoms that patients complain of when they go to the doctor. They can be caused by anything from allergies to viruses to bacteria, like strep throat.
An everyday symptom calls for an everyday remedy. We’ve put together a list of five ways you can take on your sore throat without visiting the doctor’s office.
Herbal Tea
There’s no end to the benefits of herbs to relieve all kinds of aches and pains. Drinking tea infused with lemon, ginger or honey is especially effective at coating the throat and neutralizing soreness. Many teas are produced specifically for sore throats and contain herb mixes that are relaxing and soothing to drink.
Over-the-counter pain relievers
Pain relievers such as Advil and Aleve are anti-inflammatory medicines, meaning they fight inflammation and soreness. This is especially helpful when combatting a throat, one of the most commonly inflamed parts of the body. Pain relievers will get rid of a lot of the pain in your throat and also help with any aches and pain that your sickness might bring along with it. Check out Canadian pharmacy for a variety of options, including Glycerin and phenol (Chloraseptic Max Strength Sore Throat Spray), Benzocaine, honey, and glycerin (Chloraseptic Warming Sore Throat Lozenges), and Menthol, honey, and glycerin (Ricola Dual Action) – the meds are numerous.
Gargle with warm salt water
Dissolve 1/2 tsp of salt in 8 fluid ounces of warm water and gargle it for 30 seconds. It may not taste great, but the salt mixture helps to clear out mucus and bacteria in the throat, and prevents further infection. Once you get the salt taste out, you’ll find your throat is much less sore.
Lozenges and hard candy (different types, medicated)
Having a hard candy to suck on stimulates saliva, which helps to clear mucus away and coat the back of your throat. Some lozenges are even medicated with menthol, which is similar to peppermint and slightly numbs your throat while fighting irritation.
Homemade chicken soup with pepper
Chicken soup is not only good for the soul–it contains natural substances like cysteine, which thins mucus, and carnosine, an immune booster. These ingredients are more concentrated in natural chicken bone broth than in chicken soup from a can. You can add black pepper to the broth as well. The spice helps to get rid of mucus and slightly relieve pain from inflammation.
Chances are you have what you need to fight a sore throat in your home already. If not, stop by and talk to one of our pharmacists and we’ll help you get rid of it as soon as possible.