Ear, Nose & Throat

How to Cure Sore Throat with 22 Home Remedies

Sore throat is a common condition seen during common cold and flu that causes irritation, pain, and itchiness in your throat. A sore throat can make it difficult for you to swallow the food and liquids. The common symptoms associated with a sore throat are throat pain, swollen glands, and hoarseness. In a few cases, white patches are also seen on the tonsils.

Home Remedies for Sore Throat

1. Licorice Root

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Licorice roots are commonly used to cure sore throat naturally.

How to Use?

  • According to recent research, you can mix licorice roots with water and create a gargle solution.
  • Use this gargle solution to cure sore throat symptoms.

[Also Read: Natural Remedies to Treat Sore Throat]

2. Slippery Elm

Slippery elm is considered as a natural cure for sore throat. It is one of the effectual remedy used to cure a sore throat. Slippery elm contains mucus like substance in it that forms a slick get that coats your throat and soothes the infection.

How to Use?

  • You can also pour boiling water over the powdered bark and stir the solution and drink to cure sore throat naturally.
  • You can also use slippery elm lozenges as an effective natural cure for sore throat.

3. Honey for Sore Throat

It is an effective natural remedy to cure many diseases like sore throat. Honey can be used as a common cough suppressant.

How to Use?

  • Honey can also be used as an effective wound healer that may help in speeding up the healing process for sore throats.
  • Honey can also be used as an effective wound healer.

4. Marshmallow Root

Like slippery elm, marshmallow roots(1) also contain certain mucus like substance that can coat and soothes a sore throat.

How to Use?

  • Take dried roots of marshmallow and add it to a cup of boiling water to prepare tea.
  • You can drink this tea 2-3 times a day to ease throat pain.

5. Peppermint

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One of the common home cures for sore throat includes peppermint. Peppermint oil can be used to relieve sore throat.

How to Use?

  • Peppermint contains menthol that helps in thinning the mucus content and calm sore throat and cough to a certain extent.
  • Use it in a vaporizer/humidifier to spread the aroma of the oil throughout the room

[Also Read: Surprising Benefits of Peppermint Oil]

6. Fenugreek

Fenugreek(2) is known for a large number of health benefits. It is known for their healing powers and its anti-inflammatory effects. It also has anti-bacterial properties that can prevent and cure a bacterial infection. Fenugreek seeds can relieve pain caused due to sore throat.

How to Use?

  • You can either eat fenugreek seeds directly or use the oil topically as an essential cure for sore throat.
  • You can also prepare a tea with fenugreek seeds as a natural remedy for sore throat.

7. Baking Soda for Sore Throat

Baking Soda alone can be used as a natural cure for sore throat.

How to Use?

  • To use baking soda you can mix baking soda to saltwater to relieve sore throat symptoms.
  • Gargling with this solution can effectively kill bacteria and prevent the growth of certain organisms like yeast and fungi.

8. Chamomile Tea

It is a naturally soothing agent that is one of the oldest herbs used for medicinal purpose. Chamomile tea is also known for its anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and astringent properties.

How to Use?

  • Inhaling chamomile steam can help in relieving the common symptoms of cold and flu including sore throat.
  • Chamomile tea is known to stimulate your immune system thus, aiding your body in fighting with sore throat.

9. Garlic for Sore Throat

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Garlic is one of the essential natural cures for sore throat. Garlic contains a rich amount of allicin that can kill bacteria causing strep and fight the germs causing pain due to sore throat.

How to Use?

  • Take a fresh clove of garlic and cut it into two pieces.
  • Place one piece of garlic in each cheek and try sucking it like a cough drop. You can occasionally crush your teeth against the piece of garlic to release allicin.
  • Try this home remedy once daily to cure sore throat naturally.

10. Cayenne

Drinking water with cayenne can provide quick relief from sore throat. Any food or liquid containing that contains hot pepper can soothe your throat while suffering with sore throat. Cayenne generally contains a compound called capsaicin that can temporarily relieve pain caused due to sore throat.

How to Use?

  • Take half teaspoon of cayenne pepper and add it to a cup of boiling water.
  • Mix one teaspoon of honey by stirring it constantly.
  • Drink this mixture as it is one of the best home cures for sore throat.

[Also Read: Top 6 Natural Herbs for Sore Throat]

11. Cloves for Sore Throat

It is  mostly used in traditional Chinese medicine for treating many diseases including sore throat. Cloves are often used to ease toothaches and throat pain. Cloves contain eugenol that is considered as a natural pain killer which acts as an antibacterial agent in curing diseased conditions.

How to Use?

  • Chewing the whole clove will release eugenol and numb the pain in your throat while suffering from sore throat.
  • Clove oil is usually not preferred as it can lead to stomach upset when used as a substitute for the whole clove.

12. Pomegranate

Pomegranate(3) generally contains astringents and anti-oxidants that help in fighting against infections. Astringent is usually known to cause contraction of your body tissue that helps in reducing the swelling in your throat and decreases pain.

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You can prepare a tea with pomegranate and drink it to soothe your throat as an effectual cure for sore throat.

How to Use?

  • To prepare the tea with pomegranate, peel the pomegranate and collect its rinds and boil it for 15 minutes in 3-4 cups of water.
  • You can either drink this tea or use it as gargling solution.
  • Gargle for at least 30 seconds.
  • Instead of tea you can also drink pomegranate juice thrice daily to cure sore throat naturally.

13. Cinnamon for Sore Throat

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Cinnamon water can help in providing quick relief from sore throat and the symptoms associated with it.

How to Use?

  • Take 1-2 cinnamon sticks and add boiling water to it. You can add a tea of your choice to it.
  • Boil cinnamon in water for 2-3 minutes and then remove cinnamon.
  • Steep a tea of your choice in cinnamon water and drink this tea as an essential natural cure for sore throat.
  • You can also use cinnamon in preparation of chamomile tea with honey to cure sore throat completely.

14. Chicken Soup

Chicken soup is an age-old home remedy and one of the essential natural ways to cure a sore throat. The sodium in the broth is known to have anti-inflammatory properties that can lower the symptoms associated with a sore throat.

Soups are generally preferred in case of sore throat as it is easy to swallow and stuffed with essential nutrients that can speed up the healing process.

How to Use?

  • Follow the recipe for making chicken soup and consume it 2-3 times in a day.

15. Lemon and Water

Lemon is a rich source of vitamin C and has astringent properties.

How to Use?

  • Take one teaspoon of lemon juice and add one cup of water and use it as an effectual cure for sore throat.
  • This astringent juice will help in shrinking your swollen throat tissues and create an acidic environment for bacteria and viruses.

16. Hot Sauce and Water

Hot sauce mostly contains hot peppers that helps in alleviating pain and fighting inflammation caused due to sore throat.

How to Use?

  • Take a cup of hot water and add five shakes of ground cayenne pepper or few shakes of hot sauce for quick relief from sore throat.

17. Sage and Water

It is an ancient remedy to cure sore throat symptoms. Sage mainly soothes a sore throat and swollen nasal passages.

How to Use?

  • Take one teaspoon of sage and half teaspoon of alum and brown sugar to a 3/8 cup of vinegar and 1/8 cup of water.
  • Mix this solution and take it to cure sore throat.

18. Turmeric and Water

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Turmeric powder is a powerful antioxidant that aids in strengthening your immune system to fight against a wide variety of infectious diseases.

How to Use?

  • To cure sore throat take half teaspoon of turmeric and half teaspoon of salt and add it to one cup of hot water and stir it well.
  • Use this solution to gargle as it is considered as a natural cure for sore throat.

[Also Read: Best Teas for Sore Throat Relief]

19. Wheatgrass Juice

Wheatgrass juice is rich in chlorophyll and helps in inhibiting the growth of many bacteria.

How to Use?

  • You can use this juice to rinse your mouth to ease throat pain caused due to sore throat.
  • This juice helps in revitalizing your weakened gums and cures toothache.

20. Tomato Juice

Tomato juice can be used as a temporary cure for sore throat symptoms.

How to Use?

  • Take half a cup of tomato juice and add it to a half a cup of hot water.
  • To this mixture add 10 drops of hot pepper sauce and mix it well.
  • Lycopene present in tomato juice is an antioxidant that can cure sore throat faster.
  • Take half cup of this mixture and gargle it to cure sore throat symptoms.

21. Apple Cider Vinegar

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Generally, sore throat causes severe cough which can be cured with home remedies. Apple cider vinegar is acidic in nature and frequent use of this can kill germs in your throat and decrease inflammation.

How to Use?

  • Take one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and one teaspoon of salt.
  • Dissolve these ingredients in a glass of warm water and use this solution several times a day to effectively cure a sore throat.
  • For a gentler treatment, you can mix ¼ cup of apple cider vinegar and ¼ cup of honey.
  • Take one tablespoon of this mixture every four hours to cure sore throat naturally.

22. Salt Water for Sore Throat

Using saltwater for gargling is one of the ancient home remedies to cure a sore throat. Saltwater can be used as a gargling solution to soothe your throat. For best effective results you can use warm salt water for gargling. Saltwater can also help in killing certain bacteria present in your throat.

How to Use?

  • Use a half teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water and gargle.
  • This home remedy can reduce swelling and keep your throat clean.
  • You can repeat this home remedy every three hours to cure sore throat naturally.

A sore throat can be cured with the above mentioned natural home remedies. Sore throat generally does not require any specific diagnosis as it can occur as a common symptom for many diseases. To prevent and completely cure sore throat a healthy diet including the above natural remedies is essential.