Sore Throat
Natural Remedies

10 Best Natural Remedies for Soothing a Sore Throat

Pineapple Juice

3 User Reviews
5 star (3) 
  100%

Posted by S (NJ)
★★★★★

I usually drink pineapple, as hot as I can stand it at the first sign of a cold. The morning after there are no more symptoms. This is also an amazing remedy for an established sore throat or voice loss due to a cold. I suffered with a raw throat and loss of my voice for 2 weeks, then someone suggested drinking hot pineapple juice... the next morning, I had my voice back and my throat was no longer raw.

Replied by Lou
(Tyler, Tx)
01/06/2012
★★★★★

I had an aunt who was part Indian and she always heated pineapple juice for whatever ailed us when we were little. Pineapple/pineapple juice contains catalase (which is an important enzyme). It is good for stomach problems and it works in neutralizing H202 in your liver (people with vitiligo have a high level of H202 in their liver). So eat more pineapple!!! I am beginning to think that is what is in pseudocatalase cream.

Replied by Francisca
(Zug, Switzerland)
01/07/2012

Lou, I agree with you as far as pineapples goes, at least the real ones! In Europe now you see mostly the ultra-sweet ones which I believe are manipulated to produce always the sweetest pineapples. I try to stay away from those. Actually many fruit we eat now seems to be manipulated to contain more sugar, maybe to cover up the fact that they don't taste like anything anymore! I love kakis and till a little while ago I could find the traditional ones you eat very ripe, which are lovely but now I only find sharon fruit and those too are manipulated. They took away the tannin and they look just like they are made of plastic. I tried them a little while ago and it was almost like eating an apple just it wasn't an apple, very weird and they never seem to ripen.

Even pears nowadays are awfully sweet, too bad because we need the vitamins but not the sugar. When we go and live in our new house we will be growing quite a bit of fruit ourselves! The problem is that you have to stay away from the modern manipulated kinds!

Replied by Maria
(Gippsland, Australia)
01/10/2012

Hi Francisca, My understanding of kakis (persimmon) is that the non astringent type, the one you eat crisp, is native to Japan and China, which I love I might add. I know with apples we should be eating the smaller old fashioned ones as the skin to the sweet flesh ratio is best, that is more nutrients via the skin and less sugar with less flesh.

Replied by Francisca
(Zug, Switzerland)
01/11/2012

Maria, as far as I understand the persimmons are actually genetically manipulated kakis. I think that because people hated the tannin when the kakis aren't very ripe they decided to create something that can be eaten while not very ripe. The original kakis can only be eaten when very ripe and soft and if you have eaten those you won't eat the persimmon again! I have done a lot of research because we will be moving to our new home in the countryside soon and we are working with a local gardener who is doing our garden so I wanted to be able to tell him which fruit trees we want exactly!

Sharon fruit and persimmon seem to be the same fruit. I kept a few persimmons in my warm living room for a few weeks and they never got soft like the real kakis! I tend to distrust all these new manipulated fruit, call me old..... So the gardener now knows which kind of kakis we want! You love the persimmon but have you ever tried the real kakis? Interestingly enough since we arrived here they had a lot of kakis for sale, ready to eat, very soft and I started eating them all day. Since then my digestion was very good. I seemed to be hungry all day something that never happens to me. They are now gone...... The season is short!

Replied by Mmsg
(Somewhere, Europe)
01/11/2012

Yes Francisca! Where I live we have both but, like you said, once you taste a REAL ripe kaki, you can never eat the other ones. We try to take full advantage of their very short season, then dream about their heavenly taste till next year!!!

Replied by Maria
(Gippsland, Australia)
01/12/2012

Hi Francisca, Yes I have had the persimmons that are very soft when ripe and yes they are yum. I had never heard the name kakis and had to do an internet search to see which fruit you were talking about as they are all called persimmons here. They are the only ones that are grown locally. Hard to get as they are not grown commercially where I live and there are not many old gardens that have them now. They are not a common fruit here in Oz and some have not even tried them.

Replied by Francisca
(Zug, Switzerland)
01/12/2012

Hi Maria and sorry about the confusion with the fruits... Here kakis are the soft and persimmons the manipulated ones. In Portugal where I come from we call them diospiros, a scientific name for this fruit. I think that most people are not familiar with them! My husband who is Welsh had never heard of them at all and he doesn't wish to try them. Too bad because it is sure that we are going to have them growing in our garden and I tell you, I noticed such a difference in my digestion when I started eating them regularly.... I knew them from my youth as my grandfather had a tree on his farm. Sharon fruit again is the same fruit but means the ones you eat while hard! Many people are put off this fruit because they don't understand that the tannin is a natural part of the unripe fruit! Maybe that was the reason you now have the modern version without any tannin at all! No idea they grew in Australia as here they are picked at the beginning of the winter and eaten around Christmas!

Replied by Maria
(Gippsland, Australia)
01/12/2012

Hi Francisca, Well your hubby is missing out on a treat! They are full of lots of nutrients and again especially in the skin. Very interesting that they helped your digestion. It will be good when you can eat your own.


Preserved Salted Lemons

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%

Posted by Becksnyc (Cleveland, Ohio) on 10/11/2016
★★★★★

Preserved salted lemons for sore throat

A Chinese friend introduced me to this cure for sore throat. It doesn't taste great, but works faster than anything I've ever taken. You fill a jar with lemons (organic), cover with rock salt (I prefer pink Himalayan) and let them rot. The salt draws the juice from the lemon, she advised taking a teaspoon in a cup of hot water. I add raw local honey. The lemons mold as they rot, so persons sensitive to mold-based products like penicillin may wish to avoid this. I've read online that you can also use limes & kumquats and that this concoction can still be used a decade later. That has also been my experience.


Rubbing Alcohol

3 User Reviews
5 star (3) 
  100%

Posted by Courtney (SLC, UT) on 02/17/2008
★★★★★

When my sister and I were little and getting a sore throat, my mom would tie a rubbing alcohol soaked rag around our throat (as we slept because we hated it soo much). When we woke up, the sore throat was completely gone! Has anyone else heard of this?

Replied by Marina
(San Diego, CA USA)
04/01/2009
★★★★★

Yes. My mom used to do that to us too and we were cured the next day in most cases except strep throat. Always needed antibiotics for that.

Replied by Gabi
(United States)
02/03/2018
★★★★★

Yes! I'm from Brazil and I grew up with my mom and grandma doing this to me, my brothers and cousins. It DOES work! I have a cloth with rubbing alcohol around my neck as I type.

Was 100% healthy, went to the doctor for my yearly physical and boom... next day woke up with a sore throat. :/ For now on I'll only be getting physicals during the summer... This stinks.


Rum

3 User Reviews
5 star (3) 
  100%

Posted by Tina (Park Forest, Illinois) on 05/17/2008
★★★★★

Sore Throat Remedies: Rum worked great for me -- i gargled with it for about 30 seconds and then spit it out and took a small swallow of the mouthwash and within a minute my sore throat was gone it is so nice to be able to talk without wanting to cry!!!

Replied by Minyen
(Los Angeles, CA)
07/25/2008
★★★★★

Haha. well it really worked....me && my friend tried it . BUT the thing that killed it was the mouthwash....that made me throw up ! Ew.. But the RUM worked good.. && THINK TWICE ABOUT THE MOUTH WASH !

Replied by Robin
(Rural, VA)
07/26/2008

Do I understand that you are supposed to "swallow" the mouthwash?

Replied by Nadine
(Brooklyn, New York)
11/01/2008
★★★★★

I tried the Rum and/or Listerine Mouthwash and it works ! I took a shot of Mexican Tequila and tried to gargle as long as I possibly could. As soon as I spat out the Tequila, my tonsils felt instantly better. The irration went right away and it almost feels like they aren't there. I will probably take another one here soon since I took a very little one the first time. Also with the Mouthwash, it works as well. I used it every morning with brushing my teeth, however, do not swallow this one. Simply just gargle and spit. I personally think Rum or Tequila works alot better because it has a stronger alcohol content then mouthwash. Goodluck!

Replied by Sam
(Dayton, Oregon)
07/14/2011

why do you spit out the rum, but drink the mouthwash? since your not sapose to swallow mouthwash but drink rum.


Salsa

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%

Posted by Renee (Melbourne Beach, FL) on 04/11/2008
★★★★★

A few month ago, I came down with a sore throat. That afternoon I grabbed some salsa and tortilla chips as a snack - my sore throat was gone almost instantly! After coming across your website, now everything makes sense. Since most salsas have vinegar, garlic & spices in them, this is a great snack for anyone to grab with a sore throat - only have mild salsa on hand: spinkle cayenne pepper in it and voila!

Replied by Mara
(Somewherreee., Florida)
07/04/2010

I have not tried using Salsa but after reading this I sent my dad to the store to buy it for me, I did try gargling salt water but it did not cure it just took some of the pain away.


Salt

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%

Posted by Chris Herring (Beaverton, Oregon, Usa) on 03/13/2011

A small handful of salt is easier than cayyene pepper, salt on a wet finger placed under ones tongue won't make you sneeze as much.

Replied by Tasha
(Bancroft, Ontario)
07/09/2011
★★★★★

HOORAY FOR SALT! It's been my best friend today. I was sick yesterday (bad cold), I went out to help walk the dogs in the kennel and had to break up a dog fight. I was bit on my hand, punctured my palm deeply, inflamed the back of my hand. It's still inflamed and it's been about 12h. I soaked my hand in warm salt water and so far no infection, less pain in the wound :)

My throat is still sore from the cold, so I found this site. I just tried the salt water gargle and already is feels much better. Before I was cringing with each swallow, but now it's a little more bearable. I'm definitely going to continue with it until I feel better! Thanks, everyone.


Salt Water

2 User Reviews
5 star (2) 
  100%

Posted by Turtle6685 (Dallas, Tx) on 01/28/2013
★★★★★

Since I was a child we would gargle warm water with salt to get rid of sore throats. It works wonders. Use 1 tsp of salt for 8 oz of water. Do this every 4 to 6 hours and sore throat should be gone within 24 hours.

Replied by Vikki
(Solihull, Uk)
02/27/2013
★★★★★

When we are kids we gargle with anything, but as u get older u get boring & forget!

Had severe sore throat for couple days now from blocked/runny sinuses. Decided to do the salt water gargle, started with small mouthfuls first then built my way up!! Plus kitchen towel on hand. After first cup I coughed up (sorry) lots of phlegm, did a second cup & feel much better.

Also had lemon juice (from bottle in fridge), honey & hot water as a "chaser". Have filled up my gardening flask & going to sip it tucked up in bed. Will repeat later & see how it goes. Anything's worth a try & cheaper than meds, plus the old ones are the best ;-)


Side Effects

1 User Review
(1) 
  100%

Posted by Debbie (Webster Springs, Wv) on 02/28/2010

I tried apple cider vinegar and honey for a sore throat, it cured my sore throat. The next morning i have 6 canker sores.. Hurts bad...


Slippery Elm

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%

Posted by Kali (Anchorage, AK)
★★★★★

Slippery elm bark tea is great! It soothes a sore throat almost immediately.

Replied by Angela
(Tonasket, WA.)
08/13/2008

Slippery elm is noted as soothing a sore throat by making it slippery as it's name suggests. Lozenges got at a natural food store are easy, though not cheap. The ideal would be the powder in bulk, added to your favorite hot or cold beverage. It tastes good, but I would suspect it would not heal anything, just help stuff slid down in the healing process. I would reccomend taking apple cider vinegar or cayenne pepper to actually heal the irritation.


Soup

3 User Reviews
5 star (3) 
  100%

Posted by Extra Guy! (Honolulu, Hawaii, honolulu ) on 03/08/2012
★★★★★

For a nice way to relieve pain of a sore throught, just have a nice bowl of warm lentil soup! Have some potatoes, lentils(duh), a tiny bit of onions, and voila! You have a tasty soup that helps you! I know this doesn't involve cayenne but it's very helpful too( I've tried cayenne it works! )


Soup
Posted by Joe (Congleton, england) on 07/13/2007
★★★★★

I got back from college with a sore throat and found your site and so i used some of the recipes like the Miso soup and garlic one (eugh) and just blitzing it with these cures proved amazing results! Thanks!!


Soup
Posted by Kayla (Spokane, Washington) on 04/01/2007
★★★★★

What works the best for most of my family is just good old Miso soup. the soybean white is the best! My sore throat was going away as i was eating it! try it! You can normally get it in a package at the grocery store and any asian market..


Spearmint Oil

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%

Posted by John (Omaha, Nebraska) on 04/08/2007
★★★★★

this is all 100% natural and can cure the sore throat asap. first get some water, next mix water with 2 teaspoons of spearmint oil, and then gargle.


Stop Talking

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%

Posted by Ann-Taylor (Private, Caliornia) on 01/12/2009
★★★★★

I've had a sore throat for at least 2 or 3 days. At that time every time I stood up I would get very dizzy and everything would turn black for 2 or 3 seconds. It it hurt when I swallowed, the pain came from the right side of my throat. I've looked up the information I was going to maybe buy some Cayenne Pepper but later on, I stopped talking for at least 6 hours STRAIGHT. It helped a lot, although this information may not help for some other people with worse sore throat. Although, I did eat and drink. All I didn't do was not to talk just kept my mind busy on something else.


Tea Tree Oil

5 User Reviews
5 star (4) 
  80%
1 star (1) 
  20%

Posted by Dana (Fort Worth, Texas) on 12/05/2007
★★★★★

I have had a sore throat twice in the last two weeks, probably due to allergies, and both times I have COMPLETELY kicked it by gargling with tea tree oil mouthwash (I found it at a health food store). I would use it maybe 3 or 4 times during the day whenever it started hurting again, but w/each use it hurt less and then was all gone! Gasp! It had felt swollen as well and that also went away... it just seemed to kill whatever was causing it. I didn't even gargle that long, since it has a sort of medicinal, monkey urine flavor --but don't be scared. Hope this helps somebody!



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