The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Vinegar
Posted by Kiwi6262 (Cullman, Al) on 11/01/2009
★★★★★
My 5 year old had such a bad sore throat that he was nearly in tears for several hours, so I was desperate. After reading the suggestions and things that have worked for other people, I decided to try out the apple cider vinegar, honey, lemon in warm water. Only problem was, I only had artificial lemon juice, white vinegar, and yellow syrup, but like I said, I was desperate! So! I warmed some water, put in a TBS of artificial lemon juice, a TBS of white vinegar, and 2 TBS of yellow syrup and tasted it to make sure it wasn't horrible (my son is 5 after all, and reasoning with him to drink something awful just because it will make him feel better isn't really an option!) and it tasted fine. I gave it to him and before he had half the cup drank he gave it back to me and said "Good job Mommy! It worked! I'm all better now!" I'd say that's the best testamonial you could get!
Vinegar
Posted by Tom (Opole, Poland) on 04/05/2011
★★★★★
Get a small plastic spray bottle, mix half vinegar and half water, and spray it at the back of your throat whenever it feels sore. I used to get sore throats all the time, but I haven't had one since using this method.
Vinegar
Posted by Jasmeena (Winnipeg, Manitoba/canada) on 07/31/2011
★★★★★
I have had the worst sore throat for the past 2 days, I couldn't even swallow because of the pain. I tried this because I was desperate. Medicine wasn't working at all. This help A WHOLE LOT. It doesn't have a bad taste and works instantly. The pain has gone down by a million.
Vinegar
Posted by Naomi (Ottawa, Ontario) on 08/07/2011
★★★★★
I tried it and it worked great. I had been previously using just lemon and honey, but the vinegar made a noticable difference.
Vinegar
Posted by Ninijo (Ytown, Sc) on 01/16/2013
★★★★★
So I've been been sick since Christmas... only to end up with bronchitis. And along with that comes the nasty sore throat. I decided to try the vinegar "drink"... I've gotta say it really eased the painful swallowing. Followed by a chloraseptic drop... I might get a decent nights sleep. Thank you so much!
Hot Tea
Posted by Mountaingirl (Asheville, Nc, United States) on 09/08/2009
★★★★★
Hot Tea for sore throat
1/2 large lemon
dash powdered cayenne
dash powdered ginger
1 tsp. manuka honey
2 cups before bed took away my sore throat completely. I've tried this in the past but never with so much lemon. I enjoy sour and this was almost too much for me but did the trick amazingly well. I knew it was working from the pleasant burn during and after drinking it.
Hot Sauce
Posted by Ashley (Jacksonville, Fl) on 07/31/2009
★★★★★
Have had the worse throat infection, woke up crying it hurt so bad. I just finished off a bowl of noodle soup. I took about two cups of the soup and added knockoff tabasco sauce, about 7-8 drops and my throat feels a lot better! Going to try gargling with it next!
Hot Sauce
Posted by Patrick (Prince Albert, Saskatchewan) on 12/03/2012
well I have a really sore throat that I had for three weeks now. And gone throught 4 packs of [cough drops] in one day, and still dont help me. Its so hard for me to talk, I cant sing, yell, and I can bariley breath half the time.
Hand Therapy
Posted by Terry (San Francisco, CA) on 07/27/2009
★★★★☆
I tried the Hand therapy and had done for about five minutes. The pain hasn't fully gone away, but the pain has swelled down significantly.
Hand Therapy
Posted by Alexander (Amsterdam, North Holland, The Netherlands) on 01/26/2012
Hand therapy is a form of tissue massage in the areas where the muscles in the neck may become hard due to the soarnness in the throat. If you find the sensitive areas in the neck and massage it softly, pressing gently on the tender muscles, it can help to ease the pain. This also helps reduce tooth ache and many problems - doubtful to be the cure, but sometimes it can be enough to ease the pain in the throat as well in order for the healing process to continue. Just take your time and massage slowly with your hand and fingers to find those little knots or stiffness in the neck. Try it a few times and wait a day in between self treatments.
Turmeric
Posted by Grayson (Orlando, Fl) on 07/26/2009
★★★★★
SORE THROAT RELIEF: Having recently stopped a respiratory infection in it's tracks by spraying a solution of 3% Hydrogen Peroxide directly into the throat using a saline nasal spray bottle that I emptied of nasal spray and filled with H202, I found that the virus has left my throat raw, sore and irritated and I was coughing up copious amounts of greenish phlegm. To alleviate the soreness, I put approximately 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric in my mouth and held it there until it was thoroughly mixed with saliva then slowly swallowed the mixture aided with a little liquid of choice such as water or coffee,etc..A very similar technique to oil pulling except there was only turmeric and saliva-no oil was used.WHAT A RELIEF!!!The turmeric will slightly numb the tongue but this passes quickly. I do not spray the H202 into the nose as it tends to decrease my sense of taste.
Multiple Remedies
Posted by Kat (Vancouver, WA) on 05/30/2009
★☆☆☆☆
I tried gargling warm/hot saltwater, with as much salt mixed in as I could get to dissolve. It helped soothe my sore throat for less than five minutes. Then I tried gargling pickle juice and had about the same results. Finally I tried gargling hydrogen peroxide and the foaming made me throw up, which just made my throat hurt worse. It did seem to help clear out my sinuses a bit, but whether that was from throwing up or the hydrogen peroxide, I don't know. All the gargling seems to have aggravated the problem a bit too. I think I'll just stick to cough drops...
Multiple Remedies
Posted by Anonymous (Anonymousville, USA) on 05/31/2009
Did you try cayenne?
Coconut, Turmeric, Pepper
Posted by Coconut Doctor (London, UK) on 05/26/2009
Coconut cure for a sore throat:
I found this recipe in a book. It's from Southeast Asia and uses coconut sugar, which is made from the sap of the coconut blossom as well as coconut milk. You can substitute the coconut sugar with honey.
1 tablespoon coconut sugar or honey
1/8 teaspoon cracked peppercorns
1 teaspoon powdered turmeric or turmeric root
1 cup water
1/2 cup coconut milk
Mix together the sugar or honey, peppercorns, turmeric and water. Bring to a boil then simmer until the liquid is reduced by half. Remove from heat, strain, and add coconut milk.Take two tablespoons every hour or two. Apparently it works wonders!
cheers, Angie
Mouthwash
Posted by Olivia (Yorktown, Virginia, Us) on 03/08/2012
★★★★★
I tried this with some mouthwash at my house and it worked almost instantly! XD
Mouthwash
Posted by Renee (Lawrenceville, Georgia, United States) on 03/08/2012
★★★☆☆BETTER BUT WITH SIDE EFFECTS
I was a little hesitant to try this trick because I had never heard of it before. I gave it a try, hoping it would work. After one gargle, it relieved the pain. However, it felt like my throat was on fire (the same sensation you feel when you pour alcohol on a open cut) As for swallowing it, I suggest spitting out the amount you gargled and pouring a little bit into the cup. It will make it easier to swallow just a little bit.
Mouthwash
Posted by Ryan (Edson, Ab, Canada) on 04/11/2012
When I gargled the mouthwash it didn't really work, but then after I drank a verry little of it my throught started to feel better instantly.
Mouthwash
Posted by Kaylah (Winnipeg, Manitoba) on 07/04/2012
★★★★★
THANK YOU!!! Im 13 and in gymnastics! And whenever I got to do a flip my throat kills me! :( but then I looked up sore throat remedies and I got mouthwash! I tried it and voila!! I can swallow! Thank you so much for this remedie!!
Cranberry
Posted by cameron (seattle, washington/U.S.A) on 03/19/2009
★★★★★
Ok I've had a sore throat for a while and i like to drink cranberry juice i don't often get sick but l tried warm cranberry for my sore throat and it worked wonders. Drink more than just 1 glass keep drinking it. it might sting a lot (scale to 1-10 a 7) but it makes the pain of swallowing go away after that =D
Hot Sauce
Posted by Mark (Cambridge, Ontario) on 03/17/2009
★★★★★
i tried this one with Franks with cayanne in it.it w orked great five drops in a cup of luke warm water. and presto no sore throat.
Hot Sauce
Posted by Mike (Detroit, Michigan) on 02/20/2009
★★★★★
I gargled with 3-8 ounce cups warm water with hot sauce diluted and ate some hot chicken noodle soup sprinkled with hotsauce in and my sore throat disappeared. I want to thank you and your community for great remedy.
Multiple Remedies
Posted by corie (turnersville, nj usa) on 01/30/2009
★★★★★
a glass of hot water and salt helped my sore throat. i just gargled it until the glass was empty. i did this repeatedly every few hours or so. i also found that hot tea with honey and lemon works but not as long as the salt water. the tea just tastes better. vitamin water helps keep the sore throat away for a couple of hours. i would drink a bottle of it over the course of 1 to 2 hours after doing one of the remedies. ricolas dont work that well but they do help coughs and sometimes congestion it really depends on the flavor you get.
for post coughing pain i tried this really weird concoction but it worked. i used skim milk (don't use any other milk but skim or you will get flem) and a pinch of cinnamon. it helped with the pain you get after you have been coughing for a few hours.
Acid Reflux Connection
Posted by Bonny (Nassau, Bahamas) on 03/15/2010
Vocal help suggestions anyone?
3 months ago what I thought was a discomfort in throat & neck from maybe too much singing is still with me after 4 different antibiotics, numerous tests & 2 scopes from ENT doctors. One thought it was acid reflux due to the inflammed appearance where the oesophagus meets the voice box....10 days on omeprazole made me feel worse . The next gave me anti-inflammatories which seemed to help but once stopped, the raw feeling & sensitivity on right side of throat returned. I cannot even speak for long without a strained feeling, nevermind sing.......any suggestions, this is so depressing.......
Stop Talking
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.
Coconut Oil
Posted by Pam (Chicago, Ill.) on 09/02/2012
Can you be more specific how to use.
Vinegar
Posted by Tory (Jackson, California) on 12/21/2008
★★★★★
I'm suffering from the worst sore throat I've EVER had, and I'm 51. I read all the cures and the most posted about Apple cider & vinegar, so I didn't have any vinegar here, but I did have these pickled garlic pieces, I chewed one and drank some juice from it, its the first I've had relief in 4 days!!!
Mouthwash
Posted by Christina (Tallahassee, Florida) on 12/08/2008
★★★★★
I tried gargling mouthwash for my sore throat and it worked right away. My throat started to hurt a little while after but its much more tollerable now that I can actually swallow! I used about a cm over the line inside the cap of the mouthwash.
Multiple Remedies
Posted by Erica (NYC, NY) on 11/28/2008
★★★★☆
apple cider vinegar, lavender oil, peppermint tea, sea salt
I read through the blog and pulled everything i could find in the cupboard. Yesterday felt my throat starting to swell and woke up in the middle of the night with left throat gland / lymph node really painful and hard to swallow.
Ended up gargling warm water with apple cider vinegar, lemon and honey, then drank a cup of water with 2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar. drank 3 cups of peppermint tea with lemon and honey, applied lavender oil to the glad with a warm water press for a few minutes, also sprayed echinacea/tea tree oil in my throat and even drank a glass of water with sea salt.
Sounds a bit much? Probably... but it's only been an hour and a half and I think the swelling is definitely reducing, i'm definitely feeling a lot better and not as worried thats for sure. I think a lot may be psychological too - the more stuff you take for it, the more you think it will heal and so it does. So make sure to stay positive. :)
