Replied by Ted (Bangkok, Thailand)
Dear JK: You can try them both alternatively and see which ones works best for you. Usually people seem to respond best with ACV + baking soda, but if the body is severely acidic, quite often baking soda alone would work better. There is no way to tell the seriousness of the condition. But based on your sore throat to the extent that you cannot talk, it appears to be a staph bacteria, in which case an addition of magnesium supplements, or the use of Milk of magnesia to be used as a mouthwash, the remedy could be one tablespoon of milk of magnesia (without the aluminum please!) in 1/2 glass of water and maybe 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda twice a day, usually in the morning and before bedtime. The magnesium hydroxide should kill whatever strep throat infections there are that is causing the problem. After doing that for a couple of minutes, then rinse the mouth with plain water. I think it is important to supplement with magnesium supplements, usually 250 mg/day for 5 days out of a week, for at least a month or so, before stopping. The raised magnesium level should kill the bacteria that causes certain bacterial sore throat, assuming of course that it is of non-viral, but they still weaken in presence of alkalinity anyway.
In the long run, either ACV with baking soda, or lemon with baking soda are often best. However, in some cases baking soda can be taken alone, if people are sensitive to ACV and lemon. In practice, I will always alternate them between the two.
N Acetyl Cysteine may also help in case their is excessive mucus in the throat. For that remedy, I would try 500 mg/day for only a couple of days.