Remedies for Soothing a Sore Throat and When to Talk with a Doctor

Gargle with salt water

Gargling with warm salt water can help soothe a scratchy throat. The salt pulls the mucus out of your swollen, inflamed tissue and helps relieve the discomfort.

Try combining 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of table salt with 4 to 8 ounces of warm water. Stir until the salt dissolves. Then gargle with it for several seconds and spit it out. Repeat the salt gargle several times each day.

Suck on a lozenge

Lozenges and cough drops increase saliva production and help keep your throat lubricated. However, they won’t soothe your sore throat for as long as medicated lozenges or relieve it as effectively, and you may find yourself needing relief again soon.

Medicated over-the-counter (OTC) throat lozenges contain menthol, an ingredient that can gently numb the tissue in your throat, providing temporary relief from burning and pain sensations.

Avoid giving lozenges or cough drops to young children. Both are choking hazards.

Try OTC medication

According to a 2023 review of research, viruses cause between 50% and 80% of sore throats.

Antibiotics can’t treat sore throats caused by viruses, as they can only target bacteria. Instead, for a viral sore throat to go away, your immune system has to clear the virus.

OTC nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB) or naproxen (Aleve) can reduce inflammation and swelling in your throat. They can also relieve soreness or scratchiness.

You can also try OTC throat-numbing sprays. These products can numb your throat, which can relieve pain.

Never take OTC pain medications while pregnant without first talking with a doctor. It’s not safe to take ibuprofen at all stages of pregnancy. If you have a sore throat and are pregnant, it’s best to talk with a doctor about how to treat it.

Try adding honey to warm tea

Honey can help relieve sore throat pain and act as a cough suppressant.

Research suggests it may also have antimicrobial properties that may support your immune system in recovering from an upper respiratory infection. However, the authors note that more studies are still needed to better understand its effectiveness.

Warm tea sweetened with honey can soothe an irritated throat. Tea also keeps you hydrated, which helps relieve a sore throat.

Never give honey to infants under 1 year old, as it can potentially cause infant botulism, a severe bacterial infection.

Stay hydrated with water, tea, and soups

Staying hydrated is an important part of treating a sore throat. When you’re dehydrated, your body can’t produce enough saliva and mucus to keep your throat naturally lubricated, which can worsen the swelling and inflammation of a sore throat.

Water is a good choice, as are warm teas or soups.

Hot tea or hot soup, however, can burn your already sensitive throat and may worsen symptoms.

Medical Perspective

Warm water is what provides the relief. Any tea that you like can be used, such as chamomile, peppermint, oolong, or jasmine. Adding honey will contribute to the soothing effect on the sore throat thanks to its consistency and the fact that it will “stick” or line your throat.

Soups are very effective — again because of the warm water and their contents and consistency. A clear chicken or beef broth will also work well. The salt in the soup will help loosen the mucus and any fat in the soup will line the throat.

— Dr. George Krucik, MD

_{Quotes represent the opinions of our medical experts. All content is strictly informational and should not be considered medical advice.}

It’s also best to avoid caffeine and alcohol, which can increase dehydration and dry out your throat.

Use a humidifier

Breathing in moist air can help soothe swollen tissue in your nose and throat. To increase the moisture in your room, turn on a cool mist humidifier, which you can buy at most retailers.

To use your humidifier safely, be sure to:

• Make sure your humidifier is clean and replace its filter, if it has one.
• Position it away from walls and furniture.
• Use distilled water.

Take a steam shower

If you don’t have a humidifier, you can still get relief from moist air. Breathe in the steam from a warm shower to help reduce swelling and ease the pain of a sore throat.

You can also create steam by running very hot water into a sink. Drape a towel over your head and lean into the sink to breathe in the steam. Keep taking deep breaths for several minutes, and repeat as necessary to ease your sore throat.

To increase humidity in your house, you could boil water in a pot on the stove for 30 minutes.

You can also find products that you can use to create mentholated steam in a shower that may soothe a sore throat.

Keep your head elevated

When congestion comes with your sore throat, prop an extra pillow or two under your head. The extra height may help you breathe easier. This can help mucus travel down the back of your throat rather than collecting there.

If you have congestion and sleep with your mouth open, this can dry out your throat and make it hurt even more.

If you relieve your congestion, you won’t have to sleep with your mouth open.

Try an echinacea and sage spray

Use a few spritzes of a spray containing a combination of echinacea and sage.

A 2009 study suggests this herbal remedy may soothe a sore throat as well as OTC sore throat relief sprays. However, larger studies are still needed to support this home remedy.

Both echinacea and sage contain antioxidant compounds.

A 2021 study suggests echinacea supplements in children may help reduce the risk of upper respiratory infections developing bacterial complications like pneumonia.

It’s always best to talk with a doctor before taking supplements, as its possible they can interact with other medications you may be taking or be unsafe if you have certain health conditions.

Talk with a doctor to see if you may need a prescription

Viruses cause most sore throats, but sometimes the culprit can be bacteria such as streptococcus, which causes strep throat. If your sore throat doesn’t go away in a few days, gets worse, occurs without any other respiratory symptoms, or you’re running a fever, talk with a healthcare professional for a strep test. You might need an antibiotic.

If your doctor prescribes an antibiotic, finish the entire course. Do not stop taking the medication, even if your symptoms disappear and you begin to feel better.

Stopping the antibiotic early could leave some bacteria behind to make you sick again, and these bacteria that survive may no longer respond to the antibiotic.

Sore throats in children

Sore throats are a common childhood ailment. They’re often caused by viruses and will get better in four or five days. If your child is running a fever of 101°F (38.3°C) or higher, it’s best to talk with a pediatrician. A fever could be a symptom of strep throat. Because strep is caused by bacteria, it needs to be treated with an antibiotic.

You can relieve the pain of your child’s sore throat with medication such as acetaminophen (Children’s Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Children’s Advil, Children’s Motrin).

Check with a pediatrician first if your child is less than six months old.

Never give aspirin (Bufferin) to kids younger than 18, because of the risk of a rare but serious condition called Reye’s syndrome.

A few other ways to relieve your child’s throat pain include:

• Mix 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 8 ounces of warm water, and have your child gargle with it. Kids over the age of 6 are usually old enough to gargle without swallowing.
• Give your child warm liquids, such as chicken broth or tea. Kids over a year old can have a little honey mixed into the tea to soothe their throat.
• Let your child suck on something cold, such as an ice pop.

Avoid using sore throat sprays on children. These products contain the anesthetic benzocaine (Anbesol), which can cause an allergic reaction in some kids.

When to talk with a doctor

Most of the time, OTC treatments and home remedies can help you find relief from sore throat pain and discomfort.

However, if your symptoms are severe, don’t improve after a few days, or get worse, it’s best to talk with a healthcare professional.

Also, make an appointment if you:

• have severe pain when swallowing
• develop a high fever
• experience nausea or vomiting

How can you prevent a sore throat?

It isn’t always possible to prevent a sore throat. However, taking certain precautions can help. These include:

Washing your hands regularly

One way to prevent exposure to the germs that cause sore throats is to wash your hands with warm water and soap throughout the day. If you don’t have access to a sink, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

Wash your hands whenever you touch common surfaces such as doorknobs or keyboards, shake hands, or are exposed to people who are coughing or sneezing.

Avoid exposure from others

Try to avoid being around anyone who has symptoms of being sick.

Do not share personal items, such as toothbrushes, glasses, and silverware, with anyone else.

Take care of your overall health

And keep up your body’s resistance by:

• eating a wide variety of nutritious foods, such as fruits and vegetables in many different colors
• getting enough sleep (which is about 7 to 9 hours per night for adults)
• exercising regulary, or about 30 minutes of cardio on five days per week and two days of strength training

The bottom line

You can usually manage a sore throat at home with remedies like using sore throat lozenges, drinking warm tea with honey, and using a humidifier.

If you have a sore that that causes severe pain, gets worse, or doesn’t improve after a few days, it’s best to talk with a doctor. Most causes of a sore throat include viral infections, which usually go away on their own with time.

However, sometimes, a sore throat can result from a bacterial infection like strep throat. These infections may need antibiotics to resolve.

A doctor can test you for bacterial infections and recommend an appropriate treatment.

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