Whether your raw throat is from having the flu or post-nasal drip or from cheering a little too loud at a concert the night before, the burning sensation that you feel in the back of your throat is painful and annoying. To ease the irritation, reach for a few items that you probably already have at home. However, talk to your doctor before using any home remedies or over-the-counter medications to reduce sore throat pain, especially if you have a medical condition or allergies.
Gargle with saltwater. Sprinkle 1 tbsp. of table salt into 1 pint of warm water and stir until the salt dissolves completely. Take one mouthful of the water at a time and gargle so that the water touches your throat then spit it out. Continue until you have gargled all of the water. Repeat once an hour.
Sip on hot water with lemon and honey. Heat some water on the stove or in the microwave oven, pour into a cup, then add fresh lemon juice and honey to taste. Stir the liquid until the honey has completely dissolved then sip on the mixture. Repeat every few hours.
Drink at least eight glasses of water a day to prevent dehydration and moisten your throat and vocal cords. When your vocal cords are raw and irritated, drinking more water will help.
Inhale steam. Run very hot water in your bathroom or kitchen sink for about a minute then plug in the sink stopper and fill the sink with the hot water. Lean over the sink and drape a towel over your head to keep the steam from the water trapped underneath the towel. Breathe in the steam for 10 minutes.
Suck on throat lozenges. Throat lozenges may contain herbs like peppermint, which will numb your throat. Lozenges also will increase saliva production, which will lubricate your throat and soothe the irritation.
Tip
Add a small amount of honey to a cup of tea to soothe your throat.
For an even more intense steam treatment, bring a medium-sized saucepan filled with water to boil on the stove. Turn off the stove once the water has begun to boil. Lean over the pan and drape a towel over your head to keep the steam from the water trapped underneath the towel. Make certain to keep your face at least 8 or 10 inches away from the top of the pan to avoid burning yourself on the extremely hot steam. Breathe in the steam for 10 minutes.
Warning
See a doctor if your raw throat persists for more than a week or if it's accompanied by other symptoms, such as a rash or fever.
Do not give throat lozenges to children under the age of 4.
References
- "The Doctors Book of Home Remedies"; Deborah Tkac; 1990
- MayoClinic.com: Sore Throat; September 2010
- University of Maryland Medical Center": Sore Throat; David Zieve, MD, MHA; November 2010
Resources
Writer Bio
Megan Smith has been a freelance writer and editor since 2006. She writes about health, fitness, travel, beauty and grooming topics for various print and Internet publications. Smith earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in writing from New York University.