Sore Throat Remedies?

[Spacetronaut]

It's 4 in the morning. I'm sick and exhausted and I can't sleep because every time I get close I swallow and this causes horrible discomfort. I've gone through half a bottle of throat spray and a good deal of aspirin all to no effect. Anybody know of any medicine or home remedies that work particularly well? At this point I'd wrangle and molest a venomous cobra if I thought it would help.

[Squidbot]

Honey and milk, according to my dear old Mom, and it always seemed to work for me, although how much of that is placebo I couldn't say, but I can tell you I still use it today.
Either that or stop chugging so much sausage ;)

[Spacetronaut]

Honey and milk, according to my dear old Mom, and it always seemed to work for me, although how much of that is placebo I couldn't say, but I can tell you I still use it today.
Either that or stop chugging so much sausage ;)

Hell, I'll try it. And I choose to believe my sore throat is unrelated to any frantic homosexual activities I may or may not have engaged in.

[Johan]

Gargle with warm salty water.

[boratika]

Unpasteurised honey + lemon juice + hot (not boiling) water -> drink

Also just eating the honey with a spoon is good. Thing is, it depends on what flower the honey came from as to whether it's efficacious or not, so good luck.

Also raw garlic should help.

[boratika]

Gargle with warm salty water.

Most. Disgusting. Thing. Ever.

[Johan]

Most. Disgusting. Thing. Ever.

Warm salty water is? :confused:

It can clear your nasal passages as well if you drain it through your sinus/nostrils. Tilt your head back, pour it in, and feel the crud strip away...

Oh, and you'll drink that crud if you do that. :)

[Haemorrhage]

Spicy Vietnamese pho soups always cure my sore throat and clear the sinuses.

[Iron Past]

The warm salty water will help it heal faster, warm milk with honey will make you feel better now. Honey actually has some medicinal properties to it.

[Squidbot]

Hell, I'll try it. And I choose to believe my sore throat is unrelated to any frantic homosexual activities I may or may not have engaged in.

Oh come on, somebody sig that!

[Radioguy9698]

this

http://img.thesun.co.uk/multimedia/archive/00429/gun_682_404868a_429188a.jpg

filled with vodka

[ADDGirl]

Warm salty water is? :confused:

It can clear your nasal passages as well if you drain it through your sinus/nostrils. Tilt your head back, pour it in, and feel the crud strip away...

Oh, and you'll drink that crud if you do that. :)
You aren't supposed to tilt your head back all that crud will run down your throat you are supposed to tilt your head all the way forward and then start with the rinsing the sinuses

The warm salty water will help it heal faster, warm milk with honey will make you feel better now. Honey actually has some medicinal properties to it.

Milk isn't good when you're sick it can make you more congested.

For me hot liquids help in general but as a rule I always do hot tea with honey and lemon. Chicken soup is also great.

[KingGorilla]

http://www.undercovertourist.com/united-states/kentucky/lexington/attractions/img/l/wild-turkey-distiller.jpg (http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa237/dbrent19/wild-turkey-distiller.jpg)

[boratika]

Bad Gorilla! Hotlinking is wrong. And in this case non-functional.

[Squidbot]

http://www.undercovertourist.com/united-states/kentucky/lexington/attractions/img/l/wild-turkey-distiller.jpg

I feel better already.

[DoctorFinger]

Gargling with salt (or baking soda) will kill any surface bacteria that may be causing the soreness, but a strong mouthwash - like Listerine - will do much the same thing. But if it's not caused by a bacteria it won't help much. I'd recommend trying to find Cepacol throat drops. They're IMO, more effective than the sprays. I also find that jello is very soothing with a sore throat, and it has fewer detrimental side effects than dairy.

[Johan]

Gargling with salt (or baking soda) will kill any surface bacteria that may be causing the soreness, but a strong mouthwash - like Listerine - will do much the same thing.

Alcohol mouthwashes destroy good bacteria too, however. That can end up making things worse by allowing bad bacteria to colonize more rapidly. It's like carpet bombing to kill weeds; the trees are cleared away and the weeds that remain can spread more easily/freely.

Also, as was mentioned by ADD, milk is bad when you're congested in any way; it causes mucus buildup.

[Seconds Out]

Antibiotics. Works like a charm.

[DoctorFinger]

Alcohol mouthwashes destroy good bacteria too, however. That can end up making things worse by allowing bad bacteria to colonize more rapidly. It's like carpet bombing to kill weeds; the trees are cleared away and the weeds that remain can spread more easily/freely.
So will either salt or baking soda. That's the trade-off, same with antibiotics.

[Commissar Rob]

Gargle with warm salty water.
Despite the debate, I've got to side with Johan here. Works well if you've tried everything else.

You could also just go to a doc in the box and get some codine. Yummy yummy codine.

[Johan]

So will either salt or baking soda. That's the trade-off, same with antibiotics.

Salt is the best of the bunch for a moderate approach, because it won't carpet bomb the area. Antibiotics and alcohol-based mouthwash do. Baking soda I've never tried or heard of trying.

You could always use acidophilous to replace good bacteria, as well. I normally do if I'm on an antibiotic. And/or eat yogurt...the unsweetened kind without the pretty colors. :)

[KingGorilla]

Bad Gorilla! Hotlinking is wrong. And in this case non-functional.

I am a baaaaad boy. I tossed it onto my photobucket.

[pomeroy]

I am a baaaaad boy. I tossed it onto my photobucket.

Dude, I hotlink too. I just don't care enough half the time to throw it on photobucket.

[TheEpicOfTyler]

Antibiotics. Works like a charm.

This.Tooooo short.

[Schnoogs]

horse semen

[Spacetronaut]

I went with the honey and milk combo in the end, though I considered the pistol for a while. I don't know if it worked or all the other crap I'd been taking finally kicked in but I was able to get some sleep. Thanks for the suggestions.

[hunterx280]

My mom has a nice recipe for colds and sore throats. You get some peppermint tea from the store, put in a very tiny bit of cayenne pepper and then mix in a little honey. Works miracles.

[muddi900]

Gargle with warm salty water.

That works with a blocked throat, not a sore one!

[Inspector Fowler]

Get tested for strep if it doesn't clear up quickly. I had strep numerous times (every single year) when I was younger - it's a flesh eating bacteria, and I now have disgusting holes in the back of my throat to prove it. If it isn't untreated it can cause much more serious problems.

[Mastergeo7]

Honey + Butter + Rum

Mix everything and drink it hot.

Obviously don't use a lot of rum if you don't want to get hammered :)

[Johan]

That works with a blocked throat, not a sore one!

I prefer the Heimlich maneuver for blocked throats! ;)

[Spacetronaut]

Get tested for strep if it doesn't clear up quickly. I had strep numerous times (every single year) when I was younger - it's a flesh eating bacteria, and I now have disgusting holes in the back of my throat to prove it. If it isn't untreated it can cause much more serious problems.

Yeah, I had strep all the time when I was a kid and now my tonsils are the size of cats. I'll definitely find my way to a doctor of some kind if it persists.

[rinichanraar]

Ughhh, now I have a sore throat. The only honey we have is a batch of flavored honey sticks left over from PAX, and I don't know if those'll help or just irritate my throat more because they've got weird flavors.

[Everyone vs Dinosaurs]

Ughhh, now I have a sore throat. The only honey we have is a batch of flavored honey sticks left over from PAX, and I don't know if those'll help or just irritate my throat more because they've got weird flavors.

For some reason I found that last bit hilarious.




Back to sore throats. My old teacher used to get one of those nasty organic juice jugs (the kind that come in a glass container) and put those dried red pepper things some people put on pizza in it.

Worked for him.

[Spacetronaut]

My throat has grown steadily more unpleasant, so that now I can only sleep about 40 minutes at a stretch before I wake myself up by swallowing. So despite my natural distrust for doctors I'm heading in to see one in a couple hours. Hopefully he won't just tell me I'm sick and need to get some rest. I hate paying $300 for that.

[LongStepMantis]

I get a lot of sore throat problems related to my severe allergies (hayfever, etc.)

For pain, I recommend using the over-the-counter throat sprays. I stick with Vicks 44 Sore Throat spray. Now that only masks the pain, so I gargle with heavily salted water and drink hot tea for a few hours. Works wonders for me. Avoid the hell out of anything with carbonation. No soda, beer, anything fizzy at all. Also, no acidic drinks like fruit juices and the like. Especially orange juice. OJ is the throat-killer if you already have issues. Way too much citric acid content.

If it persists, it's likely a bonafide illness and you have no choice but to see a doctor.
Good luck with that.

[Wilkz07]

Buckleys. Tastes awful but it works.

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ONu3K8DEikg&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ONu3K8DEikg&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>