SORE THROAT REMEDIES

SORE THROAT REMEDIES

You've got a sore throat and you dread the simple task of swallowing. Sore throats (known medically as pharyngitis) are an acute inflammation of the mucous membrane of the lower pharynx. Tonsils and the soft palate may also be inflamed.

Sore throat symptoms include:

• A dry, scratchy or swollen throat
• Pain when swallowing, breathing or talking
• a burning sensation and tightness in the throat

There are various options available to help you deal with this uncomfortable condition. Here are a few to get you started:

Gargle with turmeric. Try this gargle to calm a cranky throat. Mix together 1 cup hot water, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Gargle with the mixture twice a day. If you're not good with the gargle, mix 1/2 teaspoon turmeric in 1 cup hot milk and drink. 

Gargle with warm saltwater.It cuts phlegm and reduces inflammation. Dissolve 1/2 teaspoon salt in 1/2 cup warm water, and gargle every three to four hours.

Gargle with a baking-soda solution. Dissolve one-half teaspoon of baking soda in a glass of warm water.

Sip lemon juice. Mix 1 tablespoon each of honey and lemon juice in 1 cup warm water and sip away.

Coarsely powdered cinnamon (dalchini) added to a glass of water along with two tablespoons of honey and a pinch of ground pepper and then boiled, is another remedy for sore throat.

Addition of a tsp of ghee to half a cup of milk and drinking just before sleeping also soothes the throat.

Sucking on hard candy - in the sugar-free variety -- can help keep your mouth and throat moist, which will make you feel more comfortable.

Drink as much fluid as possible -- at least 8 to 10 glasses per day. Keeping your throat well lubricated with soothing liquids can prevent it from becoming dry and irritated and may even help banish the infection faster. 

Especially if you're not good at gargling, drink hot fluids, such as coffee, tea or hot lemonade or soup. Coating the tissue in your throat with warm liquid provides a benefit similar to applying hot packs to infected skin.

Suck on Garlic -Peel a fresh clove, slice it in half, and place 1 piece in each cheek. Suck on the garlic like a cough drop. Occasionally, crush your teeth against the garlic, not to bite it in half, but to release its allicin, a chemical that can kill the bacteria that causes strep.

Avoid fried or cold foods, very cold drinks and anything sour as they can aggravate a sore throat.