As I stated before in my post “Oh NO, I sound like a frog”, I have been suffering from a horrible summer cold. I really don’t have any symptoms except a sore throat and stuffy ears. At 6 a.m. I was woken by some of the worst pain I have ever experienced. I have never given birth but I have had my feet tattooed and I assume the agony I felt would fall in between those two instances.
Yesterday, I tried several home remedies to alleviate my sore throat.
Hot green tea with honey and lemon
Chewing a clove of garlic
Steam tent
Gargling peroxide and Listerine
Vitamin C (Drinking orange juice)
Last but not least, staying hydrated
All of these remedies worked, to some extent. But this morning, I needed immediate relief, so I quickly compiled all the knowledge I had and mashed together a series of treatments that worked surprisingly well.
- Hot compress: I took a wash cloth and lined it with Epsom salt. I soaked the cloth in warm water and stuck it in the microwave for about 30 seconds. I placed this compress on my neck. Why it works: The heat helps to relax the muscles and reduce the inflammation of lymph nodes.
- Gargling with warm salt water, peroxide and/or Listerine: Many people gargle with warm salt water but I find this very difficult. I recommend a warm salt water gargle if you are able to manage it because the salt helps to reduce swelling and kill those nasty germs. I prefer to gargle with peroxide for a couple of reasons: I don’t think it has a taste and I like to hear it bubble, for some reason when I hear the fizz, I’m convinced germs are being murdered! (I’m a BIG fan of hydrogen peroxide) Listerine or any other brand of antiseptic mouth wash can be used to help kill bacteria. Why it works: Sore throats may be caused by bacteria on the tonsils and adenoids. By gargling one or all (at different times) of these liquids, you will be helping your body fight that infection by washing away germs and promoting circulation.
My personal choice in gargles – 2 tsp of peroxide, gargle aggressively for about twenty seconds. Then 2 tsp of Listerine, gargle for as long as possible. Rinse out mouth with room temperature water.
- Steam tent: Steaming is one of the oldest tricks in the book. Boil water and add to a bowl. I prefer to add eucalyptus Epsom salt to the boiling water. Sit with a towel over your head and bowl; take long deep breaths through your nose. Why it works: Breathing through your nose is the body’s natural humidifier. Steam will help relieve some of the pain and also clear away mucus. You may also want to take a hot bath (add camomile tea or sea/Epsom salt to your bath water) or take a steamy shower a couple of times a day.
- Hot Green tea with honey and lemon: Make yourself a cup of hot green tea. Add honey and lemon. Simple enough! I like to add a bag of Sleepy Time tea just because it helps me relax. Why it works: The heat from the tea helps to sooth the throat. Honey helps to coat the throat, helps to draw out water in inflamed tissue and has antibacterial properties. Honey is awesome! Lemon cuts through the mucus.
Many people will drink Hot Honey Lemonade but I find that it makes my stomach upset. I like to just add honey and lemon to my green tea.
I use local honey (I just use that container because the honey comes out better)
and I recommend using an actual lemon. This processed lemon juice is all I had around the house. - ibuprofen or naproxen: I know that this is not a natural remedy but I felt that it was important to include ibuprofen on this list as it was one of the steps in helping my sore throat. Ibuprofen is an NSAID (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug) and it helps to reduce pain and inflammation. There are many herbs that can be used as a natural anti-inflammatory; turmeric and ginger being the two most popular. If you are looking to truly go all natural, add a bit of one of these herbs to your green tea.
Homemaking for Peculiar Gals 