7 Home Remedies for Throat Infections

7 Home Remedies for Throat Infections

No one escapes a sore throat. Once in a while everyone gets feeling of throat infection. Your throat may burn, feels scratchy and painful.

A sore throat is not only painful but also a discomfort in daily important activities like eating and drinking. At times people are unable to even talk. You may lose your voice temporarily completely.

Throat infections can be viral, bacterial or fungal. Even allergic reaction to environmental pollution and smoking can cause sore throat. Sometimes excessive acid reflux or dry air can cause sore throat.

Most of the throat infections can be managed with natural home remedies and lifestyle adjustments. Depending on causes you may not require any medical help. However, some infections may require doctors attention.

Following are 7 home remedies for throat infections.

1. Hot Liquids

Drinking hot liquids (non-caffeinated) helps to sooth the sore throat.

Drinking tea particularly Chamomile tea is very effective for sore throat.

• Add 1-2 dried chamomile blossoms to a glass of boiling water.
• Steep and drink a cup every couple of hours.

You can use Thyme tea which works equally good.

Another good tea is Ginger Tea to treat throat infection.

• Cut the ginger in slices (3-4 mm thick) and crush them.
• Add 2 crushed slices in a 300 ml of water.
• Let the water become brownish.
• Cool it to acceptable level and sip the tea.
• You can add honey to add taste.

You can also get additional benefit of ginger by adding in the chamomile or thyme tea to heal your sore throat fast.

2. Garlic

Garlic contains Allicin- a compound which has antibacterial and antiseptic properties to help treat or prevent sore throats.

Though garlic smell is strong and can be embarrassing in any social setting, garlic benefits outweigh it. You can add garlic to cooked food but the best effects will come from eating raw garlic.

• Take a garlic clove and peel the outer skin
• Split the clove vertically into two equal pieces
• Keep a piece inside each cheek an suck it
• Occasionally chew a little bit to release allicin

The whole process to sucking and eating garlic this way should take about 10-15 minutes. Allicin will kill bacteria and give you instant throat pain relief.

3. Take Steam

Inhaling steam is almost a sure shot way to get rid of most of milder versions of throat infections. Steam moisturizes the throat and the upper respiratory tract. This helps in release of mucus which removes the bacteria and the irritants that are causing throat irritation. It also reduces pain and discomfort.

• Take about 500ml of water and steam it.
• Switch of the burner and remove the pot from the heater
• Put the pot on a table and sit on a chair.
• Keep your face about 6 inches directly above the pot so that you can inhale the steam
• Cover your head with a towel in such a way that the pot is also covered and steam can’t escape from sides.
• Alternatively inhale from nostrils and mouth.
• Do it for about five minutes. Your face will be wet with the condensed steam
• Remove the towel, wash your face and pat it dry.

Inhaling steam 3-4 times a day will completely remove your viral throat infection in a couple of days.

4. Gargling With Salt Water

Gargling by salt water is age old tried and tested natural cure for strep throat pain relieving. It gives temporary relief. Gargle after every couple of hours with a teaspoon of salt added to a glass of water (200-250ml).

Ensure that the water is warm enough but not hot to burn your tongue.

5. Apple Cedar Vinegar

Apple Cider Vinegar is a potent healer for many conditions. You can take Apple Cider Vinegar in two different ways to reduce pain and cure throat infection

• Take 50 ml of Apple Cider Vinegar in a cup
• Add half a teaspoon of honey and mix it well
• Add the mixture to a cup of warm water
• Drink it slowly

Both honey and Apple Cider Vinegar work on the infection to provide pain relief. Do it 3-4 times a day.

If you don’t like to drink apple cider vinegar then you can use it to gargle. Add 50 ml of Apple Cider Vinegar to a glass of warm water and gargle. If you have strep throat, then gargle with the mixture every two hours. It will give you tremendous relief from the infection of throat.

6. Get Sufficient Rest

Our fast lifestyle has made most of us rest deprived. Lack of rest creates fatigues and reduces immunity. Any infection in its early stages can be easily fought with sufficient rest. But, most of us don’t take rest, so infection spreads.

It is very true for throat infections. If you take sufficient rest particularly when you are getting the first signals of mild irritation in throat, then you will save yourself from a lot of trouble. You won’t get a full blown throat infection.

Make a regular habit of taking sufficient rest. Sleep well in the night for 7-8 hours.

7. Drink More Fluids

Like not taking enough rest, most of us don’t drink enough fluids during the day. This keeps us dehydrated impacting our immunity.

Fully hydrated body fights any sort of infection vigorously, and in most cases you will win. In certain cases you will still get the throat infection but it will heal fast if you are fully hydrated.

Drink 8-10 glasses of water daily. You can eat fruits and drink juices to increase fluid intake. Carbonated drinks and alcohol do not help in throat infection as these drinks dehydrate your throat.

Original article and pictures take www.homeremediesforall.com site