Sore throats comprise a common health ailment among both children and adults. Though you'll find that the causes of a sore throat are numerous and varied, several home remedies can reduce the pain and help you recover quickly. Consult a doctor before trying to self-treat your sore throat if the throat pain is accompanied by more severe symptoms, including a fever of 101 degrees F or higher, pus-inflicted tonsils or if it continues to hurt for longer than five days, recommends the University of Virginia.
Drink Water
Your throat may feel dry and sore after a night sleeping while breathing through your mouth. A dry throat can feel even more painful during the winter, when the air is drier, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. The center recommends drinking a glass of water to quickly rehydrate the throat and make the pain disappear.
Suck on Candy
Place a lozenge or piece of hard candy in your mouth and suck on it, suggests the University of Michigan. Sucking on candy increases salivation, which can lubricate and soothe a sore throat. Increase the soothing effect by using a lozenge intended for sore throats, available from drug stores and grocery stores.
Warm Compresses
Wet a clean washcloth with warm tap water. Wrap the warm compress around your throat. The University of Virginia recommends this for sore throats caused by swollen glands, as the heat helps reduce the gland pressure and pain. Repeat as needed whenever you feel throat discomfort.
Pain Pills
Take over-the-counter ibuprofen or acetaminophen, popular painkillers that are common in many home medicine cabinets. Columbia University suggests taking 500 mg of acetaminophen or 200 mg of ibuprofen every six hours.
Salt Gargle
Mix 1/2 tsp. of sea salt or table salt in a cup of warm water until the salt dissolves. Gargle with this salty rinse a minimum of four times daily. Such rinses help soothe your sore throat and heal throat tissue, according to the University of Virginia.
