Natural Home remedies for Sore Throat or Strep Throat

A sore throat burns, feels scratchy and may cause pain that makes it hard to talk or swallow. The usual cause is a virus or bacteria, though throat irritation may also be caused by smoking, dry heat, postnasal drip or an allergic reaction. Try these sore throat remedies to feel better fast.

Gargle With Warm Salt Water :-

When your Grandmother told you to gargle with salt water, she knew what she was talking about. Gargling with salt water isn’t an old wives tale-it’s about one of the closest to a cures for a sore throat you can get.

When our throats hurt, regardless of what causes it, it’s because the cells in the mucous membranes have become swollen and inflamed. By gargling with salt water you decrease the swelling, as salts primary function is to draw out water, which in turn shrinks the swollen cell and eases the pain. It also helps wash away the excess mucous and allows your stuffy nose (if you have one) to drain properly.

You will need…
-1 cup of warm water (8 oz.)
-½ teaspoon of table salt

Directions
Heat water until it’s warm, but not hot. Thoroughly mix in salt. Gargle. Repeat 3 throughout the day as needed. Any more than that and you risk drying out healthy soft tissue and making things worse.

Mix up an ACV drink :-

Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) is probably right up there with garlic (its unfortunate the things that make us better can’t taste delicious) but some people swear by it. Its high levels of acidity can kill bacteria quite efficiently, and when mixed with honey it can soothe the soreness in your throat as well.

You will need…
-1 tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar
-1 tablespoon of honey
-1 cup of very warm water

Directions
Mix the ACV and honey into very warm water. Drink it while it’s still warm!

Steam It Out :-

Steam can ease a sore throat-particularly one that hurts due to dryness-shorten its duration, and make it easier to breathe if you’re congested. You don’t have to head to your gym’s sauna/steam room to get the treatment either-there are ways to use steam as a remedy without leaving the comfort of your home.

You will need…
-1 medium to large bowl
-Enough hot water to fill your bowl about halfway
-1 bath towel or a towel of similar size
-Eucalyptus oil (optional)

Directions
Boil a pot of water and pour it into your bowl. Lean over the bowl so that you can fully inhale the rising steam-you don’t have to stick your face right up to it. Drape the towel over your head to create a tent for the steam. Add a few drops of eucalyptus oil if you’d like to make it more soothing. If you’re worried about frightening someone who walks in on a mysterious towel-draped creature snuffling and sniffling over a bowl of steaming water, taking a hot shower and letting the bathroom steam up can provide some relief as well.

Gargle with age :-

Sage is an awesome healing herb which cures sore throat rapidly. Juice of the Sage leaves also reduces the pain and inflammation caused by sore throat. It also protects the soft and delicate tissues of the throat.

• Mix 1 tablespoon of Sage leaves in 2 cups of boiling water.
• Boil it for 10 minutes, strain the water and then add 1 teaspoon of honey and apple cider vinegar in this water.
• Gargle with this mixture 2-3 times a day to get rid of sore throat.
• Simply chew few Sage leaves, the juice of the leaves will soothe your throat by relieving the soreness.

Salt and water :-

• • Try grandma’s sore throat remedy by mixing 1⁄4 teaspoon salt in 1 cup warm water.
  • (Use the hottest water you can comfortably tolerate.
  • Cold gargles are ineffective.) If you have it, add 1 tablespoon of Listerine for germ-killing power.

• The briny solution helps rinse away and neutralize acids in the throat, relieving the burning sensation and promoting fast healing of irritated mucous membranes.

Note: Mix a fresh batch of gargle for every use. Better to waste a bit pouring it out than to leave it in your glass, where it might become contaminated with bacteria. Also, do not swallow the gargle; spit it out.

Ginger, honey, and lemon in water :-

• This home remedy mixes 1 teaspoon each of powdered ginger and honey, 1⁄2 cup of hot water, and the juice of 1⁄2 squeezed lemon.
• Pour the water over the ginger, then add the lemon juice and honey, and gargle.
• Honey coats the throat and also has mild antibacterial properties.

Cayenne Pepper :-

• • Cayenne pepper is one of the best and very effective kitchen remedies that cure strep throat in few days.
  • It helps to kill the internal throat bacteria.
  • Take 1 tablespoon of cayenne pepper and mix it with 1 teaspoon of fresh garlic paste.
  • Taste the mixture several times throughout the day and let this mixture coat your throat; don’t drink water after taking this remedy.
  • Mix half teaspoon of cayenne pepper with cup of boiling water.
  • Strain the water and gargle with this warm mixture.

• Cayenne pepper will disinfect the throat area and prepares it for smooth circulation.

Cinnamon :-

Cinnamon can cure sore throat caused by the cough & common cold.

• Boil 3-4 small sticks of cinnamon or 1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder in 2 cup of water for 10 minutes. Strain the water and add 1 tablespoon of honey in it.
• Drink this warm mixture slowly. Repeat this 2-3 times a day.
• You can drink cinnamon tea regularly to cure strep throat.
• Mix one teaspoon of cinnamon powder and half teaspoon of black pepper powder to glass water.
• Boil this mixture for 5 minutes. Strain the water and allow it to warm.
• Gargle with this water for few minutes. Do this 2-3 times a day to get fast relief from sore throat.

Fenugreek :-

• Fenugreek contains mucus-dissolving properties which gives you instant relief from soreness and swelling.
• Prepare a simple gargle solution using few fenugreek seeds; this solution is very beneficial for curing sore throat quickly.
• Add 2-3 tablespoons of fenugreek seeds or powder to glass of water.
• Boil this water for 15-20 minutes on slow flame.
• Strain the water when it becomes warm.Gargle with this water. Repeat this 3-4 times a day.

Garlic :-

• Garlic can be used to soothe a sore throat.
• Fresh garlic can be blended and added to soups or a gargle.
• Add one fresh clove of garlic chopped or blended in a food processor to a cup of warm water and gargle.
• Garlic powder can also be used.

The University of Maryland Medical Center recommends taking a garlic supplement to help build immunity and help heal sore throats because garlic is high in antioxidants. Fresh garlic has more of the active ingredients than cooked garlic.