Simple remedies for sore throat

Simple remedies for sore throat

by -
0 804

The unrelenting dusty atmosphere that we experience this dry season is cause for concern!

For each breath we draw, we take in copious amount of fine dust that ends up irritating the throat, resulting in coughs and sore throat.

Generally, sore throat is an unpleasant infection, as it is capable of leaving your throat raw and painful, such that each time you cough, it’s as if your throat wants to rip apart!

It may also lead to hoarse voice. In fact, in some more terrible cases, a sore throat can also lead to temporary loss of voice, making every attempt at speaking a laborious exercise.

Worse still is that sore throat itches! Your throat itches, yet you have no idea how to scratch it the way you would a skin surface, making you to feel more miserable still.

And, depending on the severity, a sore throat can be so painful as to make swallowing food a difficult task.

Consultant Otolaryngologist, Dr. Omolade Bashir, says we develop sore throat when we expose our tonsils to the polluted air around us, especially dust particles that end up lining the tender passage of the throat.

She explains, “Sore throats may be caused by viral illness such as the common cold, which is the commonest type of viral infection. It could also be as a result of the infection of the voice box; while it may also be contacted when you kiss an infected person.

“That’s why sore throat is sometimes referred to as ‘the kissing disease.’”

In general, this viral infection tends to cause a persistent sore throat, leading to general misery, even when it hasn’t confined you to bed.

She says painful throat is the primary symptom of a sore throat; but it may also be accompanied by secondary symptoms such as a dry throat, swollen glands in the neck, white patches on the tonsils, and hoarseness.

Bashir says ordinarily, sore throat should disappear within a week after infection, warning that a sore throat that persists beyond a week, or one that gets worse by the day should be seen by the physician.

For many people, seeing the doctor or going to the pharmacy for medication is the next step, which is quite okay.

However, there are some natural remedies for sore throat that are readily available in your kitchen. You can use any of them and get the desired relief without the fear of any side effects.

Indeed, experts counsel that using natural cures for simple ailments such as sore throat is good, because they can actually be made at home. What are these natural remedies? These ones…

Honey, lemon and warm water

Bashir says it has been scientifically proved that honey softens the voice, while lemon provides vitamin C, which not only protects the body against immune system deficiencies, but also serves as a powerful antibacterial.

“When lemon is juiced into honey and diluted with warm water, it has this soothing effect on a sore throat, providing almost an instant relief,” Bashir says.

She warns that it is dangerous to drink cold water or other cold beverages when one has sore throat, simply because the infectious bacteria or virus actually thrive in cold environs. Feeding the infected throat with cold drinks is like empowering the infectious agents.

“When this happens, the infections may stay longer than necessary, with the attendant pain and inconveniences,” Bashir warns.

Gargle with salt water

General Practitioner, Dr. Funmi Caleb, says gargling with salt and warm water helps to heal a sore throat that is caused by irritants such as dry air or allergies.

She says, “Gargling with salt and warm water, several times a day, helps to reduce swelling and to also relieve the discomfort that accompanies sore throat.

“It will also help to loosen the mucus, thereby flushing out the causative irritants or bacteria.”

The way to go about it, Caleb says, is to dissolve half a teaspoon of salt in one cup of warm water. You may add a small quantity of honey to sweeten it slightly. When you gargle, spit out the water and repeat as many times as possible in a day, until the symptoms disappear and you feel genuine relief.

She also suggests that adding a spoon of whiskey to a glass of warm water and gargling with it is capable of numbing the throat and bringing the much-needed relief.

Mind your habit

Many illnesses are a direct cause of our habits, doctors say. Bashir says many people develop sore throat because they sleep with their mouths open.

She counsels, “When you sleep with your mouth ajar, you breathe through the mouth, rather than through the nose. This will lead to dry throat, which is the precursor to sore throat.

“Again, acid reflux can lead to sore throat. You may have acid reflux while you’re sleeping when stomach acid splashes up from the stomach into the esophagus.

“Develop the habit of keeping your mouth close when you sleep, which will enable you to breathe with your mouth and keep dry or sore throat at bay.”

The specialist also advises people to sleep in such a way that the head is elevated a little bit higher than the rest of the body.

“This will prevent acid reflux that may lead to sore throat,” Bashir assures.

Bottom line: Don’t ignore a sore throat that lasts longer than a week. And if you are a smoker, persistent sore throat can be an indication of something serious. See the doctor.

PUNCH.

NO COMMENTS

Leave a Reply