Have you ever had a sore throat? me, a lot! But, i guess no one never had it. Or you gotta tell me if you know someone who never ever ever ever had it yet! haha :D
As a teen, feeling sick makes me sick! I really hate taking medicines just to feel better. It's not the taste that i hate, but the thought that medicines have undergone through processes with chemicals and whatever! And with that hate, i get myself to find other ways to make myself feel better.
Everytime i'm having a sore throat, what comes in to my mind is it is a viral infection, that what comes after it is either cough or colds or even both! And i would surely hate that.
To prevent myself from having these - getting rid of sore throat and avoiding the after effect - without taking medicines, of course the first person i ask about health is my mom. Yep! my mom. She's not a doctor but for my family, she is. I guess everyone else's family doctor is their moms too. :)
So, what she told me to do are:
1. Gargle with a warm salt and water mixture.
At first, i didn't believe her because it doesn't really sound too effective but based on my experience for many times, it does. Gargling several times a day with a warm salt water can reduce swelling in the throat and loosen mucus, helping to flush out irritants or bacteria.
To make a this mixture, just dissolve a half teaspoon of salt in one cup of warm water. If it's too salty for you, just add a bit of honey to slightly sweeten the mixture.
Just don't forget to spit the salt water out after gargling, don't drink it!
2. Always drink water or keep yourself hydrated.
Staying hydrated is very important especially when your throat is scratchy or inflamed.
3. Take a lozenge.
One of the most popular lozenges in the Philippines is Strepsils. Looks like a candy and tastes like menthol.
It doesn't really cure your sore throat but it helps you lessen that scratchy painful feeling. It gives you a cooling effect like menthol or eucalyptus and it helps you keep your throat moist.
4. Warm tea sweetened with honey.
Tired of drinking water? Try a warm tea. A cup of tea can offer a soothing relief for a sore throat. Some teas contain ant-oxidants that may help you strengthen your immune system and avoid infection. Adding honey to it doesn't only sweeten the taste but it also has antibacterial properties that may help you heal faster.
Other warm fluids, including soup, also gives that relieving feeling. Just make sure that everything that you eat or drink is warm, not hot! Hot food or drinks may burn your sensitive throat and make it even worse!
5. Rest.
Getting some rest is probably one of the best things that you can do to battle the infection that caused your sore throat in the first place. Making sure your body is well-rested and not stressed may at least help fiight off the virus so you can get better the soonest.
You don't really have to spend too much on medicines to cure a soar throat. I've tried all these and based on my own experience, these simple home tips works for me. And i hope it will work for you too.
But, if these tips doesn't work on you, you can always go and consult to your doctor. :)
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