Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 4: Gargle with a saline solution
• Method 2 of 4: Using a saline solution as a throat spray
• Method 3 of 4: Using other treatment methods
• Method 4 of 4: Diagnose a sore throat
• Tips
• Warnings

Sore throats are painful and can sometimes make your throat itchy and itchy, making it difficult to swallow, drink and talk. It is usually a symptom of a viral or bacterial infection. Sore throat usually goes away on its own within a few days to a week. In the meantime, there are several ways you can soothe your sore throat with a saline solution.

To step

Method 1 of 4: Gargle with a saline solution

1. Decide what to gargle with. Most people choose to simply stir a teaspoon of table salt or sea salt into 250 ml of water. The salt draws water from the swollen tissue, reducing the swelling. If you don't mind a bad taste, consider adding a teaspoon of salt to a mixture of equal parts warm water and apple cider vinegar. There is no clear explanation for this, but apple cider vinegar seems to be more effective than other types of vinegar for soothing a sore throat. The acid in the vinegar is thought to kill the bacteria. A third option is to add half a teaspoon of baking soda to your saline solution.
2. Add honey or lemon to improve the taste. Honey has antibacterial properties that can fight bacterial infection. It can also soothe your sore throat and improve the taste of unpleasant substances. Lemon contains vitamin C to increase your resistance, but it also has antibacterial and antiviral properties.
   • Do not give honey to children under the age of two. This is because young children can be susceptible to infant botulism, which can contaminate honey.
3. Use a good gargling technique. Both children and adults can benefit from gargling. However, you should monitor children to make sure they spit out the mixture instead of swallowing it. Don't panic if your child swallows some of the mixture. Simply have him or her drink a full glass of water.
   • Give children a small amount of the mixture to gargle with.
   • Have children try gargling with plain water before giving them the mixture.
   • Take a sip of the mixture to gargle and tilt your head back. Say "aaa" to make your vocal cords and throat vibrate. You can also have children say another word. Do this for about 30 seconds.
   • You will feel the liquid moving through the vibrations in your throat. It almost feels like a boil in the back of your throat.
   • Do not swallow the liquid. Spit it out and rinse your mouth when you're done.
4. Gargle regularly during your day. Depending on the mixture you use for gargling, you will need to gargle more or less often.
   • Saline solution: once every hour
   • Saline solution and apple cider vinegar: once every hour
   • Saline solution and baking soda: once every two hours

Method 2 of 4: Using a saline solution as a throat spray

1. Make a saline solution. It's really easy to make your own soothing throat spray - you don't have to spend money at the store. You only need 60 ml of filtered water and half a teaspoon of table salt or sea salt. Make sure the water is warm when you mix in the salt. This way all the salt dissolves well.
2. Add essential oils. A simple saline solution can be very soothing, but essential oils can speed up the healing process. Just mix the essential oils well with the saline solution. By adding two drops of one or more of the following essential oils, you can both soothe the pain and fight the infection that is causing your sore throat:
   • Menthol oil (pain reliever)
   • Eucalyptus Oil (antibacterial, antiviral and anti-inflammatory)
   • Sage oil (antibacterial, antiviral and anti-inflammatory)
3. Pour the ingredients into a spray bottle. A glass bottle with a capacity of 30 to 60 ml and an atomizer is ideal. Such a bottle is small enough to take with you during your day. You can use the bottle at home or on the road.
4. Use the spray as needed. If your throat feels particularly sore, take out your bottle and spray it down your throat for a moment. Open your mouth wide and aim the spray at the back of your throat. Spray once or twice to soothe your irritated throat.

Method 3 of 4: Using other treatment methods

1. Take antibiotics for a bacterial infection. Virus infections cannot be treated with antibiotics, but bacterial infections can. If your doctor determines you have a bacterial infection, get a prescription for antibiotics. Make sure you take the antibiotics exactly as your doctor prescribed. Do not stop until you have completed the full course, even if you are already starting to feel better. Complications may arise or the infection may come back.
   • Eat yogurt with active cultures (probiotics) while taking antibiotics. Antibiotics will also kill the healthy gut bacteria in fighting the bacterial infection. Eating yogurt with active bacteria cultures will replace the common gut bacteria, helping your body fight the infection.
2. Stay hydrated. Drinking water hydrates the skin on the outside of your throat, but it also helps keep your entire body hydrated. This eases the irritation in the tissue. Drink eight to ten glasses of water with a capacity of 250 ml every day. Another way to moisturize your throat is to keep the air you breathe as moist as possible. This is especially important when the weather is warm and the air is dry. Buy a humidifier or place bowls of water in areas where you spend a lot of time.
3. Eat foods that are easy to swallow. Broth and soup are not only easy to swallow, but they have also been proven to improve your immune response. They do this by slowing the movement of your immune cells, making them more effective. If you want to eat more varied, make sure you only eat soft foods that are easy to swallow:
   • Apple sauce
   • Rice or very cooked pasta
   • Scrambled eggs
   • Oatmeal
   • Smoothies
   • Beans and legumes cooked
4. Avoid foods that irritate your throat. Avoid spicy foods at all costs, as they will make your sore throat a lot worse. The word spicy has a very broad meaning. You may not think of pepperoni or garlic as spicy foods, but they will make your sore throat worse. Also avoid sticky foods like peanut butter or hard foods like dry toast and crackers. You also shouldn't have acidic foods like soft drinks and citrus juices until your throat has healed.
5. Chew your food well. Use a knife and fork to cut solid food into small pieces and chew your food well to grind it up. Chewing also gives your saliva time to digest the food and make it easier to swallow. If swallowing is very difficult for you, consider mashing solid foods like cooked peas or carrots.

Method 4 of 4: Diagnose a sore throat

1. Recognize the symptoms of a sore throat. The most persistent symptom of a sore throat is a sore throat. This pain can get worse when you swallow or talk. It may also be accompanied by dryness or a scratchy feeling in the throat, as well as a hoarse or muffled voice. Some people have painful, swollen glands in the neck or jaw. If you still have your tonsils, they may turn red, swell, or have white patches or pus.
2. Watch for other signs of infection. Sore throat is usually caused by a viral or bacterial infection. So also pay attention to the symptoms of an infection that you may have when you have a sore throat. These include:
   • Fever
   • Chills
   • Cough
   • Running nose
   • To sneeze
   • Pain in the body
   • Headache
   • Nausea or vomiting
3. Consider getting a medical diagnosis. A sore throat usually goes away within a few days to a week if you simply treat it at home. However, if the pain is severe or persists, you should consider seeing your doctor for a physical examination. The doctor will look at your throat, listen to your breathing, and do a throat swab to quickly test you for a strep infection. This smear won't hurt, but it can be slightly uncomfortable if you gag it. The sample collected by the doctor using the throat swab will be sent to a laboratory to determine the cause of the infection. Once it has been determined which virus or bacteria is causing your sore throat, your doctor can advise you on treatment.
   • Medicines used to treat sore throats caused by bacteria include penicillin, amoxicillin, and ampicillin.
   • The doctor may also order a complete blood count or test you for allergies.
4. Find out when to seek immediate medical attention. Usually, a sore throat is not a serious medical condition. However, children should always be examined by a doctor if their sore throat does not go away by drinking a glass of water in the morning. Call your doctor right away if your child has trouble breathing or swallowing. If your child not only has a sore throat but also suddenly drool a lot, then you should also have him or her examined as soon as possible. Adults are more able to determine when they need medical attention. You can see it at home for a few days, but see your doctor if you experience any of the following:
   • Sore throat that lasts for more than a week or appears to be severe
   • Difficulty swallowing
   • Difficulty breathing
   • Difficulty opening your mouth or pain in the temporomandibular joint
   • Joint pain, especially new pain
   • Earache
   • Skin rash
   • Fever higher than 38.3 ºC
   • Blood in your saliva or mucus
   • Sore throat that recurs regularly
   • A lump or mass in your neck
   • Hoarseness that lasts for more than two weeks

Tips

• Complete all prescribed medications and see your doctor again if necessary.
• In most people, a sore throat is relieved by drinking warm liquids, but this is certainly not always the case. If drinking lukewarm or cold tea makes you feel better, do so. Drinks with ice can also help, especially if you have a fever.

Warnings

• If you are no better within 2 to 3 days, see your doctor.
• Do not give honey to a child under the age of two. This is because young children are at risk for infant botulism, even though this is rare. Honey sometimes contains bacterial spores and the immune system is not fully developed in very young children.