How To Cure a Sore Throat
March 30, 2009
Sore throats are a common problem not only in winter but also in summers. We tend to avoid our throat when summer comes and choose to drink chilled water and fizzy drinks to beat the heat. This causes throat infections and give us a sore throat. Sore throat occurs due to the inflammation of the pharynx caused by a cold or an attack of influenza. Sore throats can be a viral infection or a bacterial one.
Symptoms
Symptoms of sore throat are a continuous pain and irritation in the throat. In case of acute problems, the patient may suffer from bouts of fever and laryngitis. Difficulty in swallowing and headache may also accompany sore throat. There can be a swelling in the sides of the neck due to the inflammation of lymph glands.
Causes
The most common cause of sore throat is cold and influenza. Other causes could be measles, sinusitis, diphtheria and also leukaemia in some rare cases.
Remedies
Home remedies are an effective way to cure sore throat as they have no side effects and can be done easily with a few common things found at home. A few easy home remedies for sore throat are mango bark, cinnamon, bishop’s weed, fenugreek seeds, henna etc.
Mango Bark
Mango bark is most effective in treating sore throat and other throat disorders. Grind some mango bark and collect the extract. Add water to it in the ratio of 1: 10 (1 part of mango extract and 10 parts of water). Use this as a throat gargle and gargle at least twice a day. Mango extract can also be applied on the sides of the neck to get relief.
Cinnamon
Add a tsp of cinnamon in a glass of boiled water. Add 2 tsp of honey and a pinch of pepper to eat. Drink this as tea as frequently as you can. This gives instant relief and cures sore-throat in 2-3 days.
Fenugreek seeds
Take two tsp of fenugreek seeds in a liter of water and boil for 30 minutes. Cool the liquid to room temperature and strain it. Use this water to gargle twice to thrice a day. This helps cure sore throat effectively in a short period.
Henna leaves
A decoction of henna leaves is also very helpful in curing sore throat. It must be used as a throat gargle and gargling must be repeated every three hours to cure throat disorders.
Bishop’s weed
Bishop’s weed is as effective as mango bark in curing sore throat. An infusion of Bishop’s weed with common salt makes an effective throat gargle. This should be used 3-4 times a day to cure sore-throat.
Other than these remedies, drinking green tea with honey also helps cure sore-throat. Sucking of Liquorice also gives relief during sore throat.
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