Most sore throats clear up on their own within a week, but that doesn’t mean you have to suffer through every day of it. A combination of simple home remedies, the right over-the-counter options, and a few environmental tweaks can significantly cut down on pain and speed your recovery. Here’s what actually works.
Saltwater Gargle
A saltwater gargle is one of the fastest ways to temporarily reduce throat pain. Mix half a teaspoon of table salt into one cup of warm water, gargle for 15 to 30 seconds, and spit it out. The salt draws excess fluid out of swollen tissue, which reduces inflammation and eases that tight, painful feeling when you swallow. You can repeat this several times a day.
It won’t cure the underlying infection, but many people notice relief within minutes. It’s also essentially free and has no side effects, which makes it a good first move while you figure out what else to try.
Honey Works Surprisingly Well
Honey is not just a folk remedy. A systematic review and meta-analysis published in BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine found that honey significantly improved combined symptom scores for upper respiratory infections compared to usual care. It reduced cough frequency, cough severity, and throat irritation. One study found that patients taking honey were nearly five times more likely to see at least a 75% improvement in throat irritation by day four.
Honey performed about as well as dextromethorphan, the active ingredient in most over-the-counter cough suppressants, and outperformed diphenhydramine (a common antihistamine used for coughs) across all three measures. A spoonful of honey on its own, or stirred into warm tea, coats the throat and provides a soothing barrier against irritation. Just don’t give honey to children under one year old due to the risk of botulism.
Hot Drinks Over Room-Temperature Ones
Temperature matters more than you might think. A study published in the journal Rhinology tested a hot fruit cordial drink against the same drink at room temperature in 30 people with cold symptoms. The hot version provided immediate and sustained relief from sore throat, runny nose, cough, sneezing, chilliness, and tiredness. The room-temperature version only helped with runny nose and cough.
Hot tea, broth, or warm water with honey and lemon all work. The warmth increases blood flow to the throat, helps loosen mucus, and provides a comforting sensation that cold or room-temperature beverages simply don’t match. That said, if your throat is especially raw, some people prefer cold items like ice chips or popsicles to numb the area. Try both and use what feels best.
Over-the-Counter Pain Relief
Ibuprofen and acetaminophen are both effective at reducing throat pain. Ibuprofen has the added benefit of being an anti-inflammatory, so it can reduce swelling in the throat tissue directly. Follow the dosing instructions on the package.
Throat lozenges and sprays that contain numbing agents can also help. Flurbiprofen lozenges deliver an anti-inflammatory directly to the throat as you dissolve them, targeting pain right at the source. Lozenges with menthol or benzocaine create a cooling or numbing effect that provides short-term relief between meals. The act of sucking on a lozenge also stimulates saliva production, which keeps the throat moist and reduces that scratchy, dry feeling.
Keep Your Air Moist
Dry air is a throat’s enemy, especially during winter when heating systems strip moisture from indoor air. Low humidity dries out the mucous membranes lining your nose and throat, making irritation worse and slowing healing. The Mayo Clinic recommends keeping indoor humidity between 30% and 50%.
A cool-mist or warm-mist humidifier in your bedroom can make a noticeable difference overnight, since mouth breathing during sleep is a major cause of morning throat pain. If you don’t have a humidifier, sitting in a steamy bathroom for 10 to 15 minutes provides temporary relief. Clean any humidifier regularly to prevent mold and bacteria from building up in the tank.
Rest and Stay Hydrated
Your throat is inflamed because your immune system is fighting something off, and that process demands energy. Sleep is when your body does its most intensive repair work. Cutting back on activity and getting extra rest genuinely shortens the duration of illness, not just the perception of it.
Fluids keep the throat moist and help thin out mucus that may be draining from your sinuses and irritating the back of your throat. Water, herbal tea, broth, and diluted juice all count. Avoid alcohol and caffeine in large amounts, since both can be mildly dehydrating.
Viral vs. Bacterial: When It Matters
The vast majority of sore throats are caused by viruses, the same ones responsible for colds and flu. Antibiotics do nothing for viral infections. They only help when the cause is bacterial, most commonly group A streptococcus, better known as strep throat.
Doctors evaluate several factors to decide whether testing for strep is worthwhile: your age, whether you have swollen lymph nodes in the neck, the presence or absence of a cough, whether you have a fever, and whether there are white patches on the tonsils. A viral sore throat usually comes with other cold symptoms like a runny nose, sneezing, and cough. Strep tends to hit suddenly with a high fever, painful swallowing, and swollen tonsils, often without the classic cold symptoms.
If strep is confirmed through a rapid test or throat culture, the standard treatment is a 10-day course of penicillin or amoxicillin, per CDC guidelines. Antibiotics for strep aren’t just about comfort. They prevent rare but serious complications like rheumatic fever. If your sore throat doesn’t come with cold symptoms and involves a fever above 101°F, it’s worth getting tested.
Warning Signs That Need Attention
A sore throat that lasts longer than a week, or one that gets dramatically worse after initially improving, deserves a closer look. Certain symptoms suggest something more serious than a typical infection. Difficulty breathing, an inability to swallow your own saliva, a muffled or “hot potato” voice, severe neck swelling, or a sore throat with a rash are all reasons to seek medical care promptly. These can point to conditions like a peritonsillar abscess or, very rarely, epiglottitis, both of which need treatment beyond home remedies.
In children, watch for excessive drooling, refusal to drink fluids, or significant difficulty opening the mouth. A very young child who can’t tell you their throat hurts may simply stop eating or become unusually fussy.