Most sore throats are caused by viral infections and clear up on their own within three to ten days. In the meantime, several home remedies and over-the-counter options can meaningfully reduce your pain and help you recover more comfortably.
Why Your Throat Hurts
A sore throat is almost always inflammation. When a virus (or less commonly, bacteria) infects the tissue lining your throat, your immune system sends blood and fluid to the area to fight it off. That swelling presses on nerve endings, creating the raw, burning sensation you feel when you swallow. The goal of most remedies isn’t to cure the infection itself but to reduce that swelling and coat the irritated tissue so it hurts less while your body does its job.
Salt Water Gargle
This is one of the simplest and most effective things you can do. Dissolve at least a quarter teaspoon of salt in half a cup of warm water and gargle for 15 to 30 seconds. The salt creates a solution with higher osmotic pressure than the fluid in your swollen throat cells. That difference draws liquid out of the inflamed tissue, reducing swelling and pulling bacteria and viruses to the surface where they get rinsed away. You can repeat this every few hours throughout the day.
The water should be warm, not hot. Hot water can further irritate already raw tissue, and the salt dissolves more evenly in warm water anyway.
Honey
Honey works primarily by forming a soothing physical barrier over irritated tissue. A systematic review and meta-analysis published in BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine found that honey performed about as well as the standard cough suppressant found in most over-the-counter cough medicines, and significantly outperformed antihistamine-based treatments for cough frequency and severity. Stir a tablespoon into warm (not boiling) tea or water, or take it straight off the spoon. The coating effect is temporary, so repeat as needed.
One important note: never give honey to children under one year old due to the risk of botulism.
Pain Relievers
Both acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) help with sore throat pain. Acetaminophen works by reducing pain signals, while ibuprofen also targets inflammation directly, which can be especially useful when your throat is visibly swollen. For children with a fever alongside the sore throat, ibuprofen tends to work better as a fever reducer. Follow the dosage guidelines on the label, particularly for children, where the correct dose depends on age and weight.
Throat lozenges and numbing sprays containing menthol or benzocaine can also provide temporary topical relief between doses of oral pain relievers.
Keep Your Throat Moist
Dry air is one of the most overlooked aggravators of a sore throat. When the tissue lining your throat dries out, it becomes more sensitive and heals more slowly. The Mayo Clinic recommends keeping indoor humidity between 30% and 50%. A cool-mist humidifier in your bedroom can make a noticeable difference, especially overnight when you’re breathing through your mouth.
Staying hydrated matters just as much. Warm liquids like broth, tea, and warm water with honey do double duty: they keep your throat moist and provide temporary pain relief from the warmth itself. Cold fluids and ice pops work too if they feel better to you. The temperature matters less than the fact that you’re drinking consistently. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can dehydrate you.
Herbal Throat Soothers
Marshmallow root and slippery elm bark both contain mucilage, a substance that swells when mixed with liquid and creates a slippery, protective coating over irritated mucous membranes. You’ll find them in many throat-coat teas at the grocery store. They won’t fight the infection, but the coating effect can noticeably reduce the scratchy, raw feeling, similar to how honey works. Brew the tea and sip it slowly to maximize contact with your throat.
How to Tell if It’s Strep
About 70% to 80% of sore throats in adults are viral and will resolve without antibiotics. Strep throat, caused by group A streptococcus bacteria, is the main exception. Doctors use five criteria to assess your likelihood of strep: your age, whether you have swollen lymph nodes in your neck, whether you have a cough (strep usually doesn’t cause one), whether you have a fever, and whether there are white patches or pus on your tonsils.
A viral sore throat often 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, but without the typical cold symptoms. The only way to confirm strep is a rapid test or throat culture at a doctor’s office. If the test is positive, antibiotics are necessary. In children, treating confirmed strep reduces the risk of a serious complication called rheumatic fever. Most people take antibiotics for about ten days.
Signs That Need Medical Attention
Difficulty breathing or difficulty swallowing (not just pain with swallowing, but an actual inability to get fluids down) requires emergency care. You should also see a doctor promptly if your sore throat lasts longer than a week, you develop a fever above 103°F (39.4°C), you notice pus on the back of your throat, you see blood in your saliva or phlegm, you develop a skin rash, or you show signs of dehydration. A hoarse voice lasting more than a week also warrants a visit.
For children older than three, a negative rapid strep test should ideally be followed up with a throat culture, since the rapid test can miss some cases. If you’re an adult with a negative rapid test, a backup culture typically isn’t needed because the risk of rheumatic fever is very low in older age groups.