Most sore throats are caused by viral infections and will clear up on their own within five to seven days. In the meantime, a combination of simple home remedies and over-the-counter options can cut the pain significantly. Here’s what actually works.
Gargle With Salt Water
A salt water gargle is one of the fastest, cheapest ways to take the edge off throat pain. Salt draws water out of swollen tissue, which reduces inflammation and creates a barrier that helps block irritants from making things worse. Mix a quarter to a half teaspoon of table salt into 8 ounces of warm water, gargle for 15 to 30 seconds, and spit it out. You can repeat this every few hours throughout the day.
It won’t cure whatever is causing your sore throat, but many people notice a difference within minutes. The warm water itself also helps loosen mucus and soothe irritated tissue.
Try Honey
Honey coats the throat and has mild antimicrobial properties that go beyond just feeling nice. A large systematic review published in BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine looked at 14 studies and found that honey reduced both cough frequency and cough severity better than standard care for upper respiratory infections. It also improved overall symptom scores. Stir a tablespoon into warm tea or warm water, or take it straight off the spoon. Avoid giving honey to children under one year old due to the risk of botulism.
Use Over-the-Counter Pain Relievers
Ibuprofen and acetaminophen both reduce throat pain effectively, and they work through different mechanisms, so you can alternate them if one alone isn’t enough. Ibuprofen has the added benefit of reducing inflammation directly, which can help with the swollen feeling. Follow the dosing instructions on the package and don’t exceed the daily limits. For acetaminophen, the ceiling is 4,000 milligrams in 24 hours, but be careful: many cold and flu combination products already contain acetaminophen, so check every label before stacking doses.
Throat lozenges containing numbing agents like benzocaine can also provide temporary topical relief by numbing the tissue directly. They work best for short-term use. Don’t eat or chew gum while your throat is still numb, since you could accidentally bite your tongue or cheek.
Keep Your Throat Moist
A dry throat hurts more and heals more slowly. Drink fluids steadily throughout the day. Room-temperature water and warm liquids like broth or tea are gentler than ice-cold drinks. If the air in your home is dry, especially in winter or in air-conditioned spaces, a humidifier can help. The Mayo Clinic recommends keeping indoor humidity between 30% and 50%. Below that range, dry air can irritate the lining of your nose and throat, making pain worse and slowing recovery.
Avoid Things That Irritate Your Throat
While your throat is healing, certain habits and substances will actively work against you. Alcohol dehydrates the body, increases inflammation throughout the throat, and can trigger extra stomach acid that creeps upward and burns already-raw tissue. Smoking, including secondhand smoke, directly irritates the throat lining. Spicy and acidic foods can also aggravate soreness. You don’t need to change your entire diet, but cutting out these specific irritants for a few days gives your throat a much better chance to recover quickly.
When a Sore Throat Needs More Than Home Remedies
Most sore throats are viral, and antibiotics won’t help with them. But a bacterial infection like strep throat does require treatment. The signs that point toward strep rather than a virus include a fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher, swollen lymph nodes at the front of the neck, white patches or swelling on the tonsils, and the absence of a cough. If you have three or four of those symptoms together, it’s worth getting a rapid strep test. A positive test means you need antibiotics, which shorten symptoms, reduce the chance of spreading the infection, and prevent rare but serious complications.
Certain symptoms signal something more urgent. Difficulty swallowing to the point where you’re drooling, a high-pitched whistling sound when breathing in, trouble breathing, or a muffled voice that develops suddenly can indicate a condition called epiglottitis, where the tissue near the windpipe swells dangerously. This is a medical emergency. If you or someone around you is struggling to breathe and swallow at the same time, call emergency services. While waiting, sit upright and lean slightly forward, which makes breathing easier.