Most sore throats are caused by viral infections and will resolve on their own within about a week. In the meantime, several remedies can significantly reduce your pain, and knowing which ones work best can make the difference between a miserable few days and a manageable recovery.
Gargle With Salt Water
A saltwater gargle is one of the fastest ways to temporarily relieve throat pain. The salt draws excess fluid out of swollen tissue, which reduces inflammation and eases that raw, tight feeling. Mix 1 teaspoon of table salt into 1 cup 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 the underlying infection, but it provides noticeable short-term relief, especially in the morning when throat pain tends to be worst.
Choose the Right Pain Reliever
Over-the-counter pain relievers work well for sore throats, but they aren’t equally effective. In clinical trials comparing the two most common options, ibuprofen consistently outperformed acetaminophen. In one study, a single dose of ibuprofen reduced throat pain by 80% at the three-hour mark, while the same timeframe saw only a 50% reduction with acetaminophen. By six hours, the gap widened further: ibuprofen still provided 70% relief while acetaminophen had dropped to just 20%.
Ibuprofen has the added benefit of reducing inflammation, not just blocking pain signals. If you can tolerate it (some people need to avoid it due to stomach sensitivity or other reasons), it’s the stronger choice for a sore throat.
Warm Drinks, Cold Drinks, or Both
You don’t have to pick one temperature. Warm and cold liquids relieve sore throat pain through different mechanisms, and both are effective. Cold drinks numb the tissue and reduce swelling, similar to icing a sprained ankle. Warm drinks relax the muscles around your throat and improve blood flow to the area, which can ease stiffness and pain. A gentle warmth tends to be the best temperature for heat therapy, so think warm tea rather than scalding coffee.
The more important point is simply to keep drinking. When your throat hurts, you tend to swallow less often, and dehydration makes the irritation worse. Water, broth, herbal tea, and even popsicles all count. Staying well-hydrated keeps the mucous membranes in your throat moist, which helps them heal and hurts less in the process.
Adjust Your Indoor Air
Dry air is a common and overlooked cause of throat pain, especially overnight. Breathing through your mouth while you sleep pulls moisture from your throat tissue, which is why many people wake up with the worst soreness of the day. The ideal indoor humidity level is between 30% and 50%. If your home falls below that range (common in winter or in air-conditioned rooms), a humidifier in your bedroom can make a real difference. Even placing a bowl of water near a heating vent adds some moisture to the air.
Other Remedies Worth Trying
Honey coats and soothes irritated tissue and has mild antimicrobial properties. A spoonful stirred into warm tea or taken on its own can calm a raw throat. Throat lozenges or hard candy work by stimulating saliva production, which keeps the throat lubricated. Look for lozenges that contain menthol or a mild numbing agent for additional relief.
Sleeping with your head slightly elevated can also help if postnasal drip is contributing to the irritation. Mucus pooling in the back of your throat overnight triggers coughing and further inflammation, and propping yourself up lets gravity do some of the work.
Viral vs. Bacterial: Why It Matters
The vast majority of sore throats are viral, meaning antibiotics won’t help. These infections run their course in roughly a week. Bacterial infections, particularly strep throat, are less common but do require antibiotics to prevent complications.
Doctors use a set of clinical clues to determine whether your sore throat is likely bacterial. The key indicators include having a fever, swollen or pus-covered tonsils, and the absence of a cough or runny nose. A viral sore throat almost always comes with other cold symptoms like congestion, sneezing, or a cough. A bacterial infection tends to hit the throat hard without those accompanying symptoms. If your sore throat came on suddenly with a fever but no cold symptoms, a rapid strep test can give you an answer in minutes.
Signs That Need Medical Attention
Most sore throats don’t need a doctor’s visit, but certain symptoms signal something more serious. The CDC identifies these as reasons to seek care promptly:
- Difficulty breathing or swallowing. This can indicate significant swelling or an abscess near the tonsils.
- Blood in your saliva or phlegm.
- Excessive drooling in young children, which may mean they can’t swallow comfortably.
- Signs of dehydration, especially in children who refuse to drink because of pain.
- Joint swelling, pain, or a rash, which can indicate a complication from an untreated strep infection.
- Symptoms that don’t improve within a few days or are getting worse instead of gradually better.
A sore throat that steadily improves, even slowly, is almost always following a normal viral trajectory. One that plateaus or worsens after the first few days is the pattern worth paying attention to.