Most sore throats are caused by viral infections and clear up on their own within 7 to 10 days. In the meantime, a combination of simple home remedies and over-the-counter options can make a real difference in how you feel. Here’s what actually works.
Pain Relief: Ibuprofen vs. Acetaminophen
If your sore throat is painful enough to reach for medication, ibuprofen tends to outperform acetaminophen. A clinical trial comparing the two found that 400 mg of ibuprofen was significantly more effective than 1,000 mg of acetaminophen at reducing throat pain, swelling sensation, and difficulty swallowing at every time point after the two-hour mark. The likely reason: ibuprofen reduces inflammation directly, while acetaminophen only blocks pain signals. If you can tolerate ibuprofen (some people with stomach issues or certain conditions cannot), it’s the stronger choice for pharyngeal pain specifically.
Salt Water Gargle
Gargling with salt water is one of the oldest sore throat remedies, and it holds up. A 2% salt solution (roughly half a teaspoon of salt dissolved in a cup of warm water) draws excess fluid out of swollen throat tissue through osmosis, temporarily reducing puffiness and easing that tight, raw feeling. You can repeat this several times a day. It won’t cure anything, but it provides noticeable short-term relief, especially in the morning when throat tissue tends to be most irritated.
Honey for Coughs and Soreness
Honey coats and soothes irritated tissue, and the evidence behind it is stronger than you might expect. A systematic review of 14 studies published in BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine found that honey was superior to usual care for improving upper respiratory symptoms, including cough frequency and cough severity. The researchers noted it provides a widely available, inexpensive alternative to other treatments. A spoonful on its own, stirred into warm tea, or mixed with warm water and lemon all work. One important caveat: honey should never be given to children under one year old due to the risk of botulism.
Warm Drinks Beat Room Temperature
You may have heard that both hot and cold liquids help a sore throat, and there’s truth to both, but for different reasons. A study testing hot drinks against the same beverages served at room temperature found that the hot version provided immediate and sustained relief from sore throat, cough, runny nose, chilliness, and tiredness. The room-temperature drink only helped with runny nose, cough, and sneezing. Warm liquids stimulate saliva production and airway secretions, which keeps irritated tissue moist. Broth, herbal tea, and warm water with honey are all good choices.
Cold options like ice chips or popsicles work differently. They temporarily numb the area, which can feel great when swallowing is painful. There’s no wrong answer here. Go with whatever feels better to you, and focus on staying well hydrated throughout the day. Dehydration makes a sore throat worse.
Throat Lozenges and Numbing Sprays
Over-the-counter lozenges containing benzocaine (a topical anesthetic) numb the throat surface on contact. Most sore throat lozenges combine benzocaine with menthol, which adds a cooling sensation. The numbing effect is temporary, typically lasting 15 to 30 minutes, but lozenges also encourage you to produce more saliva, which keeps the throat lubricated between doses. Even plain hard candy or ice chips can help for the same reason, though they won’t provide the anesthetic effect.
Keep Indoor Humidity Between 30% and 50%
Dry air is one of the most overlooked factors in sore throat misery, especially overnight. When humidity drops below 30%, it dries out the mucous membranes lining your nose and throat, leaving them more irritated and vulnerable. The Mayo Clinic recommends keeping indoor humidity between 30% and 50%. A cool-mist humidifier in the bedroom can make mornings significantly more bearable. If you don’t have a humidifier, sitting in a steamy bathroom for 10 to 15 minutes offers temporary relief.
Foods to Eat and Avoid
Soft, cool, or warm foods are easiest on a sore throat. Think yogurt, scrambled eggs, mashed potatoes, smoothies, oatmeal, and broth-based soups. These slide down without scraping already-inflamed tissue.
On the other hand, certain foods can make things noticeably worse:
- Crunchy or dry foods like crackers, chips, pretzels, popcorn, and crusty bread scratch the throat on the way down
- Acidic foods and drinks like oranges, lemons, tomatoes, grapefruit juice, and sodas sting inflamed tissue
- Spicy seasonings and sauces can intensify the burning sensation
- Very hot foods or beverages risk further irritating sensitive tissue (warm is fine, scalding is not)
- Alcohol dehydrates you and can irritate the throat lining
How Long a Sore Throat Typically Lasts
Both viral and bacterial sore throats are usually self-limited, resolving within 5 to 7 days in uncomplicated cases. Some people take up to 10 days to feel completely normal. If your sore throat came with a cold, the throat pain often peaks in the first two to three days and gradually fades as the other symptoms improve.
Signs That Point to Something More Serious
Most sore throats don’t need medical attention, but certain patterns suggest a bacterial infection like strep throat. Clinicians use a set of four criteria to estimate the likelihood: fever, swollen and tender lymph nodes in the front of the neck, white patches or pus on the tonsils, and the absence of a cough. Having three or four of these makes strep much more likely, and a rapid strep test can confirm it. Strep throat requires antibiotics to prevent complications.
Regardless of the cause, the CDC recommends seeing a healthcare provider if you experience difficulty breathing, difficulty swallowing, blood in your saliva or phlegm, excessive drooling in young children, signs of dehydration, joint swelling and pain, a rash, or symptoms that aren’t improving after several days.