Most sore throats are caused by viral infections and clear up on their own within three to ten days. In the meantime, several treatments can meaningfully reduce your pain, from simple kitchen remedies to over-the-counter options. What works best depends on the type of pain you’re dealing with and how severe it is.
Ibuprofen Outperforms Acetaminophen
If you’re reaching for a pain reliever, ibuprofen is the stronger choice for throat pain specifically. In clinical trials comparing the two head-to-head in people with pharyngitis, ibuprofen reduced pain by 80% at three hours, while acetaminophen achieved only a 50% reduction. By six hours, the gap widened further: ibuprofen still provided 70% relief compared to just 20% for acetaminophen.
The advantage comes from ibuprofen’s anti-inflammatory effect. A sore throat involves swollen, inflamed tissue, and ibuprofen targets that inflammation directly. Acetaminophen reduces pain signals but does little for the swelling itself. If you can tolerate ibuprofen (some people with stomach issues or certain health conditions can’t), it’s the better first-line option for throat pain.
Honey Works as Well as Cough Medicine
Honey is one of the most effective home remedies available, and the evidence behind it is surprisingly strong. A systematic review published in BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine found that honey performed just as well as dextromethorphan, the active ingredient in most over-the-counter cough suppressants, for reducing cough frequency and severity. It also outperformed diphenhydramine (the antihistamine found in some nighttime cold formulas) across every symptom measured.
Beyond cough, honey helps with throat irritation directly. One study found that patients using honey were significantly more likely to experience at least a 75% improvement in throat irritation by day four. The coating action of honey on irritated tissue likely plays a role, soothing raw nerve endings in the throat lining. A spoonful stirred into warm tea or taken straight gives you both the honey and the warmth working together. Just avoid giving honey to children under one year old due to botulism risk.
Salt Water Gargling
A salt water gargle is one of the simplest and fastest ways to temporarily ease throat pain. Mix about a quarter to a half teaspoon of salt into eight ounces of warm water, gargle for 15 to 30 seconds, and spit it out. The saltwater draws excess fluid out of swollen throat tissue through osmosis, which reduces puffiness and takes some pressure off irritated nerve endings. You can repeat this several times a day as needed.
Throat Lozenges: What Actually Works
Not all lozenges are equally effective, and the differences are worth knowing about. Lozenges containing anti-inflammatory ingredients provide the most relief. In one clinical trial, lozenges with flurbiprofen (an anti-inflammatory) reduced sore throat pain by 47%, difficulty swallowing by 66%, and throat swelling by 40% over the first 24 hours compared to placebo. Another trial found that benzydamine, a different anti-inflammatory, produced a greater than two-point drop on a ten-point pain scale by day three.
Antiseptic lozenges, the kind that focus on killing germs rather than reducing inflammation, performed much worse. Brands relying primarily on antiseptic ingredients produced only about a one-point difference on a ten-point pain scale compared to placebo. That’s a small enough effect that you might not notice it.
Even plain hard candy has some benefit, though. Sucking on anything hard stimulates saliva production, which keeps a dry, scratchy throat moist and provides mild soothing. If you’re choosing between lozenges at the pharmacy, look for ones that list an anti-inflammatory or anesthetic (numbing) ingredient rather than just an antiseptic.
Cold Drinks, Warm Drinks, or Both
You’ll hear conflicting advice about whether to drink cold or warm beverages for a sore throat, and the honest answer is that both help through different mechanisms. Cold narrows blood vessels, reduces swelling, and numbs sore tissue, similar to icing a sprained ankle. Warm liquids relax the muscles around your throat, improve blood flow to the area, and can loosen mucus. A small study found that a hot beverage specifically improved sore throat symptoms compared to the same drink served at room temperature.
The practical takeaway: drink whichever temperature feels better to you. Many people find cold liquids more relieving when the throat is acutely swollen and painful, then switch to warm liquids as symptoms start to ease. Ice chips and popsicles work well for the same reason cold drinks do. Staying hydrated in general matters more than the temperature you choose, because a dry throat amplifies pain.
Demulcent Herbs That Coat the Throat
Some herbs contain a substance called mucilage, a thick, gel-like compound that physically coats the lining of your throat when you swallow it. Slippery elm is the most commonly used. When the powdered bark is mixed with water, it forms a viscous gel that adheres to mucous membranes, creating a protective film over irritated tissue. This coating shields raw nerve endings and suppresses the reflexes that trigger coughing and throat clearing, both of which make soreness worse.
Marshmallow root works through the same mechanism. You’ll find both ingredients in throat-specific teas and lozenges at most pharmacies and health food stores. These won’t kill a virus or reduce inflammation at the cellular level, but the physical barrier they create can noticeably reduce discomfort, especially the kind of raw, scratchy pain that flares up every time you swallow.
How Long Throat Pain Typically Lasts
Viral sore throats, which account for the large majority of cases, usually resolve within a week. Most people feel the worst on days two and three, then gradually improve. Bacterial infections like strep throat won’t clear up on their own and typically require a course of antibiotics lasting about ten days, though you’ll usually feel better within a day or two of starting treatment.
If your sore throat lasts longer than a week, gets significantly worse instead of better after the first few days, or comes with a high fever, difficulty breathing, or trouble opening your mouth, those are signs that something beyond a standard viral infection may be going on. Difficulty swallowing your own saliva or a visibly swollen neck also warrants prompt evaluation. Strep throat in particular needs treatment not just for comfort but to prevent complications that can affect the heart and kidneys.