What's your go-to treatment for a sore throat?
Posted by 1966batmobile@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 57 comments
Currently spending my third night being sporadically woken up by a sore throat.
I've tried throat sprays, lozenges and gargling hydrogen peroxide, but they aren't doing the trick.
So whether it's a home made potion, or regular over the counter medication, please give me your recommendations to ease the pain!
beachyfeet@reddit
Honey lemon juice and brandy mixed with hot water every 2 hours. Definitely takes the edge off
spoons431@reddit
Difflam is the best thing I've found to help with the pain of sore throats. It's available as a spray, lozenge, and rise/gargle (i prefer the gargle). It used to be prescription only, but it's now available as a pharmacy medicine - you'll have to ask for it. https://www.boots.com/difflam--sore-throat-rinse-200ml-10205095
I've never heard of gargling with hydrogen peroxide, and I've a bunch of sore throats (it doesn't sound great to me) - but I've always found a salt water gargle (boil the water first) pretty decent and my GP would agree with this (especially if used when warm)
Hot water, orange juice and honey is a decent drink as well. Just keeping up hydration is a good idea in general
krabbkat@reddit
Don’t get the throat spray tho OP, it fucking sucks but difflam is the real deal
spoons431@reddit
I would agree it's the gargle, the lozenges, and then the spray for me
roddz@reddit
I sit and complain all day until its gone
Zak_Rahman@reddit
Tea with honey.
If it's locally made honey then I think it can buff you resistance to pollen too.
Fluffy_Juggernaut_@reddit
The spiciest curry I can handle followed by most of a bottle of whiskey
badgersruse@reddit
You may have allergies to all the pollen that is out, not an infection. In that case anti histamines are the answer
tmr89@reddit
A nice crisp ice cold lager
No_Application_8698@reddit
Aside from all the usual medicinal stuff mentioned here:
Pineapple
Marshmallows
Haribo (any jelly/gelatine sweets really)
Ice cream
negamuse@reddit
Strepsils always work for me. Just make sure that they're the right ones, they do two. Hexylresorcinol works, Amylmetacresol does nothing
mtrueman@reddit
For some reason, for me, soluble asprin does the trick. I tend to gargle it a bit before downing it.
Limp-Boysenberry1583@reddit
Gargling soluble aspirin was what I came here to say.
Awkward_Chain_7839@reddit
Years a go it was a drink from Yates called ‘blob’, but since it’s alcoholic probably not a good idea (if I remember it was hot lemon with fortified white wine and sugar). These days I still like hot lemon, but tend to just grab dual action throat sweets (has to be dual action).
WPorter77@reddit
Difflam spray
loads of water
Proper honey, not cheap supermarket sugar sauce
McLeod3577@reddit
Mix 3 teaspons of salt into water and gargle with that.
Drink tea with a tablespoon of honey in it.
Strepsils as required.
HollyStone@reddit
Ice lollies, I find twisters particularly good for it. The cold is soothing and numbing. It's not a long term solution, but a nice reprieve from the pain!
Samaretee@reddit
TCP antiseptic cleaner for wounds. Dilute with water and gargle, if you use it just as a sore throat is starting to come on twice a day it normally clears it up. Haven’t had tonsillitis since being a kid due to this granny hack
EntertainerNo8806@reddit
Tonsil removal. Had them taken out as an adult - worst pain I have ever experienced, but thankful I did. Haven’t had my quarterly bout of tonsillitis since.
It’s not what you were asking, but this story was bottled up, deep inside, waiting to explode.
Mr-ananas1@reddit
sadly i had mine taken out as a child, but still get a sore throat from time to time
Mr-ananas1@reddit
Amol - can get it at any polish shop that sells medicine. take it with sugar or in a glass / as a shot. don't need more than 1 teaspoon in the morning
zephyrmox@reddit
Interestingly having the same experience. Typically a sign I'm about to get ill but I feel otherwise fine and it's not progressing.
sunheadeddeity@reddit
This isn't a go-to but a couple of weeks ago I had a raging sore throat that nothing was touching. Apart from grapefruit. Asda had subbed grapefruit for oranges and I ate one because noone else was going to and it gave relief for hours. Maybe try?
fabulousteaparty@reddit
Ginger, lemon and honey tea.
Drinking fluids.
Maybe paracetamol if I'm really struggling with pain from it.
Most of the time it will go away on it's own eventually.
Just have to stick to a mostly liquid, non sharp food diet.
Obvious-Water569@reddit
Green tea with honey and lemon along with periodic ibuprofen.
swapacoinforafish@reddit
Honey and Lemon!
Infamous-Ordinary-39@reddit
Ibuprofen and paracetamol taken alternately every 2 hours, an occasional honey and lemon drink and the husband will throw a whiskey in too.
julesharvey1@reddit
Gargling tcp
MDL1983@reddit
Gargle sips of a hot lemsip with honey. More effective than just drinking them. Gargle for long periods not a second or two.
Chloralieve, available over the counter at chemists, is also boss.
mister_barfly75@reddit
I drink lemon and ginger tea and take a paracetamol.
Sea_Investment_4938@reddit
Gargle with salt water normally does the trick but you have to get it at the "hair at the back of my throat" stage
DubManD@reddit
Damp socks.
On going to bed, take off your socks and rinse them under the cold tap. Wring them out to leave them damp.
Make them into a necklace by folding the ends together around your neck. And go to sleep.
No sore throat in the morning.
Taiyella@reddit
If this has been ongoing you can now actually go to your pharmacist and get antibiotics
ilo12345@reddit
Gargling with salt water seems to help me. That and alternating taking paracetamol/ibuprofen
No-Pangolin-6648@reddit
I don't have one for me but I do have a go to throat treatment for my wife I usually offer.
xxxJoolsxxx@reddit
Warm salt water gargle
Marilliana@reddit
Constantly sipping hot water with a spoonful of honey and a slice of lemon whilst taking the regular paracetamol works for me. Hydration, soothing, and pain relief, plus it tastes nice!!
Tastypanda9666@reddit
Buttercup syrup.
Massive placebo but by eck it works for me.
Marilliana@reddit
My friend used to just neck this stuff from the bottle when she was ill, I'm sure she got through pints of it.
PLRGirl@reddit
Exactly what I came to say! It tastes so good and soothes your throat for all of 20 seconds.
SallyWilliams60@reddit
Gargle with salt water to bring up phlegm which may be causing it
segagamer@reddit
Honey, lemon, ginger in a tea - the real ingredients not Twining's bullshit, followed by a Fisherman's Friend losenge.
-myeyeshaveseenyou-@reddit
Tonsillitis veteran here.
Salt water gargles
Difglam spray
Antibiotics if it’s gone too far
Connect-War1046@reddit
Gargle neat TCP
OrdinaryQuestions@reddit
Strepsils
Cups of tea
Oddly, fizzy pop. Idk what it is, but the fizz feels so nice on the throat.
Advanced-Fig6699@reddit
Lemonade!
Thestolenone@reddit
Prescription strength codeine.
regretsfromtexas@reddit
a spoonful of honey normally helps me!
HealthyWhereas3982@reddit
Gargling with a warm salt water and vinegar (live apple cider vinegar if you have it). Boil water, let it cool, add a good dose of salt and vinegar. Gargle a few times a day. Sounds well odd, but it's got rid of tonsillitis quickly for me. The salt and vinegar seem to kill the bugs!
Plus honey, ginger and lemon hot drink. With whisky if it helps ;-)
KK-Chocobo@reddit
Honey water
planetwords@reddit
The acid in the lemon juice eats into the surface skin surrounding any infection on the throat, and the honey acts as a natural sterliser to the exposed infection, and also coats your throat with sugar and makes swallowing easier.
SwiftAtticus@reddit
A hot toddy made with boiled spring water (hard water area so if I’m ill I splash out for the psychological effect), a shot or two of whiskey, half a lemon, a thumb sized bit of sliced ginger, a generous amount of honey, a half spoon of sugar, and a little bit of fresh chilli. Maybe a sprig of rosemary if I have some.
Plus all the paracetamol/day nurse/night nurse.
Notmushroominthename@reddit
Big doinks in the Amish
Phelsumaman@reddit
Ginger tea (made with fresh chopped ginger), occasionally a Ginger shot if I'm out and about.
I do this basically daily now to ward off colds, flu, sore throats etc.
It's not the nicest to start with or if you only do it occasionally but it does help prevent and shorten sore throats IMHO
ButteredNun@reddit
Those little worms found in bags of Asda salad work wonders for a sore throat.
apeliott@reddit
Paracetamol seems to help me.
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