Most sore throats can be soothed at home with a combination of warm liquids, salt water gargles, and basic pain relievers. A viral infection causes the majority of sore throats, which means antibiotics won’t help and the discomfort typically resolves within a few days on its own. In the meantime, several simple strategies can make a real difference in how you feel.
Warm Drinks Work Better Than You’d Think
Both hot and cold liquids help a sore throat, but they work through different mechanisms. Cold items like ice chips and frozen pops lower the temperature at nerve endings in your throat, essentially muting the pain signals those nerves send to your brain. That cooling effect can provide quick, temporary relief.
Warm drinks, though, appear to do more. Hot sweet beverages promote salivation, which lubricates irritated throat tissue, and the warmth itself may trigger the release of natural pain-relieving chemicals in the brain. In a small study of 30 patients, a hot fruit drink provided both immediate and long-lasting relief from sore throat symptoms. The takeaway: sipping warm tea, broth, or hot water with lemon throughout the day is one of the simplest and most effective things you can do. If cold feels better to you in the moment, go with it. Either approach beats not drinking enough.
Salt Water Gargles
Gargling with salt water draws excess fluid out of swollen throat tissue, which reduces inflammation and eases pain. Mix about a quarter to half a teaspoon of table salt into 8 ounces of warm water, gargle for several seconds, and spit it out. You can repeat this multiple times a day. It won’t cure the infection causing your sore throat, but it consistently provides short-term relief and costs nothing.
Honey for Cough and Throat Pain
Honey coats and soothes irritated throat tissue, and it performs surprisingly well in clinical comparisons. A systematic review published in BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine found that honey was significantly more effective than diphenhydramine (the antihistamine in many nighttime cold medicines) at reducing cough frequency, cough severity, and combined symptom scores. Against dextromethorphan, the active ingredient in most cough suppressants, honey performed about equally well.
You can stir a tablespoon into warm tea or take it straight. One important exception: never give honey to a child under 1 year old, due to the risk of infant botulism.
Keep Your Air Humid
Dry air pulls moisture from your throat lining, which makes soreness worse. This is especially common in winter when heating systems run constantly. A cool-mist humidifier in your bedroom can help. Aim for indoor humidity between 30% and 50%. Below 30%, your mucous membranes dry out. Above 50%, you risk encouraging mold and dust mites, which can irritate your throat further. If you don’t have a humidifier, sitting in a steamy bathroom for 10 to 15 minutes can offer temporary relief.
Over-the-Counter Pain Relievers
Ibuprofen and acetaminophen both reduce sore throat pain, but ibuprofen has an edge because it also tackles inflammation. Since a sore throat involves swollen, inflamed tissue, an anti-inflammatory medication addresses both the pain and the underlying cause of that pain. Acetaminophen relieves pain effectively but doesn’t reduce inflammation.
You can alternate between the two if one alone isn’t enough, since they work through different pathways. Follow the dosing instructions on the label carefully. For acetaminophen specifically, most experts recommend staying under 3,000 mg per day to protect your liver.
Throat Sprays and Lozenges
Numbing throat sprays containing phenol work as a topical anesthetic, temporarily deadening pain at the surface of your throat tissue. The relief is localized and short-lived, typically requiring reapplication every couple of hours, but it can be useful before meals when swallowing is particularly painful. Menthol lozenges work similarly by producing a cooling sensation that distracts nerve endings from pain signals. Both are fine to use alongside oral pain relievers.
Marshmallow root tea and slippery elm lozenges take a different approach. These plants produce a thick, gel-like substance called mucilage that physically coats the inner lining of your throat, creating a protective barrier over irritated tissue. No specific dosage has been established in clinical studies, so follow the directions on whatever product you buy.
What Else Helps
Rest your voice. Talking, whispering, and clearing your throat all force your vocal cords and surrounding tissue to work, which prolongs irritation. Breathe through your nose when possible, since mouth breathing dries out your throat. Avoid cigarette smoke and other airborne irritants. If acid reflux is a factor, sleeping with your head slightly elevated can prevent stomach acid from reaching your throat overnight.
Staying well hydrated matters more than any single remedy. When you’re dehydrated, your body produces less saliva and mucus, leaving your throat tissue exposed and unprotected. Water, warm tea, broth, and diluted juice all count. Avoid alcohol and very caffeinated drinks, which can be dehydrating.
Signs That Need Medical Attention
Most sore throats resolve within a few days. But certain symptoms suggest something more serious is going on. The CDC recommends seeing a healthcare provider if you experience any of the following:
- Difficulty breathing or swallowing
- Blood in your saliva or phlegm
- Excessive drooling (particularly in young children)
- Joint swelling or pain alongside the sore throat
- A rash
- Symptoms that don’t improve within a few days or get worse
For infants under 3 months old, a fever of 100.4°F or higher alongside any symptoms warrants immediate medical attention. In older children and adults, a sore throat lasting more than a week, or one accompanied by a high fever and swollen lymph nodes without cold symptoms, could point to strep throat, which does require antibiotics.