Most sore throats are caused by viral infections and clear up on their own within three to ten days. In the meantime, several remedies can meaningfully reduce pain and make swallowing more comfortable. The best approach combines simple home treatments with over-the-counter options as needed.
Salt Water Gargle
Gargling with warm salt water is one of the fastest, cheapest ways to ease throat pain. Mix half a teaspoon of table salt into one cup of warm water and gargle for 15 to 30 seconds before spitting it out. The salt draws excess fluid out of swollen throat tissues through osmosis, temporarily reducing inflammation and that tight, painful feeling when you swallow. You can repeat this several times a day without any risk of side effects.
Honey
Honey does more than just feel soothing. A Cochrane review of six randomized controlled trials involving 899 children found that honey reduced cough frequency significantly better than both placebo and no treatment. Its effect was comparable to dextromethorphan, one of the most common cough suppressants sold over the counter. Children who received honey also rated their cough as less bothersome after just one day of treatment compared to every other group tested, including placebo and medication groups.
The benefit appears strongest in the first three days. Beyond that window, honey’s advantage over placebo levels off. Still, for the acute phase of a sore throat with an irritating cough, a spoonful of honey (stirred into warm tea or taken straight) is a solid option. One important exception: never give honey to children under one year old due to the risk of botulism.
Over-the-Counter Pain Relievers
Ibuprofen and acetaminophen both work well for sore throat pain. A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials comparing the two found no statistically significant difference in pain relief for cold symptoms. The relative benefit was essentially 1.0, meaning they performed identically. So the choice comes down to personal preference and what your body tolerates best. Ibuprofen has the added benefit of reducing inflammation, which can help with swelling, while acetaminophen tends to be gentler on the stomach.
For adults, a typical ibuprofen dose for mild to moderate pain is 400 milligrams every four to six hours as needed. Children’s doses are based on body weight and should follow label instructions or a pediatrician’s guidance.
Throat Lozenges and Sprays
Lozenges and sprays containing topical numbing agents like benzocaine can provide targeted pain relief directly where it hurts. In clinical testing, benzocaine lozenges produced noticeable pain reduction within 15 minutes. The relief is temporary, typically lasting 30 minutes to an hour, but it can make eating and drinking much more manageable. Sucking on any lozenge also stimulates saliva production, which keeps the throat moist and reduces irritation from dryness.
Keep Your Throat Moist
Dry air is one of the most overlooked aggravators of a sore throat. If you’re running a heater in winter or living in a dry climate, a humidifier can help. The Mayo Clinic recommends keeping indoor humidity between 30% and 50%. Higher than that encourages mold and dust mites, which can make things worse.
Drinking plenty of warm fluids throughout the day serves the same purpose from the inside. Warm water, broth, and tea all help keep throat tissues hydrated. Cold fluids and frozen treats like popsicles work too, and some people find the cold numbing effect more soothing than warmth. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can dehydrate you.
Herbal Options
Marshmallow root and slippery elm bark both contain mucilage, a group of polysaccharides that swell when mixed with liquid and form a gel-like coating. This coating sits on the surface of irritated throat tissue and acts as a physical barrier, reducing the raw, scratchy sensation when you swallow. You’ll find both ingredients in many throat-specific herbal teas. Licorice root tea is another traditional option, with flavonoids that may help maintain normal inflammatory balance in the throat lining. These won’t cure an infection, but they can make the wait more comfortable.
Viral vs. Bacterial Sore Throats
The vast majority of sore throats are viral, meaning antibiotics won’t help. Viral sore throats typically come packaged with other cold symptoms: a runny nose, cough, congestion, or mild body aches. They usually resolve within a week without any specific treatment beyond symptom management.
Strep throat, a bacterial infection, looks different. It tends to cause a sudden, severe sore throat without the runny nose and cough you’d expect from a cold. Doctors use a scoring system based on five criteria (fever, swollen lymph nodes, white patches on the tonsils, absence of cough, and age) to estimate how likely strep is. A low score means testing and antibiotics aren’t needed. A high score of 4 or 5 suggests strep is probable enough to warrant a rapid strep test and potentially antibiotics. If you suspect strep, getting tested matters because untreated strep can occasionally lead to complications affecting the heart or kidneys.
Symptoms That Need Medical Attention
Most sore throats are harmless nuisances, but certain symptoms signal something more serious. 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 don’t improve within a few days or are getting worse. For infants under three months old, any fever of 100.4°F or higher warrants prompt medical evaluation.