How to Cure a Sore Throat (Salt Water Method)

Co-authored by Andrea Rudominer, MD, MPH

Last Updated: July 1, 2022 References Approved

Sore throats are painful and sometimes itchy or scratchy, making it hard to swallow, drink and talk. They're usually a symptom of viral or bacterial infection. They usually resolve on their own within a few days to a week. In the meantime, you can soothe your throat using saltwater treatments.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Gargling with a Salt-Water Treatment

1
Decide what to gargle with. Most people choose to simply stir one teaspoon of table or sea salt into eight ounces of warm water. The salt draws water out of the swollen tissues, reducing swelling.^{[1]
X
Trustworthy Source
National Health Service (UK)
Public healthcare system of the UK
Go to source} If you can deal with a bad taste, consider adding your teaspoon of salt to a mixture of equal parts warm water and apple cider vinegar. Though there’s no clear explanation for it, apple cider vinegar seems more effective than other vinegars at soothing sore throats.^{[2]
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Research source
Cavender, A;, Folk medical uses of plant foods in southern Appalachia, United States. J Ethnopharmacol; 108 (1) 74-84, 2006.} It’s thought that the acid in the vinegar kills the bacteria.^{[3]
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Research source
Vijayakumar, C., Wolf-Hall, CE., Minimum bacteriostatic and bactericidal concentrations of household sanitizers for Escherichia coli strains in tryptic soy broth. Food Microbiology 08/2002; 19(4-19):383-388.} A third option is to add ½ teaspoon of baking soda to your salt-water mixture.^{[4]
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Trustworthy Source
Cleveland Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
Go to source}
2
Add honey or lemon to improve the taste.^{[5]
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Expert Source

Andrea Rudominer, MD, MPH
Board Certified Pediatrician & Integrative Medicine Doctor
Expert Interview. 13 April 2020.} Honey has antibacterial properties to fight bacterial infection.^{[6]
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Research source} It can also soothe your sore throat and improve the taste of unpleasant treatments. Lemon contains Vitamin C to boost your immune system, but it’s also both antibacterial and antiviral.
- Don’t give honey to any child under the age of two. Young children may be susceptible to infant botulism, which can contaminate honey.
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3
Use proper gargling technique. Both children and adults can benefit from gargling. However, you need to watch children to make sure they spit rather than swallow the mixture. If they do swallow a bit, don’t panic. Just have them drink a full glass of water.
- Give children a small amounts of mixture to gargle.
- Test children’s gargling ability with plain water before using the solution.
- Take the gargling mixture into your mouth and tilt your head back. Make an “ah” sound to create vibrations in your throat. You might have children say “GGGAAAAARRRRRRGGGGLLLE” instead. Do this for about 30 seconds.
- You should be able to feel the liquid moving around from the vibration — almost like it’s boiling in the back of your throat.
- Do not swallow any of the fluid. Spit it out and wash out your mouth when you’re finished.
4
Gargle regularly throughout the day. Depending on what you’re gargling with, you may need more or less frequent gargling.
- Saltwater: once every hour
- Saltwater and apple cider vinegar: once every hour
- Saltwater and baking soda: every two hours

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Using a Salt-Water Throat Spray

1
Make a salt-water solution. Making your own soothing throat spray is very simple — you don’t need to spend money at the store. All you need is ¼ cup of filtered water and ½ teaspoon of table salt or sea salt. Make sure the water is warm when you mix them together to encourage the salt to dissolve evenly.
2
Add essential oils. A simple salt-water solution can be very soothing, but essential oils can speed up the healing process. Simply mix the essential oils well with the salt-water mixture. Two drops of any of the following essential oils can both relieve pain and fight the infection causing the sore throat:
- Menthol essential oil (pain reliever)
- Eucalyptus essential oil (antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory)
- Sage essential oil (antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory)
- Bergamot essential oil^{[7]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Andrea Rudominer, MD, MPH
  Board Certified Pediatrician & Integrative Medicine Doctor
  Expert Interview. 13 April 2020.}
- Do not ingest essential oils and spot test them on your skin to make sure you do not have an allergy. Even so, use caution, essential oils could react differently in your mouth.
3
Pour the ingredients into a spray bottle. A one or two ounce glass bottle with a spray attachment is ideal. This size will be small enough for you to carry around with you throughout the day. You can have it both at home and on the go.
4
Use the spray as needed. When your throat feels particularly sore, pull out your spray bottle and give yourself a spritz. Open your mouth wide and aim the spray attachment toward the very back of your throat. Spray once or twice to soothe your irritation.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Using Other Methods of Treatment

1
Take antibiotics for a bacterial infection.While viral infections don’t respond to antibiotics, bacterial ones do. If your doctor diagnoses you with a bacterial infection, ask for a prescription for antibiotics. Make sure to take the antibiotics exactly as prescribed. Don’t stop taking them before you’ve finished the full course, even if you start feeling better. You may leave yourself open to complications or a recurrence of the infection.^{[8]
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Trustworthy Source
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services
Go to source}
- Eat yogurt with active cultures (probiotics) while on antibiotics.^{[9]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  Harvard Medical School
  Harvard Medical School's Educational Site for the Public
  Go to source} Antibiotics kill off healthy gut bacteria while fighting the infecting bacteria. Eating yogurt with active probiotic cultures will replace the normal gut bacteria, helping your body fight off the infection.
2
Stay hydrated. Drinking water moisturizes the external skin on your throat, but it also keeps your whole body hydrated. This soothes the irritation from within the tissue as well. Drink eight to ten 8 oz. glasses of water every day. Another way to moisturize your throat is to keep the air you’re breathing as humid as possible — especially if you live in a dry climate. Buy a humidifier or place bowls of water in rooms where you spend a lot of time.
3
Eat foods that easy to swallow. Broths and soups are not only easy to swallow — they’ve also been shown to improve immune response. They do this by slowing down the movement of immune cells, which makes them more effective.^{[10]
X
Trustworthy Source
National Health Service (UK)
Public healthcare system of the UK
Go to source} If you want more variety in your meals, just make sure you stick to soft, easy-to swallow foods:
- Applesauce
- Rice or well-cooked pasta
- Scrambled eggs
- Oatmeal
- Smoothies
- Well-cooked beans and legumes
4
Avoid foods that will irritate your throat. Avoid spicy foods at all costs, as they will make your throat pain much worse. The definition of spicy is broad; you might not think of pepperoni or garlic as spicy, but they will irritate your condition. Also avoid sticky foods like peanut butter or hard foods like dry toast and crackers. Acidic foods like soda and citrus juices are also off limits until your throat heals.
5
Chew food thoroughly.^{[11]
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Research source} Use a fork and knife to cut solid foods into small pieces, and chew food thoroughly to break it up. Chewing also gives your saliva time to break down the food and make it easier to swallow. If swallowing is very difficult, considering blending solid foods like cooked peas or carrots into a puree.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Diagnosing a Sore Throat

1
Recognize the symptoms of a sore throat. The most persistent symptom of a sore throat is throat pain that may get worse when swallowing or talking. It may also be accompanied by dryness or a scratchy feeling, and a hoarse or muffled voice. Some people experience sore, swollen glands in the neck or jaw. If you still have your tonsils, they may appear swollen or red, or have white patches or pus on them.
2
Look for other signs of infection. Most sore throats are the result of viral and bacterial infections. You should also look for the symptoms of infection that may accompany your sore throat. These can include:
- Fever
- Chills
- Coughing
- Runny nose
- Sneezing
- Body aches
- Headache
- Nausea or vomiting
3
Consider getting a medical diagnosis.^{[12]
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Research source} Most sore throats will go away within a few days to a week with simple home treatment. If the pain is excessive or lingers, though, you should consider seeing a physician for a physical exam. The doctor will look at your throat, listen to your breathing, and take a throat swab for a rapid strep test. While the swab is painless, it can be slightly uncomfortable if it causes a gag reflex.^{[13]
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Research source} The sample taken from your throat swab will be sent to a lab to figure out the cause of the infection. Once the virus or bacteria causing your throat pain is determined, the doctor can advise you on treatment.
- Medications that are used to treat a sore throat caused by bacteria include penicillin, amoxicillin, and ampicillin.
- The doctor may also order a CBC (complete blood count) or test your for allergies.
4
Learn when to get immediate medical attention.^{[14]
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Research source} Most sore throats don't suggest serious medical conditions. Children, though, should always be checked out by a doctor if a sore throat doesn't go away with a drink of water in the morning. You should call your doctor immediately if your child has trouble breathing or swallowing. Unusual drooling accompanied by a sore throat should also be examined as soon as possible. Adults are better at gauging whether they need medical attention. You can wait it out at home for a few days, but see a doctor if you experience:
- A sore throat that lasts longer than a week or seems severe
- Any difficulty swallowing
- Any difficulty breathing
- Any difficulty in opening your mouth or pain in the jaw joint
- Joint pain, especially new pains
- Earache
- Any rash
- A fever higher than 101 F (38.3 C)
- Any blood in your saliva or phlegm
- Frequently recurring sore throats
- A lump or mass in your neck
- Hoarseness that lasts more than two weeks

Expert Q&A

Question

What can I do if I don't want to just use basic salt water?

Andrea Rudominer, MD, MPH
Board Certified Pediatrician & Integrative Medicine Doctor
Dr. Andrea Rudominer is a board certified Pediatrician and Integrative Medicine Doctor based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Dr. Rudominer has over 15 years of medical care experience and specializes in preventive health care, obesity, adolescent care, ADHD, and culturally competent care. Dr. Rudominer received her MD from the University of California, Davis, and completed a residency at the Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford University. Dr. Rudominer also has an MPH in Maternal Child Health from the University of California, Berkeley. She is a Member of the American Board of Pediatrics, a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, a Member and Delegate of the California Medical Association, and a Member of the Santa Clara County Medical Association.

Andrea Rudominer, MD, MPH

Board Certified Pediatrician & Integrative Medicine Doctor

Expert Answer

Take a hot shower and let yourself bask in the steam. Drink plenty of tea with honey in it. For your salt water gargling, try adding a drop or two of bergamot essential oil to the water.
Question

My throat really hurts. I don't want to eat anything. What should I do?

Chris M. Matsko, MD
Family Medicine Physician
Dr. Chris M. Matsko is a retired physician based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. With over 25 years of medical research experience, Dr. Matsko was awarded the Pittsburgh Cornell University Leadership Award for Excellence. He holds a BS in Nutritional Science from Cornell University and an MD from the Temple University School of Medicine in 2007. Dr. Matsko earned a Research Writing Certification from the American Medical Writers Association (AMWA) in 2016 and a Medical Writing & Editing Certification from the University of Chicago in 2017.

Chris M. Matsko, MD

Family Medicine Physician

Expert Answer

You want to eat a soft diet of soups, broths, yogurt, pudding, and other foods that are easy on the throat.
Question

Should I avoid dairy products?

Chris M. Matsko, MD
Family Medicine Physician
Dr. Chris M. Matsko is a retired physician based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. With over 25 years of medical research experience, Dr. Matsko was awarded the Pittsburgh Cornell University Leadership Award for Excellence. He holds a BS in Nutritional Science from Cornell University and an MD from the Temple University School of Medicine in 2007. Dr. Matsko earned a Research Writing Certification from the American Medical Writers Association (AMWA) in 2016 and a Medical Writing & Editing Certification from the University of Chicago in 2017.

Chris M. Matsko, MD

Family Medicine Physician

Expert Answer

No, eat active yogurt cultures while you are on antibiotics. This may help culture normal gut bacterial/flora, which will help with your bowel movements.

Warnings

Make sure to see a physician if you are not better in 2-3 days.

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Do not use honey with a child under the age of two. While it is rare, infant botulism is a risk because honey sometimes contains bacterial spores and infants do not have a developed immune system.

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