# What helps a SEVERE sore throat?



## RachelGS (Sep 29, 2002)

I'm actually thinking I should get a strep test tomorrow, but in the meantime, what can I do? I can barely swallow, and it just feels like someone has scraped my throat with razors. Otherwise I'm basically okay-- very mildly congested and my ears are popping a bit. But the throat-- YIKES. I feel horrible.


----------



## hotmamacita (Sep 25, 2002)

Okay, pure OJ, lots of water, ZINC, echanachea and SLEEP/REST.

Get you some zinc losenges (sp?) too.

hth,


----------



## Trishy (Oct 15, 2002)

If you aren't vegetarian try drinking some hot chicken broth. It hurts at first but then it really soothes a lot. I keep lots of chicken broth for when I am sick.


----------



## shelbean91 (May 11, 2002)

Hot tea; gargling with salt water (don't remember why this works- but it helps me)


----------



## shantimama (Mar 11, 2002)

Lots of rest, fluids inwhatever form you can handle - herbal tea, broth, ice chips.

Please get a swab done tomorrow - strep isn't always but can be serious. A few years ago I went from how you are feeling today to being admitted to the hospital for 5 days in just 24 hours. Even breathing was painful and I was so out of it mentally that I didn't even notice I was seriously dehydrated with a sky-high fever. I was just feeling crummy and thinking "it's only a sore throat" but aparently when I awoke from a nap I had gone to a whole new level of being sick and was too sick to notice - dh was out of town so fortunately a friend came over and took over - got the kids to bed, me to the ER. Ever since then strep hits me hard and fast - my doctor and I know that I have to get on antibiotics withing a couple of hours of the first twinge (I can recognize the difference between a strep sore throat and a cold sore throatnow) or else I am in the hospital struggling. For some reason strep is very invasive to me - it is kind of scary to be honest.


----------



## hvl25 (Jan 28, 2003)

PROPOLIS, PROPOLIS, PROPOLIS ~!!!!! I take it for everything. They also make a propolis throat spray that tastes awful but really helps alot, its made from herbpharm, you get it at the HFS. I take 2 propolis about every 2-4 hours when I am really sick and usually feel better within 1-2 days. Hope you feel better soon.


----------



## Katana (Nov 16, 2002)

Gargling with hydrogen peroxide three times a day always helps me.

Also, a shot glass of pure brandy is quite amazing as well. The higher the proof the better.


----------



## mama2annabelle (Dec 29, 2002)

I swear by grapefruit seed extract. It completely gets rids of a sore throat within hours for me and it doesn't come back! Just two days ago I had a terrible sore throat...hurt to swallow, hurt to talk. I mixed 3 drops of GSE in 5 ounces of water, gargled slowly letting it linger at the back of my throat and swallowed. It took about four mouthfuls to get it all down. (Warning: the stuff tastes NASTY







but it really works). I took a nap and when I woke up a couple hours later the sore throat was GONE! And it's been two days and it hasn't been back!

GSE is a highly potent germ killer and can even kill strep. Do a google search for more info if you're interested. There's lots of information about it on the web.

I hope you start feeling better soon.


----------



## sea island mama (Dec 17, 2001)

Quote:

_Originally posted by mama2annabelle_
*I swear by grapefruit seed extract. It completely gets rids of a sore throat within hours for me and it doesn't come back! Just two days ago I had a terrible sore throat...hurt to swallow, hurt to talk. I mixed 3 drops of GSE in 5 ounces of water, gargled slowly letting it linger at the back of my throat and swallowed. It took about four mouthfuls to get it all down. (Warning: the stuff tastes NASTY







but it really works). I took a nap and when I woke up a couple hours later the sore throat was GONE! And it's been two days and it hasn't been back!

GSE is a highly potent germ killer and can even kill strep. Do a google search for more info if you're interested. There's lots of information about it on the web.*
Do you really *have* to gargle with it














? It really is







!! I have been really congested for about a week now & started getting a sore throat as well. I gargled with some (I can't remember now how many drops - maybe 20-30?? - in a glass of water) a few times a day for a couple of days & I think it was getting better. Then I bought some tablets a couple of days ago thinking they would work as well without making me want to uke. It is getting worse again now, so I did gargle/hold it at the back of my throat & swallow a couple of times just now.
I also can't lie down without coughing now, so I was up until after 2:00 AM this morning before I thought to prop myself up







: .
Anyway, I'm just wondering at what point I should go to the dr. if it is strep that's not going away.


----------



## AahRee (Jan 23, 2003)

Gargling with warm salt water, or warm water and baking soda, works well for me when I have a sore throat. Also, warm tea with honey can be very soothing.


----------



## moma justice (Aug 16, 2003)

slippery elm bark tea
works like a charm
buy the bark in shave form not powder and add about 2 tblspoons to a mug of boiled water
dink the tea and the hydrated bark!


----------



## Scout (Jan 23, 2002)

Traditional Medicinals makes a *fantastic* tea called Throat Coat, and another called Herba Tussin. I had the absolute worst sore throat I've ever had last year, for an entire week it hurt to swallow. I was miserable! I had a strep test that came back negative, but man, it hurt soooo bad! Throat Coat saved me!

Good luck. I hope you feel better soon!

~Scout


----------



## Aaudreysmom (Aug 20, 2003)

Boil a little water, add a spoon of honey and a spoon of lemmon juice. Oh it fells much better.


----------



## mamajo2004 (Jan 8, 2004)

Put a few tsp. of apple cider vinegar in hot tea and honey. You can also gargle it, just add a few tsp. to a glass of water.


----------



## BusyMommy (Nov 20, 2001)

I second the GSE! Tastes like cr*p, though, unfortunately.

Also, we LOVE the Throat Coat tea. I thought it was Yogi, but likely is Trad. Med.


----------



## Maeve (Feb 21, 2004)

I usually make a tea with 1 tsp sage, 2 tbs slippery elm, 1 tbs sage, and 1 tbs hyssop (you can also add licorice if you don't have high blood pressure) in a quart of boiling water, then strain and drink. I put the rest in the fridge for later.

You can also make something for a sore throat with thyme and honey. You add an ounce of thyme to a cup of boiling water and let cool. When cool, add to a cup of honey and ix well. Store in a glass jar in the fridge (can be stored for a few months). Then take 1 tsp to 1 tbs when needed. Helps with the sore throat, plus it's antimicrobial (sp?) and antibacterial).

I've also heard that GSE works really well, but I haven't tried it yet.


----------

