lovinmomma Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 I'm going on 3 days of my tonsils being swollen up like tennis balls. Seriously. They are huge. I'm swollen all the way down into my shoulders. I still have to go to work, but the pain is not fun at all. I was trying to drink some hot coffee, because I thought it would soothe my throat. It hurts too much to swallow the coffee. Any ideas for something really cheap to soothe my throat and get the swelling to go down? I'm thinking probably hot water with honey or maybe lemon? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheReader Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 Hot tea with honey &/or lemon always seems to help me. For the infection side, our doctor always suggests gargling with a good mouthwash; my mom suggests gargling with apple cider vinegar (I prefer the mouth wash, thanks....). Either will help kill whatever germs are contributing to the issue. If the swelling/pain is terrible, and you can manage, I'd take ibuprofen as well. If you can swing a packet of halls throat lozenges, they really do seem to help. Hope you find some relief! Sore throat can be so miserable!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amber in SJ Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 Gargle with warm salt water. As often as you can stand it. Take a big glass of warm water and stir in enough salt to make it taste ocean salty. Sometimes I add a pinch of cayenne. Stand at the sink and gargle with a big slug of water. Do not swallow. Mentally sing the ABC song. Spit and repeat until the glass is empty. This is not particularly soothing, but it does help get rid of the swelling & pain. That being said, it is my understanding that swollen tonsils indicates infection, and three days worth might indicate a need to see your doctor. Not a cheap idea. Amber in SJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lara in Colo Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 honestly, I drink hot tea: as hot as I can get it and burn my throat. I sometimes use a straw since the tea is too hot to put in my mouth. For some reason, it always feels better for hours afterwards. However I usually do this the very first day of the sore throat (I think this helps to kill the virus that has taken root on the throat and helps to end the cold faster) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 Oh I don't know but I wanted to give you lots of :grouphug::grouphug:. I hope you feel better really, really soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ereks mom Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 I'm assuming you haven't been to the doctor. With the symptoms you have, I think that's the first thing you should do. Penicillin is cheap, although doctor visits aren't, but they still beat a hospital bill from letting an infection go untreated too long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrn Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 Sounds like you need to see a doctor. :grouphug: Until then, I recommend using mouthwash, ibuprofen, drinking a ton of water, and if it just isn't getting better a shot or two of whisky with honey mixed in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammyla Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 :iagree: On the dr. Organic Apple Cider Vinegar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrappyhomeschooler Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 :iagree: On the dr. Organic Apple Cider Vinegar :iagree: Raw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katy Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 (edited) Do you have a friend or older child who can watch over you and your kids today? 4 Steps to Cure a Cold or Sore Throat in One Day (For adults only) Bourbon. Gargle with it, then swallow. Not a whole shot, just a swig to gargle with. The alcohol kills a ton of bacteria on the surface of your tonsils and in your throat on the way down, and it numbs your throat up nicely. Repeat every time it gets really sore again. You might need one or two of those single shot bottles. Get 4 if you feel really awful. You're not going to want to drive later, and better to have too much than too little. Lay in the sun. The vitamin D will up your immune system. Don't get burned if you're not used to staying in the sun, but if you are stay out in it for at least an hour or two when it's strongest (from 10-2). If you're not familiar with how long you can be in the sun without burning, pay very close attention to your skin. If it starts feeling hot from the inside, you're done. Turn over or go inside. You will probably be able to tolerate LESS sun when it's so hot than you will normally. Drink tons of water so you don't get too dehydrated between the alcohol and the sun and heat. When you come back inside, sleep. Sleep, sleep, sleep. I've never gotten drunk or even felt buzzed from this routine, and always felt much better the next day. But if you've never done anything like this before, I would be careful with kids around. I don't like to be alone with kids when I'm drinking. YMMV. Once my mom came over when I was doing this to kick a bad cold that had been lingering for a week or two. I expected disapproval, but to my surprise she grinned and said when she was young she'd called in sick one day with the worst cold ever. She thought she might die, she felt so awful. Her friend had dragged her to the beach and fed her shots for a couple of hours that day, and she went along with it thinking she couldn't possibly feel any worse. She woke up the next day feeling perfect. She got in trouble at work because she was perfectly well and had a new tan, so clearly she hadn't been sick the day before. :lol: Edited July 19, 2012 by Katy I missed the part about having to go to work. Go home. One day off is not as bad as a week of with bronchitis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momma_Bear Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 Hope you feel better soon! :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kricau Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 :iagree: Hot tea with honey &/or lemon always seems to help me. !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kricau Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 On another note. I had the same thing last year, and it wouldn't go away. I waited and waited cause I hate going to the doctor, but it turned into a sinus infection. Horrible face pain in my nasal cavity. The only cure for that is an antibiotic. You could go to an instant care facility about $50, and the RX should only be $4 at Walmart Hope you feel better soon :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 If it was just a sore throat, I'd take Advil. But with what you're describing it sounds like a doctor would be more helpful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 Suck on a thin slice of fresh Ginger. It has both antiseptic and analgesic properties. Consider seeing a physician. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovinmomma Posted July 19, 2012 Author Share Posted July 19, 2012 To those that are suggesting apple cider vinegar are you suggesting to gargle with it? I know someone upthread suggested gargling with it. And to those that say to go home...I just can't. My boss doesn't believe in sick days and I had to take 1 last week when I had the stomach flu...yuck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovinmomma Posted July 19, 2012 Author Share Posted July 19, 2012 On another note. I had the same thing last year, and it wouldn't go away. I waited and waited cause I hate going to the doctor, but it turned into a sinus infection. Horrible face pain in my nasal cavity. The only cure for that is an antibiotic. You could go to an instant care facility about $50, and the RX should only be $4 at Walmart Hope you feel better soon :) I will keep an eye out for a sinus infection. At this point it's in my throat only. Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovinmomma Posted July 19, 2012 Author Share Posted July 19, 2012 Suck on a thin slice of fresh Ginger. It has both antiseptic and analgesic properties. Consider seeing a physician. Bill I'll try the ginger, too. Maybe I could run to the store on my lunch break. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovinmomma Posted July 19, 2012 Author Share Posted July 19, 2012 Hope you feel better soon! :grouphug: Thank you! I'm sure it'll pass over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 And to those that say to go home...I just can't. My boss doesn't believe in sick days and I had to take 1 last week when I had the stomach flu...yuck! I'm sorry. Maybe he'll change his attitude when everyone in the workplace gets whatever you have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammyla Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 I can't gargle it, but take a tsp and simply aim for the sore area and swallow quickly. The organic is much less foot stomping, counter pounding awful. To those that are suggesting apple cider vinegar are you suggesting to gargle with it? I know someone upthread suggested gargling with it. And to those that say to go home...I just can't. My boss doesn't believe in sick days and I had to take 1 last week when I had the stomach flu...yuck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovinmomma Posted July 19, 2012 Author Share Posted July 19, 2012 The weird thing is that the majority of the pain isn't at the back of my throat. It's down deeper. Hard to explain.:confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovinmomma Posted July 19, 2012 Author Share Posted July 19, 2012 I can't gargle it, but take a tsp and simply aim for the sore area and swallow quickly. The organic is much less foot stomping, counter pounding awful. That good, huh? This should be fun. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovinmomma Posted July 19, 2012 Author Share Posted July 19, 2012 Hot tea with honey &/or lemon always seems to help me. For the infection side, our doctor always suggests gargling with a good mouthwash; my mom suggests gargling with apple cider vinegar (I prefer the mouth wash, thanks....). Either will help kill whatever germs are contributing to the issue. If the swelling/pain is terrible, and you can manage, I'd take ibuprofen as well. If you can swing a packet of halls throat lozenges, they really do seem to help. Hope you find some relief! Sore throat can be so miserable!! I think I will try these things. Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovinmomma Posted July 19, 2012 Author Share Posted July 19, 2012 Gargle with warm salt water. As often as you can stand it. Take a big glass of warm water and stir in enough salt to make it taste ocean salty. Sometimes I add a pinch of cayenne. Stand at the sink and gargle with a big slug of water. Do not swallow. Mentally sing the ABC song. Spit and repeat until the glass is empty. This is not particularly soothing, but it does help get rid of the swelling & pain. That being said, it is my understanding that swollen tonsils indicates infection, and three days worth might indicate a need to see your doctor. Not a cheap idea. Amber in SJ Oh, and this. I remembered my Mom always told me to gargle with salt water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie in Ma Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 I'd be gargling salt water if it were me. Doesn't get much cheaper than that. Alternatively, tea with honey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PIE! Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 My favorite bit of relief for this sort of thing is a lemon/ginger/honey tea. Bring water to a boil. Add as much ginger and lemon juice, and honey as you would like (different people like different proportions). Turn off the heat, cover it and let it sit for 20 minutes. Strain. Drink and enjoy the relief. Hope you feel better soon! :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovinmomma Posted July 19, 2012 Author Share Posted July 19, 2012 I'm sorry. Maybe he'll change his attitude when everyone in the workplace gets whatever you have. Actually, :lol: I'm the last one to have it. Everyone else has already had it because MY BOSS got sick with it and still came to work. My secretary took a day off last week because she had it. I think I got it from her. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovinmomma Posted July 19, 2012 Author Share Posted July 19, 2012 My favorite bit of relief for this sort of thing is a lemon/ginger/honey tea. Bring water to a boil. Add as much ginger and lemon juice, and honey as you would like (different people like different proportions). Turn off the heat, cover it and let it sit for 20 minutes. Strain. Drink and enjoy the relief. Hope you feel better soon! :grouphug: I'm hearing a lot of ginger, honey and lemon. Must be the way to go. Thank you! I already have honey so a little bit of ginger and lemon shouldn't be that pricey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovinmomma Posted July 19, 2012 Author Share Posted July 19, 2012 I'd be gargling salt water if it were me. Doesn't get much cheaper than that.Alternatively, tea with honey. I just went back and checked and we have a ton of salt here at work. I'm gonna gargle throughout the day with that. At least until my lunch break. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovinmomma Posted July 19, 2012 Author Share Posted July 19, 2012 Do you have a friend or older child who can watch over you and your kids today? 4 Steps to Cure a Cold or Sore Throat in One Day (For adults only) Bourbon. Gargle with it, then swallow. Not a whole shot, just a swig to gargle with. The alcohol kills a ton of bacteria on the surface of your tonsils and in your throat on the way down, and it numbs your throat up nicely. Repeat every time it gets really sore again. You might need one or two of those single shot bottles. Get 4 if you feel really awful. You're not going to want to drive later, and better to have too much than too little. Lay in the sun. The vitamin D will up your immune system. Don't get burned if you're not used to staying in the sun, but if you are stay out in it for at least an hour or two when it's strongest (from 10-2). If you're not familiar with how long you can be in the sun without burning, pay very close attention to your skin. If it starts feeling hot from the inside, you're done. Turn over or go inside. You will probably be able to tolerate LESS sun when it's so hot than you will normally. Drink tons of water so you don't get too dehydrated between the alcohol and the sun and heat. When you come back inside, sleep. Sleep, sleep, sleep. I've never gotten drunk or even felt buzzed from this routine, and always felt much better the next day. But if you've never done anything like this before, I would be careful with kids around. I don't like to be alone with kids when I'm drinking. YMMV. Once my mom came over when I was doing this to kick a bad cold that had been lingering for a week or two. I expected disapproval, but to my surprise she grinned and said when she was young she'd called in sick one day with the worst cold ever. She thought she might die, she felt so awful. Her friend had dragged her to the beach and fed her shots for a couple of hours that day, and she went along with it thinking she couldn't possibly feel any worse. She woke up the next day feeling perfect. She got in trouble at work because she was perfectly well and had a new tan, so clearly she hadn't been sick the day before. :lol: If it's not gone by Saturday I will try to swing for some bourbon. No idea how much bourbon costs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 I'll try the ginger, too. Maybe I could run to the store on my lunch break. Try it. Just don't bite into the Ginger slice (unless you really like Ginger) just let it rest on your tongue and suck on it until it is no longer fresh. Then replace if it is working for you. At the store you can break off a relatively small piece to see how it works for you. Nothing would be more economical and it both kills germs and provides pain relief for sore throats. I've had sore throats over the years where Ginger was highly-effective at reducing the feeling of pain and other times when it seemed less effective. So, in my limited experience, it can be variable. But I would certainly try it. The key is to keep a (relatively) fresh piece in your mouth for an expended period of time so your your throat gets bathed with Ginger-infused saliva. I hope it helps! Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swellmomma Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 gargling with salt water. Tastes awful but dirt cheap and kills the bacteria causing the problems Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovinmomma Posted July 19, 2012 Author Share Posted July 19, 2012 Try it. Just don't bite into the Ginger slice (unless you really like Ginger) just let it rest on your tongue and suck on it until it is no longer fresh. Then replace if it is working for you. At the store you can break off a relatively small piece to see how it works for you. Nothing would be more economical and it both kills germs and provides pain relief for sore throats. I've had sore throats over the years where Ginger was highly-effective at reducing the feeling of pain and other times when it seemed less effective. So, in my limited experience, it can be variable. But I would certainly try it. The key is to keep a (relatively) fresh piece in your mouth for an expended period of time so your your throat gets bathed with Ginger-infused saliva. I hope it helps! Bill Thanks Bill! I try to stay as natural as possible when fighting infections. Do you happen to know how long ginger will stay good for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 I would also try the warm salt-water gargle. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Camy-7 boybarians 1 lady Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 Pineapple enzymes are destructive to strep and other throat irritations. Make sure to eat it raw (not canned or processed) in order to preserve enzymatic properties. Another helpful remedy is the Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar drink (listed as Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar Cocktail) I use a pinch of stevia for sweetener. You can use any raw apple cider vinegar for this: http://bragg.com/healthinfo/healthydrinks.html Blessings! Camy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 Thanks Bill! I try to stay as natural as possible when fighting infections. Do you happen to know how long ginger will stay good for? You mean the uncut portion? It lasts for a very long time. If you mean the thin slice you suck on it depends. I'd say at least as long as a throat lozenge. You can tell when it is "spent." I usually can't resist a little gnawing (but I really like Ginger, where some people find it too "hot") which increases the intensity but reduces effective time. But a dollars worth of Ginger will go a long way. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovinmomma Posted July 19, 2012 Author Share Posted July 19, 2012 You mean the uncut portion? It lasts for a very long time. But a dollars worth of Ginger will go a long way. Bill Yes, the uncut portion. $1?! Really? That's perfect. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 Yes, the uncut portion. $1?! Really? That's perfect. Thanks! To keep the unused portion extra fresh you can wrap the root in plastic wrap an refrigerate (but it is not necessary if you need to be on the down-low). If you are funny about texture you can peel the skin off the cut piece, but I don't bother. As I said, I've had sore throats where Ginger was almost miraculous in reducing the raw feelings and speeding recovery and other times where is was only about as effective as a throat lozenge, but it is way cheaper (and healthier) than suckers and well worth a try IMO. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovinmomma Posted July 19, 2012 Author Share Posted July 19, 2012 To keep the unused portion extra fresh you can wrap the root in plastic wrap an refrigerate (but it is not necessary if you need to be on the down-low). If you are funny about texture you can peel the skin off the cut piece, but I don't bother. As I said, I've had sore throats where Ginger was almost miraculous in reducing the raw feelings and speeding recovery and other times where is was only about as effective as a throat lozenge, but it is way cheaper (and healthier) than suckers and well worth a try IMO. Bill Yes, thank you. I believe ginger is good for quite a few other ailments if I remember correctly. I'm sure it won't hurt to keep some on hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 Pineapple enzymes are destructive to strep and other throat irritations. Make sure to eat it raw (not canned or processed) in order to preserve enzymatic properties. Fresh pineapple does work. Warm salt water is my mom's favorite cure. I hope you feel better soon!:grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovinmomma Posted July 20, 2012 Author Share Posted July 20, 2012 UPDATE: I'm feeling much better today. Still quite a bit of swelling but it's not nearly as sore when I swallow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairfarmhand Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 that is what happened when I had strep. Please see a dr. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TranquilMind Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 I'm assuming you haven't been to the doctor. With the symptoms you have, I think that's the first thing you should do. Penicillin is cheap, although doctor visits aren't, but they still beat a hospital bill from letting an infection go untreated too long. Agreed. You need antibiotics if you have infection. Gargling won't cut it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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