Best home remedies for sore throats?

[Terabith]

Also accepting remedies for headaches, fatigue, mild body aches, and swollen glands.  Mild chills.  Rapid covid test was negative.  No real congestion.  Nobody is exactly fully ill but nobody feels great or like doing much either.  

[smstjohn]

Gargling with warm salt water is the easiest and usually helps the most at my house.

[HomeAgain]

A gargle with Listerine is tops here, followed by medicated cough drops for relief while awake. Hot tea with lemon and honey when you can.

For sleeping?  Max strength pain reliever.  It doesn't do much else than drop the pain with it all.

I hope you feel better.  Maybe a second test to be sure?

 

[SDMomof3]

Mix honey and lemon with hot water or tea.

[Spy Car]

Hoping for the best.

My go-to home remedy for a sore throat is placing a thin slice of ginger on the tongue and letting it linger there. The ginger with bach the inflamed tissues and should provide some relief.

Bill

[JustEm]

As an adult, I drink whiskey to sooth a sour throat.  It would also help with all the other symptoms assuming I am fully hydrated, so i'd usually do it while soaking in a warm bath. For the kids, I have them gargle warm salt water or drink warm chicken broth.  Eat a spoon full of garlic and honey

[Terabith]

I’m torn between something like popsicles or slushees for throat or hot tea.  Not exactly full fledged sick but more like we’re all fighting something and just don’t have much energy and want to just lay around.  
 

Also wondering if alcohol would kill germs in throat?

[Spy Car]

Just now, SDMomof3 said:

Mix honey and lemon with hot water or tea.

If I want to do a "knock-out" and sleep, I do the same but sub water/tea with warmed (not boiled) wine. Zzzzzz.

Bill

[Terabith]

2 minutes ago, Spy Car said:

If I want to do a "knock-out" and sleep, I do the same but sub water/tea with warmed (not boiled) wine. Zzzzzz.

Bill

How is lemon and honey in warm wine?  I do have all those ingredients 

[JustEm]

6 minutes ago, Terabith said:

I’m torn between something like popsicles or slushees for throat or hot tea.  Not exactly full fledged sick but more like we’re all fighting something and just don’t have much energy and want to just lay around.  
 

Also wondering if alcohol would kill germs in throat?

do both.  Popsicles and hot tea are both very soothing for the throat in my experience.

[Spy Car]

5 minutes ago, Terabith said:

How is lemon and honey in warm wine?  I do have all those ingredients 

It should provide some short-term immediate sore throat relief. For some reason--especially when one is sick--it also seems to knock one out, so one can get some rest.

Not my idea of an excellent beverage otherwise. Chug, don't sip. Then sleep.

Bill

[Terabith]

Okay, any home remedies for swollen glands in the neck and chin?  I keep wondering if this is what mumps feels like.  Really sore and swollen.  

[Spy Car]

Have you had a PCR test?

Bill

[klmama]

I've found sore throats and swollen glands to be helped by dramatically  increasing hydration.  Water, O.J.  (diluted, if necessary, to reduce acidity), herbal teas, soups, etc.  And ibuprofen for pain and swelling.  YMMV, of course.

[Terabith]

5 minutes ago, Spy Car said:

Have you had a PCR test?

Bill

No, just a rapid.  But I am fully vaccinated, wear a mask everywhere, and don’t go many places.  Plus turn around time on pcr test is like five days.  I went to urgent care for strep test and rapid test and they didn’t think pcr was warranted. 

[Spy Car]

Just now, Terabith said:

No, just a rapid.  But I am fully vaccinated, wear a mask everywhere, and don’t go many places.  Plus turn around time on pcr test is like five days.  I went to urgent care for strep test and rapid test and they didn’t think pcr was warranted. 

If it were I, I'd get one to be sure.

There have been breakthrough cases--as you are aware--and if (let's hope not) that's the case there are monoclonal antibody treatments if needed. But there are windows on those.

Bill

 

 

[Spy Car]

7 minutes ago, klmama said:

I've found sore throats and swollen glands to be helped by dramatically  increasing hydration.  Water, O.J.  (diluted, if necessary, to reduce acidity), herbal teas, soups, etc.  And ibuprofen for pain and swelling.  YMMV, of course.

Yes, definitely stay well hydrated.

Bill

 

[Indigo Blue]

What about zinc lozenges? I let them dissolve in my mouth for colds and sore throats. They seem to help shorten a cold. Hope you all feel better soon. The warm wine with honey and lemon sounds good. I’m going to have to remember that. 

[AmandaVT]

Hot water w/ honey and lemon is my go to. Also Gypsy Cold Care makes a Throat Coat tea that works well. Tylenol for the aches and swollen glands? Feel better soon!!

[KSera]

I’d pursue a PCR as well. Even if the results might take awhile. Crazy that urgent care is declining to Covid test symptoms like that. I have rapid tests on hand, but I’m not trusting them at all. I know too many people who had negative rapid and positive PCR. Hoping that’s not the case for you, though. The above sore throat tips cover all my remedies as well. We use the Throat Coat tea a lot. Feel better soon!

[PeterPan]

Beverly Hillbillies. Horizontal while watching. 

Any chance you're dehydrated? 

[Harriet Vane]

Same condition here. I was sure it was covid, but the test was negative. Mine was a PCR, so I am trusting it's accurate. That means I am down with a regular ole infection compounded by seasonal allergies. I am isolating just to be on the safe side. I hope you feel better soon.

[athena1277]

 Zinc lozenges are the best thing for knocking out a sore throat.  Eat a little before taking, even just a cracker or 2, so it doesn’t upset your stomach.    Most of the time I can knock it out in 1-2 days, using only 1-2 a day.  Since you have more than just the sore throat (I usually get it with post nasal drip from allergies), you may need more, just do what the package says.  A side benefit is I also don’t usually get a bad cough with it.  

[barnwife]

Ditto the suggestions for gargling with warm salt water. When I do that as often as possible in addition to eating raw garlic, I get much less sick than anyone else in my house, who never do either of those things. I also steam myself (take warm showers or heat water on stove and breathe in the steam). 

[prairiewindmomma]

Gargle and spit out: 1 part Maalox, 2 parts liquid Benadryl, 3 parts water.

[Terabith]

All right. I scheduled a pcr test tomorrow at cvs.  I think it’s overkill but just to be safe. I am not particularly sick.  In the before times I would assume allergies or cold or barometric pressure and continued on my way.  I don’t feel good but I don’t feel terrible either.  

[Kanin]

1 minute ago, Terabith said:

All right. I scheduled a pcr test tomorrow at cvs.  I think it’s overkill but just to be safe. I am not particularly sick.  In the before times I would assume allergies or cold or barometric pressure and continued on my way.  I don’t feel good but I don’t feel terrible either.  

A vaccinated person I know had a breakthrough case, and a wicked sore throat plus fatigue were the only symptoms. 

[Tanaqui]

Honey and plenty of water, and lots of rest.

Feel better soon, okay?

[gardenmom5]

sore throat - likely sinus drainage even if it doesn't feel that way.

gargle with warm salt water.

hot baths - epsom salt is a nice addition.

sleep.

[Junie]

One of my dds used to get strep several times a year.  Usually when she got a diagnosis we would stop for a slushee and she said that it helped a lot.

[Terabith]

Yeah, I got a strep test at urgent care, and that was negative, too.  I'm drinking a slushee.  It helps some, but I guess the tylenol wore off because now I feel kinda vaguely achy all over as well as the sore throat and headache.  And am exhausted.  

And crap.  Just took my temperature and it's 100.2.  Which is not quite technically a fever, but is definitely abnormal.  Guess it's good I have the PCR appointment.

Edited August 22, 2021 by Terabith

[Carol in Cal.]

7 hours ago, Indigo Blue said:

What about zinc lozenges? I let them dissolve in my mouth for colds and sore throats. They seem to help shorten a cold. Hope you all feel better soon. The warm wine with honey and lemon sounds good. I’m going to have to remember that. 

Here, too.  You have to suck them under your tongue, so that the zinc kind of bathes your throat for a while.  At the onset of symptoms is when they work best for me—I suck one every 2 hours all day, and generally if it’s a virus it reduces from 3-4 days of intense misery followed by 10 of mop up to just a week of mop up, no real intense symptoms.  If it’s strep this doesn’t touch it at all though.

[PinkTulip]

I’m reading these answers with interest. My DS has similar symptoms - sore throat, swollen glands in his neck, huge tonsils, fever of 102, and extreme fatigue.  He is fully vaccinated and had negative PCR and antigen tests, but tested positive for Mono. If we can get the sore throat under control, I feel like the rest is manageable. 
 

I hope you and your family feel better soon! 

[KSera]

2 minutes ago, PinkTulip said:

I’m reading these answers with interest. My DS has similar symptoms - sore throat, swollen glands in his neck, huge tonsils, fever of 102, and extreme fatigue.  He is fully vaccinated and had negative PCR and antigen tests, but tested positive for Mono. If we can get the sore throat under control, I feel like the rest is manageable. 
 

I hope you and your family feel better soon! 

oh no, mono! I'm sorry. The sore throat and fatigue from mono are pretty intense. I hope he feels better before too long.

[Laura Corin]

Honey, lemon,  hot water and whisky.

[mmasc]

12 minutes ago, Laura Corin said:

Honey, lemon,  hot water and whisky.

This is what I was coming on here to say. At bedtime, I usually sub Sleepytime Tea for the water. Lots of honey, some fresh lemon, whisky. Then I take two Tylenol or Advil for the pain. That’s just to get to sleep—usually a bad sore throat will still wake me up once the meds wear off, but I do this routine 30 minutes before heading to bed and it seems to help. 
 

hope you feel better soon!

[Terabith]

Any ideas for food that is easy on throat and tummy and goes down when you feel lousy?  

[Drama Llama]

1 minute ago, Terabith said:

Any ideas for food that is easy on throat and tummy and goes down when you feel lousy?  

Soup?

 

[Terabith]

1 minute ago, BaseballandHockey said:

Soup?

 

Soup could be good.  I'm not sure I have the energy to make soup, and I don't love Campbell's.  I really wish there was a "sick food delivery service" with stuff you could order.  

[Drama Llama]

2 minutes ago, Terabith said:

Soup could be good.  I'm not sure I have the energy to make soup, and I don't love Campbell's.  I really wish there was a "sick food delivery service" with stuff you could order.  

Here we have that it is called Uber Eats, they will also being healthy people food.  

[Junie]

38 minutes ago, Terabith said:

Any ideas for food that is easy on throat and tummy and goes down when you feel lousy?  

I drink Jello.  I make a box of Jello and then drink it warm instead of putting it in the fridge to set.

Not exactly healthy, but it is calories.

[prairiewindmomma]

1 hour ago, Terabith said:

Soup could be good.  I'm not sure I have the energy to make soup, and I don't love Campbell's.  I really wish there was a "sick food delivery service" with stuff you could order.  

Here DoorDash will go both to Walgreens and to restaurants for you. We have some limited store shopping options too. 
 

I would DoorDash or Uber eats from Panera if I wanted soup. 

[Terabith]

Tried some chicken and rice campbell's soup and husband is bringing a milkshake.  Just.....blah.  

[KungFuPanda]

On 8/21/2021 at 1:10 PM, SDMomof3 said:

Mix honey and lemon with hot water or tea.

This is what I like when I'm unwell.  I fill a mug with hot water, add a splash of lemon juice and a spoon of honey.  It's soothing and comforting.  Generally I drink Irish breakfast tea with milk and sugar . . . I HAVE to have it 2-3 times a day.  However, when I'm sick I just don't have the urge to make a cup.  It's a little weird.  I'm not revolted by the thought or anything, just oddly disinterested.  Then I have to make a point of making a cup of black tea so I don't add a caffeine headache to my general malaise.  

[KSera]

How are you feeling tonight, @Terabith? How about the rest of your family?

[Frances]

I hope you are feeling better, @Terabith.

[Terabith]

Rest of the family, who started about four days before I did, is feeling better.  I am still feeling rough…sore throat, really swollen glands, headache, body aches, exhausted, off and on fever up to 101.7, but it stays down with Tylenol or ibuprofen.   A little queasy.  Had pcr test, so we will see in a day or so, but I’m hopeful I’ll be recovered by then.  In the meantime I don’t feel much like doing anything except staying horizontal really. 

Edited August 23, 2021 by Terabith

[Terabith]

It feels pathetic to be 45 and need a throw up bucket.  

[PeterPan]

36 minutes ago, Terabith said:

It feels pathetic to be 45 and need a throw up bucket.  

If you have a probiotic, you can open the capsule and take it on a spoon with a dab of warm water.

[Terabith]

Went over to urgent care to see if I could get symptomatic relief.  I’m dehydrated. They gave me a shot to help with nausea and a shot of toradol for headache.  Called in prescription for zofran. Told me to rotate Tylenol and ibuprofen and stay in bed for the next couple of days.