A health expert has revealed a straightforward 15-second method that can help soothe your sore throat without needing to pop to the pharmacy.
Doctor Sooj, who uses his social media presence to educate and provide health guidance to his followers, suggests there’s a quick, straightforward technique you could employ alongside taking ibuprofen or paracetamol.
He explained: “I’ve also found salt water gargles to be really helpful. This is where you get half a teaspoon of salt, mix it with some warm water – probably about half a glass. Then you just gargle it at the back of your throat for 10 to 15 seconds and spit it out.
“You’re rinsing the area which means that you’re manually removing some bacteria, viruses and some of the pus. It can help your sore throat to feel a lot better.”
The NHS supports this guidance, stating: “Sore throats are very common and usually nothing to worry about. They normally get better by themselves within a week.”
Responding to his post, one user commented: “I had this for two months and had three different antibiotics.
“I feel better when taking antibiotics and once I’m off it I’m back to the same, also white blood cells are high, had enough.”
Another user contributed: “I been on antibiotics since October goes away comes back chest infection. All the time cough and headache and sore throat.”
A third user suggested: “Best thing I found is having two or three cloves on your mouth and keep them there until the go fully soft. Then lightly bite them and swallow all the juice.”
Someone else queried: “What about a constant cough I’ve had one for two weeks now, especially worse at night, waking both of us. The majority of my colleagues also have it.”
How to treat a sore throat
To help soothe a sore throat and shorten how long it lasts, you can:
- Gargle with warm, salty water (children should not try this)
- Drink plenty of water
- Eat cool or soft foods
- Avoid smoking or smoky places
- Suck ice cubes, ice lollies or hard sweets – but do not give young children anything small and hard to suck because of the risk of choking
- Rest
Sore throat symptoms:
If you have a sore throat you might have:
- A painful throat, especially when swallowing
- A dry, scratchy throat
- Redness in the back of your mouth
- Bad breath
- A mild cough
- Swollen neck glands
The symptoms are similar for children, but children can also get a high temperature and appear less active.
