[Mari]

I have a wicked sore throat.

I have to go to the pharmacy to pick up my Wellbutrin and will ask pharmacist for suggestions.

My sis says to gargle with hot hot water.

I've been eating ice cream all night. It's not really working. lol

M.

[waves]

Dear Mari

too much sugar can actually make things worse. i've heard mixed things about milk/cream (icecream). i personally tend to stay clear of dairy when i have throat trouble. mostly, if i am having mucous, i find it causes more of it. my choir teacher did in fact used to yell at us for even putting creamer in coffee - he said it "coated the throat." but some find it soothing.

honey is good, or honey lemon tea, but don't drink gallons of it and not constantly.

for gargling, what is usually recommended is warm (not hot hot hot) saline. it doesn't have to be accurate, just put maybe a 1/4 tsp salt in a cup of hot or nicely warm water and stir it up. then gargle. it's soothes and helps cleanse without otherwise interfering with your tissues.

what else. oh. if you are in pain pain, cloves might help. again, don't overdo. the oil is technically an irritant. but it ok as long as you take breaks and do not put 10 in your mouth at once. the oil is an anesthetic and it can reduce the pain considerably. what i've done is put 2 or three in my mouth and just let them sit between my cheeks and rear lower molars. occasionally i tap them between my teeth to encourage them to seep oil. if the pain is more in your breathing passages, get the flavor in your mouth, and then breathe gently through your mouth to get a little of the vapors in your airway. if your throat is too sore, you could find them irritating - in which case, don't insist - spit them out.

i hope you feel better soon.

~ waves ~

[Koala77]

Persistant sore throats do need checking by a doctor, as most require antibiotic therapy. Strep throats won't improve without antibiotics, and left untreated can have rather nasty consequences.

But, in the meantime:

Aspirin gargles would probably be the most effective home remedy Mari. Dissolve 2 adult strength soluble aspirin in water, and gargle. Swallow the mixture after gargling. This coats the throat with analgesia as well of adding to your system via the digestive tract. Gargles of warm salty water, as suggested by Waves, can also be helpful....but spit that one out!

According to lots of sites, sage and honey seem to be quite effective but you'd need to consult one of the hoeopathic sites to get the recipe.

Meanwhile, here's a couple of web links related to home remedies for sore throats.
http://www.grannymed.com/meds/swelli...re-throat.aspx
http://www.natural-homeremedies.com/...sorethroat.htm

[Jomar]

I use the hot salt water gargle, salty chips, tea w/honey & lemon,
and we usually have the large vit c chewable tablets - for sore throat suck on the tab instead of chewing it.

[waves]

i got it from my mom, who is just shy of an herbalist... but i found you a reference on the cloves...

http://www.organicfacts.net/organic-...clove-oil.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oil_of_cloves

[Mari]

Hi,
Thanks!
I'm going to try all of these and get back to you with the results.

. . . except for aspirin. I took my nightly 325 aspirin before reading the responses. I don't feel like taking more right now.

M.

PS
The pharmacist recommended Chloraseptic.

[Mari]

'any chance that the cloves are stimulating?
I had three in my mouth for about three hours.
I'm not sleepy.
It is either the cloves or the new klonopin from a new generic that I brought home around 11:00 pm or so. I don't want the stimulation to be the crappily manufactured Klonopin.

Waves, you and your mother have great talent and experience.
I wish you had a good way to share your experience and knowledge of working with plants for healing.


M.

[waves]

Dear Mari

cloves are stimulating yes... although i would not expect three in your mouth to have that effect... it is possible.

i hope it isn't the Klonopin!

~ waves ~

[mymorgy]

slippery elm....feel better
bobby

[bizi]

I too suggest the aspirin, tonight chew it and let it coat your throat.
I also concur with the thought about the strep throat possibility.
so if it gets worse, please have a simple swab done, you might be able to do that at your school clinic if you have one.
be well
bizi