How to gargle a sore throat at home?

Quite often, adults and children suffer from sore throat, especially in winter. Even the usual sore throat may indicate an incipient inflammatory process. To prevent the progression of the disease, the development of undesirable consequences, it is necessary to start gargling at home as early as possible.

A lesion of inflammatory origin in the throat in home conditions may result from:

viral, bacterial infection;
an allergic reaction;
the influence of strong odors, smoke.

A doctor should be consulted for examination, diagnosis, and treatment plan when the throat hurts. With a sore throat, not only physical health worsens, but also the psycho-emotional state changes.

Salt recipes

Sore throat, sore throat complicate the process of swallowing, communication with people around, therefore, it is necessary to immediately begin medical procedures. The easiest to use, but no less effective, is considered to be gargling at home. To get the fastest possible effect, it is necessary to choose drugs with anti-inflammatory, antiseptic action.

To prepare the solution, add sea salt (1 tablespoon) to warm water (30-40 degrees) with a volume of 1 cup, stir until it is completely dissolved. The procedure is repeated three times a day, which helps to prevent the spread of the inflammatory process to healthy tissues due to the healing properties of salt (cleansing the mucous membrane, eliminating edema).
For a glass of slightly warm water, 1 tablespoon of components such as salt, soda is enough. The solution is thoroughly mixed, after which it is ready to use. Rinsing is repeated every 4 hours, alternating with irrigation of the oropharynx with other antiseptic solutions.
An additional component of the medicinal solution is iodine. It has an antimicrobial, local irritant effect, as a result of which the vessels expand, local blood flow is accelerated, and the delivery of biologically active elements is accelerated. As a result, inflammation, tissue edema decreases. It is enough to add 2 drops of iodine to water, where salt and soda are mixed. Rinsing is repeated no more than twice a day to avoid burns and dryness of the mucous membrane.
This recipe is somewhat dangerous, as it requires adding 15 drops of a 5% iodine solution to a glass of warm water, 5 g of soda. The procedure is performed once a day.

It is important to completely spit out the iodine solution, preventing it from being swallowed - this will prevent poisoning of the body.

Adding more iodine to a glass of water does not increase the therapeutic effect, but, on the contrary, increases the likelihood of a burn of the mucous membrane, the appearance of signs of an allergic reaction.

Folk recipes for gargling

Propolis. The healing properties of propolis have been known for a long time. It is used as an anti-inflammatory, sedative, analgesic agent. Propolis is especially useful for sore throat, but it is prohibited for people who are allergic to bee products.

A folk medicine based on propolis is prepared according to this recipe. Boiled water should be heated to 40 degrees. A higher temperature can lead to burns of the mucous membrane, aggravating the disease. You need to add 3 drops of propolis to a glass of water, after which you can start rinsing. In addition, if angina is diagnosed, it is recommended to dissolve a piece of propolis to reduce the severity of the inflammatory process.

Sage tea

Gargling with colds is also recommended with sage infusion. It reduces tissue swelling, pain, and accelerates regeneration. The procedure is repeated up to 4 times a day after meals. The recipe is quite simple, similar to brewing tea. A tablespoon of sage is poured with boiling water, infused for 15 minutes, and then filtered. The resulting solution is ready for use, its temperature should not exceed 30 degrees.

Apple vinegar

Use a properly prepared apple cider vinegar solution to rinse your throat. To do this, it is enough to mix 30 ml of vinegar with 180 ml of water, and then use it once a day to gargle.

Vodka

Gargling with vodka is also widespread. The medicine is considered one of the most effective, provides a quick result, does not require large material costs. Such treatment is allowed only for adults in order to avoid the development of severe intoxication in children.

A vodka-based healing remedy is not so difficult to prepare. For preparation, you need to pour 100 milliliters of vodka onto the bottom of the container. Above it, set fire to a piece of refined sugar on a fork. The syrup obtained from the melting of refined sugar should fall into a container with vodka. In total, you need 4 pieces of refined sugar. Care must be taken to ensure that the melted sugar does not catch fire when it gets into the vodka.

Now you should rinse your throat with vodka, or rather a prepared product, once, then wrap your neck for more warmth. To prepare the compress, you can use a semi-alcohol solution (water and alcohol 1: 1). You should moisten a handkerchief in a solution, put it on your neck, cover with a film, wrap it in a warm handkerchief. Keep the compress for 2 hours.

Note that some of the recipes listed (with vodka, St. John's wort, vinegar) are prohibited for children and pregnant women.

Infusion of blueberries

To prepare an effective remedy for sore throat, dry / frozen blueberries in a volume of 100 grams must be poured with 0.5 liters of water. The berries should be boiled until 300 ml of water is obtained, after which the infusion is cooled, filtered through cheesecloth. The medicine is ready to use (you need to rinse it 4 times a day).

Camomile tea

Long known for its medicinal properties is a recipe based on chamomile. It has a pronounced antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory effect. To prepare the product, pour 15 g of chamomile flowers with a glass of boiling water, leave to infuse for 15 minutes. After filtration through a double gauze layer, the infusion is ready for rinsing.

Hypericum infusion

To start rinsing with St. John's wort, you need to brew 15 g of herbs in a glass of boiling water. While the infusion cools down, St. John's wort will have time to give up its healing properties. After filtering the infusion through cheesecloth, you can carry out the procedure three times a day, which will provide a long-term antiseptic effect.

Coniferous infusion

Needles have long been known for their antimicrobial, antimycotic, and general strengthening effects. To obtain a remedy, one rule must be observed: during the preparation process, not an open fire is used, but a water bath. 30 g of pine needles must be thoroughly crushed, poured into a glass container, and filled with a glass of boiling water. It is necessary to boil for a quarter of an hour in a water bath. After that, the broth should be cooled, filtered through cheesecloth, used to rinse out the throat.

Vinegar

Your throat will stop hurting with a vinegar and salt product. For cooking, you need to mix 15 ml of vinegar, 5 g of salt, a glass of water. After stirring until the ingredients are completely dissolved, it can be used as an effective antimicrobial agent twice a day.

Tea

Thanks to astringent, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory effects, green, black tea has a beneficial effect on the mucous membrane of the oropharynx. 15 g of tea should be brewed in a glass of boiling water, left for 2 hours under the lid.

Beet juice

Fresh vegetable is passed through a juicer. After receiving 1 glass of juice, you need to add 15 ml of apple / wine vinegar. The rinsing procedure is recommended three times a day for a mild antimicrobial, analgesic effect.

The Rose

5 g of dried rose petals are covered with milk / water in a volume of 1 cup. The mixture is boiled over low heat for 10 minutes, after which it must be filtered, used up to 5 times a day.

Traditional medicine recipes

How to gargle when there is no way to prepare a folk remedy? Homemade medicated throat gargles are also used for treatment. The drugs have anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, decongestant, healing, analgesic effects. They differ in composition, contraindications, method of application.

Similar drugs are available in the form of solutions for rinsing, irrigation of the oropharynx, lubrication of tonsils, tablet forms for resorption:

in the form of a rinse solution, Furacilin, Chlorhexidine, Miramistin, Tantum-Verde, Givalex, Stopangin are produced.
in the form of a spray - Ingalipt, Happy ENT, Orosept, Givalex, Tantum-Verde, Chlorophyllipt, Strepsils, Septolete.
tablets - Lisobakt, Lizak, Strepsils, Decatilen, Faringosept, Septolete.

To prepare a solution of furacilin with salt, it is enough to place 2 tablets in a bowl, add 5 g of salt, add 70 ml of boiling water (stirring constantly). After dissolving furacilin, another 130 ml should be poured in fractionally. In general, 200 ml of boiling water is required.

Rules for the rinsing procedure

The effectiveness of treatment depends on many factors, such as the stage of the pathological process, the spectrum of action of the drugs that are used, as well as the rules for the rinsing procedure.

Use warm water for rinsing. The optimum temperature is 40 degrees. Hot water can burn the mucous membrane of the pharynx, aggravate the course of the disease.
Most of the solutions are prepared immediately before use, which must be taken into account in order to avoid a decrease in its medicinal properties.
To increase the area of contact of the mucous membrane of the oropharynx with an antiseptic solution, it is necessary to tilt the head back, pronounce the sound "Y".
After the procedure, it is forbidden to eat or drink liquids, so that the medicinal substances of the drug can have the maximum therapeutic effect.
During the day, medicinal solutions should be alternated, however, the total number of procedures per day should not be less than 5-6 times.

Gargling is prohibited for children under 2 years of age. This is due to the high risk of developing bronchospasm when a medicinal solution enters the respiratory tract.

Complementary home treatment

We figured out how to gargle. Now you should consider the general recommendations for compliance with the regime. When an inflammation in the throat appears, it is worth suspecting an infection of the body with bacterial, viral pathogens. To do this, you need to pay attention to the accompanying clinical symptoms.

Usually, a person begins to worry about headache, dizziness, photophobia, body aches, myalgia, arthralgia, low-grade hyperthermia, which gradually increases, reaching 39 degrees. You may also experience a runny nose, ear pain, decreased appetite, and disturbed sleep.

To alleviate the general condition, it is recommended to adhere to some rules.

Bed rest is necessary to restore strength, strengthen immunity.
Drinking plenty of fluids can speed up the process of removing toxic substances from the body, prevent dehydration, since increased fluid loss is caused by fever and shortness of breath. Compote, fruit drink, jelly, juice, tea with honey are suitable for replenishing the liquid. lemon, raspberry, black currant. It is advisable to avoid drinking coffee, carbonated drinks, alcohol. In addition, jelly, enveloping the mucous membrane of the pharynx, activates regenerative processes, accelerating healing.
Good sleep, rest.
Reducing the impact of stress.
Proper nutrition with a predominance of vegetables, fruits, cereals, white cape to ensure a sufficient intake of vitamins and proteins. Fatty, fried, spicy, hard, hot, cold foods should be excluded from the diet in order to reduce the load on the digestive tract, to prevent injury to the affected mucous membrane.
Regular airing of the room, wet cleaning, use of a humidifier.
The room temperature should be comfortable, excluding drafts, sudden temperature changes.

Ginger is considered effective and is used in the treatment of many diseases. It is perfect both for making tea and for chewing a small piece. Ginger reduces the intensity of the inflammatory process, eliminates microbes, and has a tonic effect.

Folk remedies for gargling are used as an independent remedy only at the initial stage of the development of inflammatory and infectious pathology. If the sore throat does not improve, it is necessary to see a doctor on the second day. After a complete examination, diagnosis, treatment tactics will be determined. If necessary, antibacterial drugs are prescribed to combat the infectious agent.

In addition to antibiotics, antiseptic drugs are prescribed to gargle with a cold, irrigate the tonsils, throat with a spray, dissolve pills to reduce pain.

It is worth noting that traditional methods are effective only in the absence of contraindications for their use. Before starting treatment with traditional medicines, it is necessary to make sure that there is no allergic reaction to herbs in order to avoid deterioration of the general condition.