Q&A for How to Get Rid of a Sore Throat Quickly

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  • Question
    What's a good way to get rid of a sore throat?
    Andrea Rudominer, MD, MPH
    Board Certified Pediatrician & Integrative Medicine Doctor
    Dr. Andrea Rudominer is a board certified Pediatrician and Integrative Medicine Doctor based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Dr. Rudominer has over 15 years of medical care experience and specializes in preventive health care, obesity, adolescent care, ADHD, and culturally competent care. Dr. Rudominer received her MD from the University of California, Davis, and completed a residency at the Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford University. Dr. Rudominer also has an MPH in Maternal Child Health from the University of California, Berkeley. She is a Member of the American Board of Pediatrics, a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, a Member and Delegate of the California Medical Association, and a Member of the Santa Clara County Medical Association.
    Board Certified Pediatrician & Integrative Medicine Doctor
    Expert Answer
    Take a hot shower and let the steam wash over you. Drink plenty of tea with honey in it. You can also gargle with salt water to relieve your symptoms. You could add a drop or two of bergamot essential oil to the salt water if you'd like.
  • Question
    If I have a sore throat, should I cough a lot or will that make it worse?
    Sarah Gehrke, RN, MS
    Registered Nurse
    Sarah Gehrke is a Registered Nurse and Licensed Massage Therapist in Texas. Sarah has over 10 years of experience teaching and practicing phlebotomy and intravenous (IV) therapy using physical, psychological, and emotional support. She received her Massage Therapist License from the Amarillo Massage Therapy Institute in 2008 and a M.S. in Nursing from the University of Phoenix in 2013.
    Registered Nurse
    Expert Answer
    It's common to have a dry cough and a sore throat at the same time, and it's okay to cough if you need to. Coughing is your body's way of clearing out your throat and airways.
  • Question
    Can I just gargle salt water, or should I put something else in it?
    Sarah Gehrke, RN, MS
    Registered Nurse
    Sarah Gehrke is a Registered Nurse and Licensed Massage Therapist in Texas. Sarah has over 10 years of experience teaching and practicing phlebotomy and intravenous (IV) therapy using physical, psychological, and emotional support. She received her Massage Therapist License from the Amarillo Massage Therapy Institute in 2008 and a M.S. in Nursing from the University of Phoenix in 2013.
    Registered Nurse
    Expert Answer
    You can definitely gargle salt water, and you don't have to add anything else. Gargling just plain salt water may help to soothe your sore throat.
  • Question
    Is it ok to do all of these treatments at once?
    Chris M. Matsko, MD
    Family Medicine Physician
    Dr. Chris M. Matsko is a retired physician based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. With over 25 years of medical research experience, Dr. Matsko was awarded the Pittsburgh Cornell University Leadership Award for Excellence. He holds a BS in Nutritional Science from Cornell University and an MD from the Temple University School of Medicine in 2007. Dr. Matsko earned a Research Writing Certification from the American Medical Writers Association (AMWA) in 2016 and a Medical Writing & Editing Certification from the University of Chicago in 2017.
    Family Medicine Physician
    Expert Answer
    No, you should only administer one of these treatments at a time. That way you can figure out which one works best for you.
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