Natural remedies for sore throat

Medicinal plants can cure diseases, they can relieve illnesses and pain, they can have a preventive effect. Nature has given us humans everything we need, and all for free. Herbal remedies for sore throat have no side effects and are usually harmless.

Tonsillitis /angina tonsillaris /tonsillitis

The palatine tonsils serve as the body's policemen, intercepting pathogens that enter the body through the nose and mouth. If the immune system is weakened or the tonsils are constantly confronted with pathogens and thus overloaded, the bacteria in the tonsillar tissue multiply rapidly and tonsillitis develops. It usually begins with difficulty swallowing, dry throat, and in the advanced stage with white coated tonsils and fever. If you have tonsillitis three or more times in a year, it is called chronic tonsillitis, which is a constant source of inflammation in the body and, from the point of view of orthodox medicine, must be remedied by tonsillectomy (surgical removal of the tonsils). But if the tonsils are no longer there as the "good policemen" that stop and process the pathogens, these migrate unhindered into the body and burden the internal organs, especially the kidneys. Therefore, a surgical solution should always be an ultima ratio.

The true sage (Salvia officinalis)

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Sage is a miracle cure for tonsillitis at any stage. This plant, thanks to its active ingredients (essential oils: thujone, cineole, camphor and borneol, tannins and bitter substances, but also flavonoids and saponins) has strong antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and astringent effect.
The tea from sage leaves provides immediate relief and with prolonged use is guaranteed to bring healing. Even with protracted, recurring angina, the chances of success with sage are great, you just have to be patient and be prepared for a longer treatment period. After all, a chronic tonsillitis that has been carried over does not develop overnight. With each outbreak, the surface of the tonsils becomes more uneven and furrowed, the bacteria get more and more hiding places to multiply, form so-called tonsil stones and break out at the next best opportunity, when the immune system is not at its peak. Even after the acute symptoms have subsided, continue to drink sage tea, perhaps not every day, but every time you feel a scratchy, dry or uncomfortable throat, and keep it up for several months or even a whole year. This way you will get your tonsillitis under control, the furrows and hollows on your tonsils will gradually smooth out and regain their resistance.

Tea preparation:
Brew a teaspoon of sage leaves with ¼ liter of water, infuse for 5 minutes and drink in small sips so that the almonds are properly "washed around" with each sip.
The pure sage tea tastes slightly bitter and tart, which is not to everyone's taste. However, the sage is effective even in the smallest quantities, so you can mix it with other herbs as you like. Therefore, take your favorite tea (herbal or fruit) and add a pinch of sage leaves. In drugstores and tea houses there are tea blends where sage is mixed with, for example, blackberry leaves and licorice root. The effect will still be considerable.
Alternatively, the sage tea can simply as a gargle solution use
The use of sage tea is completely safe for young and old. Only nursing mothers should pay attention to the amount of drinking or keep it low, because sage inhibits milk production.

Hoarseness /throat and sore throat

A similar effect as sage for all inflammations in the throat, mouth and pharynx has the popularly known as "royal herb". Agrimony (Agrimonia eupatoria). Its ingredients have astringent, mucosa-protecting, wound-healing and pain-relieving effects. Especially for hoarseness and affected vocal cords, also for singers and orators, agrimony is recommended as a tea or gargle.

Tea preparation:
One teaspoon of herbs brew with ¼ liter of water, infuse for 5 minutes.

Laryngitis /dry throat /catarrh

heilpflanzen-salbei

If catarrh of the respiratory organs (inflammation of the mucous membrane) is so advanced that the vocal cords or even larynx are affected, then in this case. Cheese poplar /Mallow (Malva vulgaris/ Malva silvestris) is the best choice. Leaves, flowers and stems of this medicinal plant contain mucilage and tannins, flavonoids and vitamin C. They have a soothing effect on coughs and severe hoarseness, enveloping and healing effect on laryngitis and tonsillitis and moistening effect on dryness in the mouth, throat and nose.
Mallow is odorless and tastes herbaceous-mucilaginous.

Tea preparation:
In order to retain as many valuable mucilage substances as possible, they are placed in the so-called Cold approach overnight. One heaping teaspoon of herb per ¼ liter of water is left overnight (about 12 hours) and warmed up to drinking temperature the next day. You can also use the tea just for gargling, if you do not like the distinct mucilaginous taste of mallow.

Envelopes:
The residue from the tea preparation is spread slightly warmed on a linen or paper towel and applied to the throat in the area of the tonsils or bronchi. This supports healing in particularly stubborn inflammation and heavy breathing.

Quick help for acute sore throat, if you do not have any herbs at hand at the moment:

Hot lemon: Squeeze ½ lemon into a cup of freshly boiled water, sweeten with honey (and a slice of ginger if necessary).

Gargle solution with apple cider vinegarMix ¼ liter of lukewarm water and three tablespoons of apple cider vinegar (preferably naturally cloudy and organic) and gargle with it.

Gargle solution with saltMix ¼ liter of lukewarm water with a teaspoon of salt (preferably primal or Himalayan salt) and gargle with it.

Important: When their sore throat is just beginning, do not drink very hot teas. When the pain occurs, it means that the bacteria are multiplying rapidly in the throat and/or on palatine tonsils. The extra heat from teas will explosively speed up the multiplication of the pathogens. Drink lukewarm teas or cooled hot lemon first until there is noticeable relief and start your hot tea regimen the following day.

Sources:

Dr. Johannes Gottfried Mayer, Dr. med. Bernhard Uehleke, Father Kilian Saum OSB, Handbuch der Klosterheilkunde, Munich 2003, pp. 135; 143; 156-157.
Maria Treben, Gesundheit aus der Apotheke Gottes, Vienna, 1980, pp. 30-32; 39-40; 43-44.
Dr. Hans-Peter Dörfler; Prof. Dr. Gerhard Roselt, Heilpflanzen gestern und heute, Berlin, 1989, pp. 24-25; 178-179; 262-263.
Image sources: https://unsplash.com/s/photos; photographs by the author.

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Darya K,

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