Suggestions to deal with sore throat

[VelmaD]

Especially from any singers on the board. I have a concert tomorrow night - gotta spend about 2 hours singing. My throat feels like someone went after it with sandpaper today and I can't stop making that little half-cough-half-growl sound to try to bring stuff up.

Any advice for soothing things down and getting through tomorrow would be greatly appreciated. :-)

Thanks.

[Kolesar]

1. I start with Cold Eeze at the first sign of a cold

Those are zinc lozenges that make colds milder. They do have a good local effect of decongesting your nose and lessening the swelling in your throat.

[catzies]

2. Gargling three drops of tea tree oil in 4 oz. of water works for me.

Grapefruit-seed spray (available at health food stores) is supposed to be good too but I haven't tried it.

[caledesi]

3. My best friend gave me the greatest for sore throat.

Ok, it might sound weird, but he told me to drink some mouthwash and swallow. It worked!

[Snow]

4. Salty water, pretty hot, but not uncomfortably so - gargle with the stuff.

also helps with sore gums and the like. It's not an instant miracle, nor does it make the problem go away, but it alleviates the swelling for a time.

[Warpy]

8. Not bad, but

one of the things I do is keep a glass of water with a fine film of cayenne pepper on the top handy. The capsaicin in the cayenne burns as it goes down, using up the SubstanceP (pain transmitter) as it does. There are also studies that say it boosts the release of endorphins, the natural opiates in our heads. In any case, after a few swallows, that pain starts to go away.

If you can't see yourself doing this one, just use Chloraseptic spray. It tastes awful, but it numbs the throat for a little while.

[grannylib]

5. Lemon tea with honey, and the hot salty water thing is really good too

[SOteric]

6. Hot Lemonade, and a drop of honey.

Stay away from anything very sugary and/or milk and dairy products. Both will act as an agar plate on the back of your throat, effectively coating your throat with a healthy layer of whatever virus or bacteria is trying to build a community.

Drink plenty of fluids (water) and stay away from things which will dehydrate you (including alcohol).

Take aspirin or Ibuprofen to reduce the inflammation.

Don't use your voice anymore than you have to.

[VelmaD]

9. I'm thinking no talking...

for most of today and tomorrow, which is gonna be a HUGE struggle for me. :-) If I can just make it through the concert is doesn't matter after that if I can't talk for a couple of days.

[judge_smales]

10. Thge hot brine thing, done every 4 hrs works really well

and in addition chloraseptic spray is a big help. If you MUST talk (a professor told me this) a light gargle w/ Southern Comfort (the whiskey, yes) and lemon juice will help a bunch.

[Az]

7. Amputation

The only know 100% cure for a sore throat.

[dolo amber]

11. Tell your man

to stop using sandpaper condoms. :o :evilgrin:

(Bad dolo!! :spank:)

[VelmaD]

13. I don't know how to begin...

to reply to that in a way that won't get deleted. ;-)

[dolo amber]

14. I can't believe

I said something so...*salacious* myself! Must be the backlash from spending the last 100 posts in the company of Pat Robertson. ;)

Btw, I do hope you feel better. :*

[VelmaD]

15. Oh, I believe you said it...

I just couldn't think of an appropriate way to ask if anybody actually uses condoms while giving a blowjob. Sounds like a joyless experience all the way around to me. :shrug:

Thanks for the ge well wishes. :-) I don't really feel bad - it's not a cold or the flu or anything. It might be allergies but my nose isn't really stopped up. Mostly my throat is just really sore.

[MissMillie]

12. don't speak

and force fluids. Tylenol every 4 to 6 hours.


oh, a lozenge every couple of hours won't hurt.

[bif]

16. Aspergum

I don't know if they still make this stuff, but it was the est. It was orange flavored and contained aspirin. Applied topically, it worked wonders for a sore throat.