March wellness with Strepsils: Sore throats

February 26, 2021

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Sore throats often go hand-in-hand with a cold or the flu, and unfortunately, they can stick around for long periods of time. It can be hard to know how to soothe an achy throat, so take a look at our top tips. And, shop our Strepsils range to find the right remedy for you.

telling the difference between a cold and the flu?

You’ll have a cold for a few days before you begin to experience the symptoms, and you’re infectious to others at this time. Those ﬁrst tell-tale symptoms can include a runny nose, sneezing, or a scratchy, dry sore throat. You’ll probably feel tired and achy, and could have a blocked nose and pressure in your ears and face. The good news is, most colds don’t last for longer than a week. It also takes a few days for the flu to arrive once you’ve been infected, but the symptoms appear much faster than those of a cold. You’ll quickly feel achy, feverish, sweaty and shivery. The main symptoms of the flu, including the fever, should pass within a few days, but you’ll feel tired for a few weeks afterwards while your body recovers.

Top tips for soothing a sore throat

Gargle salt water: The NHS recommends gargling warm, salty water to help soothe a sore throat. This will also shorten how long it lasts. Pour half a teaspoon of salt into a cup of warm water and gargle it at least once every three hours. This isn’t recommended for children.

Get some rest: This is perhaps one of the most important things you can do – but with our busy lives, it’s easier said than done. Viruses are responsible for 85%–95% of adult sore throats, so if you’ve got one, you’ve probably got a virus, too. Your body needs to be well-rested to combat the virus that may have caused the sore throat in the ﬁrst place.

Stay hydrated: Preventing dehydration is crucial, so keep some drinks close by. Water’s a good option, but you can also enjoy teas, fruit or vegetable smoothies, and soups. Make sure the drinks aren’t too hot as this could irritate your throat.

Keep your mouth moist: Suck ice cubes, crushed ice, ice lollies or hard sweets to get your saliva ﬂowing. Remember not to give young children anything small and hard to suck because of the risk of choking.

Avoid coffee or alcohol: Some people think that alcohol cleanses the throat, but that’s a myth. Alcohol can actually exacerbate a sore throat. As tempting as it might be, say no to both alcohol and coﬀee as they’re more likely to agitate than soothe.

No smoking: Cigarette smoke is just as harmful to your throat as it is to any other part of your body. The heat from cigarettes leaves a throat dry, which gives rise to the inﬂammation. If you live with smokers, ask that they don’t smoke in the house, especially not while you still have a sore throat.

Take care of yourself: If someone in your house has a sore throat, remember to take care of yourself at the same time, including washing your hands often.

Medicated throat lozenges and sprays: Lozenges have antiseptic properties to help ﬁght bacterial throat infections. Even better, they also have anaesthetic properties, which can numb the aﬀected area and provide quick relief from a painful sore throat.