Home remedies for strep throat?

[WickerBill]

Okay everyone, tell me what you do for relief of a killer sore throat. I'm on some antibiotics but of course they don't help with the immediate pain -- do you suggest ibuprofen, or gargling salt water, or what? I'm willing to try anything. :mad:

[Ed_Severson]

I'm no doctor, although I'm marrying a pharmacist, so bear with me. ;)

Probably the safest thing you can do is to take some ibuprofen. It's not likely to interact with the antibiotics you're on, and it's going to help you out with both the pain of having a sore throat, and the inflammation that's causing the pain.

If that doesn't work, consult somebody who is legally qualified to give you medical advice. :)

[WickerBill]

Well, that's the problem; those who are certified told me to "wait it out". I realize a different doc would probably tell me something better, but since I'd rather not make an appointment and go to another doc, I thought I'd ask all the really smart people on OC. ;)

[mapguy]

Usually a couple of cold ones work for me.

[mello]

Chloraseptic. It will help for awhile anyway. I hope you get to feeling better soon.

[RaceGrrl]

I asked the doc I work for and he said, all of the above. Use warm salt water gargles, over the counter pain relievers such as Tylenol or Ibuprofen, Chloraseptic or other throat soothing over the counter products. If you're being treated for strep with antibiotics, the only thing you can do for pain is treat it symptomatically.

Popsicles and sherbet seem to make my throat feel better when I'm sick, but that may just be because I want an excuse to have the sugar. :)

[Warlock!]

If it's strep, you're obviously not at work, right? Well, if you have no heavy machinery to operate, go for the whiskey - maybe 4 shots, and some alka seltzer nighttime cold medicine plus. When your face starts to tingle, get a warm blanket, the remote, and enjoy yourself ;)

Winter Warlock!, PHD

[WickerBill]

No, I'm not at work. The only heavy machinery I have to operate is my body. *beep beep beep*

Somehow I knew Warlock would have an unusual remedy!

[racer2c]

I've heard good things about those new 'zinc' throat lozenges. Although they are supposed to stop a cold when you first feel it coming on, so it might not help your situation.

[Hardpoint]

"Wrap a warm towel around your head and have a cup of soup". - Ferris Bueller's Dad

[mnkywrch]

In addition to some kind of pain relief medicine, eat popsicles.

Always worked for me...

[racer2c]

Originally posted by mnkywrch
In addition to some kind of pain relief medicine, eat popsicles.

Always worked for me...

I enjoy those, darn I forgot what they're called but they come in a box of what seems like a hundred. They're multi-colored, you snip of the end and push them up. I like orange and red and purple, the pink and light blues ones I don't like.

:cool:

[Sean O'Gorman]

-Stand on your head for 30 minutes, 3 times a day
-Drink everything through a straw
-Avoid bright lighting as much as possible

You'll be back to normal in no time, trust me. ;)

[JLMannin]

I agree with what has been said thus far:

Gargle with salt water and take a pain releiver. Ibuprofen is better at alleviating inflamation than Tylenol in my experience; both releive pain equally for me.

Don't discount gargling with warm salt water - it does work, and there is a scienfific basis behind it: If salt is absorbed into the bacteria, they will take on water to dilute the salt down via osmotic pressure. This happens faster than the calls can transport the salt out, to they rupture. Of course, this happens to your cells as well, but usually, the there is a layer of mucus and cell debris that the bacteria are in, so they take the brunt of the osmotic shock.

I have sucessfully fended off infections with the salt water treatment without having to take antibiotics - always important when bacteria are becoming more and more antibiotic resistant over time.

Hope you feel better soon. Strep throat sucks!

John

[chop456]

If you have a Hispanic grocery near your house, look for "Mate de Coca". It's tea made from coca leaves. Yes, THOSE coca leaves. ;) It numbs everything on the way down, including your stomach. It's also great for nausea (hangovers).