Reallllllllllly bad sore throat!! (congestion, doctor, heart, prescription)

[thriftylefty]

get rid of your tooth brush you might be re-infecting your self, dis-infect your new tooth brush after use with something like peroxide?

[Élan vital]

oh yea, for sure!! I always keep extras for that reason. Great tip though!

Originally Posted by thriftylefty

get rid of your tooth brush you might be re-infecting your self, dis-infect your new tooth brush after use with something like peroxide?

[NoOBama]

Grapefruit seed Extract has helped us in the sore throat department. It has so many uses.
I hope its okay to provide a link to this site, they have some great products. Even tooth paste, and Zinc/GSE throat spray by Nutribiotic. It takes a really bad sore throat away in a couple hours to a day, but provides instant relief.

This is the most reasonably priced we have found, try to stick with the liquid for throats rather than the tablets. Follow the instructions and gargle. It's wonderful.
Oh and the 2oz. bottle lasts a long time.

Grapefruit Seed Extract Frequently Asked Questions (http://www.allhealthtrends.com/Grapefruit-Seed-Extract.html - broken link)

[SithSnoopy]

If you aren't sure if you've ever had Mononucleosis, and you've tested negative for strep, and you don't have tonsilitis, and antibiotics aren't helping... get tested for Mono. Simple blood test.
Most have it in high-school. It's known as the "kissing disease". Some it lays flat on their back, others have it and don't know it. If it knocks you down, you need to stay home and get bedrest until blood tests show you're over it. Otherwise, you risk easily catching other bugs, as your immune system is currently getting beaten up by the Mono. You need alot of rest to fight it off in some cases... and it can damage your kidneys, I think, if you don't give your body time to fight it. [It can damage some important organs... can't remember which ones.]
I had HUGE tonsils with it, and a terrible time swallowing. Yes, I still have my tonsils, lol. I was 26 when I had Mono, and it took 3 "doc-in-the-box" trips, and confirmations that I didn't have strep, and mucho antibiotics until I got a clue and went to my normal doctor (who wasn't on my insurance... sigh.), and he confirmed Mononucleosis. I ended up staying home in bed for 4 weeks, missing work. :P I had a blood test a week to see how I was doing, and wasn't allowed back to work until I checked out ok.

[Élan vital]

I'm better. Sore throat eased off but terrible cough is persistent.
Now hubby and daughter have it. It's day 1 for them............they have NO idea what they are in for on day 2-4

[Tek_Freek]

1/2 cup sugar
1 shot of good whiskey (not required, but the alcohol seems to help)
Add lemon juice until it's a thick slurry

Sip slowly so the mixture coats your throat as you drink it. You can nuke it for a few if you prefer it warm.

[panda750]

Salt is a powerful medicine for sore throat. If you don’t like to use salt directly, you can put some salt in a cup of warm water then gargle it. The best time to do that is before the bedtime and in the early morning. However, you can do as many times as you want to kill viruses. For more detail information you can check Sore Throat Remedies for Sore Throat Remedy to get it.

[Marylandkitten]

Bwahaha, my first post in over a year methinks!

To the OP: I get one rip-roaring knock-you-off-your-feet sore throat infection every year, usually 'round winter time. And I've tried all the home remedies and whatnot, I used to go to the doctors, but my time (and money) can be better spent in more productive ways now. =P

When I would go to the doctors, he would prescribe me a broad spectrum antibiotic to cure the throat infection, OR a nasal spray/steriod/decongestant.

Either way he tried to treat the symptoms, the problem remained the same. And you can get the results without going to the doctor the way I do.

I brace myself for the fact that I'm going to feel like I'm dying for at least a week. In the past when I went to the doctors when I was so dehydrated (from no liquids, because I cried everytime I tried to swallow it hurt so bad) they were merciless (As they should be) and told me my body would NOT continue to heal itself unless I helped. So no matter how hard it hurt to swallow, take the pain medication to dum it down a bit, and MAKE yourself blow the mucus and snot and post nasal drip out as often as you can. Steamy showers, vapor rub, over the counter allergy medication, or Nyquil and stuff can help, sure- but my body wouldn't get over this until I manned up to it, and started gargling, and hacking the crap out on my own through the pain. Your body is an amazing machine, unless you are dying of a very serious cronic condition and should seek medical help... a sore throat will come and go on it's own. But sometimes you gotta help it along.

Hope this helps. I still get one sore throat a year, (the bad one) people suggest I have my tonsils removed, but I'm rather attached to them at the moment.

[Tek_Freek]

Salt. Yes. I remember having canker sores in my mouth as a child. The remedy was to place table salt on the offending open wound.

Hurt like the blazes, but the sore would quickly close up and go away.

Also gargle with salt for a sore throat. It is a good cauterizer.

[bellalunatic]

by far the best thing out there: ( I should know, I've had Strep twice and pneumonia twice in the past year, blech!)

starting using this after all the antibiotics etc and it is fantastic. Easy than a Neti-pot and a thicker stream of water than a Neti-pot too.

NeilMed Pharmaceuticals, Makers of Sinus Rinse, NasaFlo Netipot, Nasal Irrigation