Sore throat is a very common but extremely annoying condition. It can make your day worse if it is accompanied by inflammation and pain. Factors like a draught of cold air, environmental changes, cold foods and drinks, and certain infections etc. can cause soreness of throat. Some people find apple cider vinegar for sore throat very helpful. Is it?
That’s what we are trying to discuss in this article. Despite the insufficient scientific proofs, ACV does have good anecdotal evidence of being handy against sore throat. It can improve the condition, especially if caused by a bacterial infection.
You can use diluted ACV alone or with water to improve sore throat. But there are some other effective remedies you can use with ACV to get a more potent response. Before jumping on those ACV recipes for sore throat, let’s talk about some of its possible causes and why ACV can help you to get over this annoying condition.
What are the Causes of a Sore Throat?
There is a wide range of sore throat causes, including:
Bacterial Infection:
Infection from the Streptococcus bacteria is very common and can be characterized by sore throat among other common conditions.
Viral Infections:
- Common Cold
- Chickenpox
- Influenza
- Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
- Croup
- Measles
Some other possible causes of sore throat:
- Dryness in the air: Prolonged dryness in the air can make your throat scratchy and rough.
- Nasal Congestion: Chronic nasal congestion is also a common cause, and forces you to breath more from your mouth than nasal passage.
- Allergies: Allergies to dust, pollens, dander, and moulds can also cause soreness of throat. Sore throat due to allergy is usually accompanied by irritation and inflammation of throat along with postnasal drip.
- Irritants: Outdoor and indoor pollutants like smoke, cigarette, chemicals etc. can also be responsible for chronic soreness of throat. Irritation is sometimes induced by tobacco chewing, consumption of alcohol and eating very spicy foods etc.
- Muscle Strain: People who work at announcement desks, call centres etc. are prone to strain to the throat muscles due to continuous and loud talking or yelling.
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD): It is a disorder of digestive system characterized by backing up of stomach acids to the oesophagus. It can cause sudden irritation to throat muscles and can be one of the rare causes of sore throat. GERD is usually accompanied by other symptoms like heartburn, regurgitation of stomach contents, hoarseness and sensation of a lump in the throat etc.
- HIV Infection: A sore throat, especially when accompanied by other flu symptoms, can be an early sign of HIV infection.
Chronic and recurring sore throat is a common phenomenon in HIV-positive people, because people with HIV infection have compromised immune system, and can easily get affected by even minor infections.
- Tumours: Cancerous tumours of larynx or throat can also cause sore throat. Other signs of cancerous growth are difficulty swallowing, lump in the neck, pain while speaking of eating, painful and noisy breathing and bloody phlegm etc.
Also Read: Apple Cider Vinegar for Toenail Fungus
Why Apple Cider Vinegar is a Good Option?
Despite a lack of scientific data for apple cider vinegar for sore throat, various studies suggest that ACV can improve the condition, especially if caused by bacterial or viral infections. ACV produces a slightly acidic environment in your body and makes the survival difficult for most types of bacteria and viruses, and can be a natural treatment for sore throat. Here are some proven benefits of using ACV for sore throat.
- ACV is acidic in nature and can stop the growth of bacteria and viruses by balancing the pH level of throat tissues.
- Thanks to its antibacterial properties, ACV can fight against certain bacteria and germs.
- ACV is a very good natural expectorant and can thin the phlegm in your throat and nasal passage, and help you feel better.
- Prebiotic content of ACV, known as inulin, can improve your immunity and can help your body stronger to fight against infections.
How to Use Apple Cider Vinegar for Sore Throat?
1. Diluted Apple Cider Vinegar
Thanks to the antibacterial and acidic properties, diluted apple cider vinegar for sore throat can be very helpful in healing sore throat even without other home ingredients
What do You need?
- One tbsp diluted apple cider vinegar
- One warm glass water
Steps to Follow
- Add ACV to water and mix for a few seconds
- Gargle with the solution several times a day to feel better.
2. Apple Cider Vinegar with Saltwater
Salt (sodium chloride) is also known for its strong antimicrobial properties and can increase the effectiveness of ACV to fight with a sore throat.
What do you need?
- One tbsp apple cider vinegar
- One tbsp salt
- One warm glass water
Steps to follow:
- Add ACV and salt to the water and mix well.
- Use the solution to gargle multiple times daily to cure sore throat fast.
3. Apple Cider Vinegar and Lemon
Hot water and lemon can be one answer to many health problems, including viral infections. Lemon is one of the greatest sources of vitamins B complex and C, iron, magnesium, calcium and potassium. Regular use of lemon juice can also strengthen your immune system and can keep viral infections at bay. And lemon with apple cider vinegar can eliminate soreness of throat within a few days.
What do You need?
- One tbsp of apple cider vinegar
- One tbsp of lemon juice
- One warm glass water
- Honey (Optional)
Steps to Follow:
- Add apple cider vinegar and lemon to warm water and sip very slowly.
- You can add one tbsp honey as a taste enhancer as well.
4. Apple Cider Vinegar with Baking Soda
Baking soda is getting very popular as a second-line of treatment for numerous infections and can be a great home remedy for sore throat, especially if used with ACV. Also known as sodium bicarbonate, baking soda works as a ubiquitous buffer in your body and reduces the pH gradient across the membranes of bacteria, and hence, controls the infection.
You Will Need:
- One tbsp of apple cider vinegar
- One tbsp of baking soda
- One glass warm water
What You Have to Do?
- Add both ingredients in water, mix well, and use for a gargle in the morning.
- Repeat it every day for a week to see the difference.
5. Apple Cider Vinegar and Honey
Thanks to its amazing antibacterial properties, honey is known as a very potent healer, and can be the answer if you are asking “how to get a sore throat fast overnight”. Yes, that’s how quick honey can work, especially when used with ACV.
ACV is packed with expectorant properties, and on the other hand, the anti-inflammatory nature of honey can provide very quick relief from a sore throat.
Ingredients You Need:
- Two tbsp apple cider vinegar
- Two tbsp honey
- One glass warm water
What you should do:
- Add ACV and honey to water and mix well.
- Drink the solution once daily to improve your throat condition.
6. Apple Cider Vinegar and Cinnamon
Cinnamon is commonly used for soreness and infection of the throat. It is packed with anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties and can speed up the recovery from sore throat if used with apple cider vinegar.
You Will Need:
- One tbsp apple cider vinegar
- One tbsp cinnamon powder
- One tbsp honey
- One tbsp lemon juice
- One cup of warm water
What You Should Do:
- Add all ingredients to one glass warm water and mix well.
- Drink the solution slowly or gargle with it.
- Repeat this thrice a day to cure sore throat fast.
7. Apple Cider Vinegar and Cayenne Pepper
Cayenne pepper contains capsaicin as the active component and can be very effective, especially against the inflammation of the throat. On the other hand, ACV can break down the irritating phlegm and also decongest your nasal passage.
Ingredients You Need:
- One tbsp apple cider vinegar
- One tbsp cayenne pepper
- Three tbsp of honey
- One glass warm water
Steps You Need to Follow
- Mix these ingredients in a glass of warm water.
- Gargle with this solution three to four times a day to get relief from soreness.
- You can also take small sips in between to get even better results.
Apple cider vinegar for sore throat is, without a doubt very effective, and you can fight seasonal throat infection with diluted ACV mixed with one of these remedies packed with anti-inflammatory and healing properties. In case, if you have a sore throat for a long time, you should not rely on these home remedies and get proper treatment from a licensed practitioner. If you have anything to suggest, or anything to share with us, you can reach to us through the comment section. We will be very happy to reply.
References:
https://www.healthline.com/health/apple-cider-vinegar-for-a-sore-throat#remedies-and-uses
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/sore-throat/symptoms-causes/syc-20351635
The Surprising Benefits of Hot Water and Lemon
https://cen.acs.org/articles/96/web/2018/01/baking-soda-help-boost-killing.html
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3609166/#:~:text=The%20healing%20property%20of%20honey,relevant%20to%20wound%20repair%20too.
https://www.verywellhealth.com/can-cinnamon-and-honey-cure-the-common-cold-770395
