Med for irritation or kharash in throat
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NHS sore throat self care when to seek urgent medical advice
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"pharyngitis"[MeSH Terms] AND treatment
For mild throat irritation/kharash, you can try:
- Warm salt-water gargles: 1/2 teaspoon salt in a glass of warm water, 3-4 times daily. Do not swallow.
- Warm fluids: water, tea, or soup. Honey in warm water/tea may soothe it if you are over 1 year old.
- Lozenges or throat sprays: Menthol or local anaesthetic lozenges/sprays can give short-term relief. Follow the pack instructions.
- Paracetamol (acetaminophen) for pain or fever. An adult common dose is 500-1,000 mg every 4-6 hours as needed, maximum 4,000 mg/day. Use a lower maximum or ask a clinician if you have liver disease, drink heavily, are elderly/frail, or take other paracetamol-containing cold medicines.
- Ibuprofen can also help if you normally tolerate it. Avoid it if you have a stomach ulcer, kidney disease, are on blood thinners, have NSAID-sensitive asthma, or are pregnant.
Avoid smoking/vaping, very spicy foods, and repeated throat clearing. Do not start antibiotics on your own. Most sore throats are viral and antibiotics usually do not help, as NHS guidance explains.
Get urgent medical care if you have difficulty breathing or swallowing saliva, drooling, severe one-sided throat pain/swelling, a muffled voice, neck swelling, rash, severe dehydration, or high fever. See a clinician if it lasts over a week, keeps recurring, or you have white patches on tonsils plus fever.
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