Do Home Remedies Help for Cough and Sore Throat? Intermountain Health Says When to See a Doctor

With flu and cold season in full swing, it’s common for people who are feeling a little under the weather to have a cough or sore throat. Some may brush off those symptoms, thinking it’s just a common cold. They may turn to home remedies, natural products or over-the-counter medications to treat their symptoms.

But do home cold remedies really work? And with the sheer number of over the counter cold and flu medications available, it can be overwhelming, what ingredients do you look for?

Home remedies can be based on common household ingredients readily available, but is there science behind them?

“Mucus production typically increases when you have a cough or cold, so many home remedies and over the counter cough and cold medications help thin or reduce mucus,” said Brigid O’Donnell, a family medicine nurse practitioner at Intermountain Health Cottonwood Clinic.

Cough and sore throat home remedies

1. Honey is a natural substance that may soothe a sore throat or help control coughing because it may cut mucus production and kill germs. But don’t give it to a child younger than one year old.
2. Steam or a cool mist humidifier may help with coughing because it moisturizes your airways. Run the humidifier at night while you sleep.
3. Just resting, and drinking fluids can help you get over a cold. Clear, warm fluids, like tea or broth feel good on a sore throat and help keep you hydrated.
4. Gargling with salt water can help ease a sore throat because it can thin mucous and it may help with coughs, as it washes out things that may be irritating your throat.
5. A saline nasal rinse or neti pot is a way to rinse out your nasal passages with salt water which can help with coughs that are due to upper airway inflammation, because it flushes out irritants and clears mucus.
6. Menthol – is a compound found in peppermint and can be found in rubs or in cough drops or syrups and opens airways to help you breathe more easily and keep coughs at bay.
7. Elderberry extract in a syrup or cough drop may make your cough go away sooner.

Coughs can often be described as dry or wet. Wet coughs are due to phlegm or mucous from the lungs, and colds produce mucus from the nasal passages.

Over the counter cough and cold medications

“For adults with dry coughs, look for cough suppressant ingredients like dextromethorphan. For a wet, productive cough, look for cough medications that have guaifenesin to loosen and decrease mucus or phlegm from your chest. There are time release versions of these medications, which provide 12 hours of relief,” said O’Donnell.

“If your cough is going on longer than 5-7 days and you have other symptoms, such as fever, fatigue, chills, shortness of breath or chest tightness, then see a provider. Chronic dry coughing may be due to asthma, allergies, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease,” said O’Donnell. “If you know you have one of these conditions and see no improvement from your cough, see a provider.”

According to O’Donnell, for cough drops there are ingredients such as honey, echinacea, menthol, eucalyptus oil, elderberry and she recommends you find what works best for you.

Sore throat medications

“Cough drops, throat lozenges or throat sprays can provide relief from a sore throat. Some have analgesics which also provide localized pain relief from ingredients like benzocaine,” said O’Donnell. “If a sore throat is severe or you have other symptoms like fever, chills, headache, fatigue, changes to smell or taste, or blisters, see a provider.”

“If you have a bad sore throat and a fever, it could be strep throat. We can do a throat swab that tests for strep throat which is an infection and can be treated with antibiotics,” said O’Donnell. “If your sore throat is accompanied by fatigue, fever, loss of appetite, or blisters or peeling on your hands, feet, or mouth, it could be hand, foot mouth disease. Both strep and hand foot mouth disease are common among children or people who work in day care or are around young children, and can be treated with prescription medications,” she added.

If you are having symptoms like a cough or sore throat, stay away from other people. A sore throat could be contagious, and a cough could spread germs. When in question, wash your hands, wear a mask, and stay away from the public,” said O’Donnell.

To find or visit a family medicine provider visit intermountainhealth.org or try a Connect Care telehealth visit or visit an InstaCare location near you.

About Intermountain Health

Headquartered in Utah with locations in six states and additional operations across the western U.S., Intermountain Health is a not-for-profit system of 34 hospitals, approximately 400 clinics, medical groups with some 4,600 employed physicians and advanced care providers, a health plans division called Select Health with more than one million members, and other health services. Helping people live the healthiest lives possible, Intermountain is committed to improving community health and is widely recognized as a leader in transforming healthcare by using evidence-based best practices to consistently deliver high-quality outcomes at sustainable costs. For up-to-date information and announcements, please see the Intermountain Health newsroom at https://intermountainhealthcare.org/news.