Many sore throats are a result of a viral infection and while they cause considerable discomfort they will go away on their own. However, a small percentage is caused by streptococcus, which is a potentially serious infection. If you have a sore throat that lasts for more than a week see your doctor to get a test for streptococcus. 

Sore throats can really be a pain. Luckily there are a variety of herbal treatments that can help prevent a situation from worsening, or can soothe an already raging sore throat. 

Demulcent herbs: These herbs are slimy in nature and help to coat the mucous membranes of the throat. This can bring instant relief. Demulcent herbs include licorice, marshmallow, and slippery elm. 

Astringent herbs: These herbs can tighten the pores of the mucous membranes, helping to close out further infection and reduce inflammation. Astringent herbs include horehound, sage (Salvia officinalis), and red clover. 

Antimicrobial herbs: These help to eliminate pathogens. Examples include cottonwood buds (Populus balsimifera), Echinacea spp., bee balm (Monarda spp.), garlic, and goldenseal root (Hydrastis canadensis). 

Lymphatic herbs: Lymphatic herbs stimulate movement of lymph and can be very helpful when dealing with a sore throat combined with swollen lymph glands. Examples include calendula flowers (Calendula officinalis), cleavers (Galium aparine), burdock root (Arctium lappa), red root (Ceanothus spp.) and mullein (Verbascum thapsus). 

DEMULCENT HERBS

Licorice tea

Licorice is a wonderfully soothing and demulcent root that can help with a variety of cold and flu symptoms, including sore throats, coughing, and even bronchitis. Licorice is readily found in tea bags at grocery stores. Or you can buy the root in bulk and simmer for twenty minutes, strain, and enjoy. Licorice is not for use during pregnancy or nursing or for those with hypertension or diabetes. 

Slippery Elm Gruel (Ulmus fulva)

To make gruel, place a tablespoon of powdered slippery elm into a pint of water and stir well. Occasionally stir this mixture until it has reached a thick slippery consistency. This nutritive gruel is an easily digestible food for those too weak to eat normal foods. Slippery elm powder can also be added to cooked oatmeal. 

Slippery Elm Lozenges: (Ulmus fulva)

This is a wonderful recipe I first learned from the Gallagher family at Learningherbs.com. I now have a batch ready at all times so they are on hand when needed. Slippery elm is another herb that has been hard hit, both by the marketing industry and unethical harvesting, as well as by diseases affecting the tree itself. If you choose to buy slippery elm, please make sure it comes from a sustainable source. 

The following recipe originally comes from Leslie Tierra and is copied here from her wonderful book for kids of all ages: A Kid’s Herb Book

1. Make a tea of licorice using ½ cup of water and 1 teaspoon chopped licorice root. Simmer covered for 10 minutes, then strain. You should have ¼ cup tea. If less, add a little water to make ¼ cup liquid. 
2. Put ½ cup slippery elm powder in a bowl and make a well in the center. Pour ¼ cup tea (or plain water if you don’t have licorice tea) into the hold and gently mix into the slippery elm powder to make a smooth dough.
3. Sprinkle some slippery elm powder on a clean flat surface and roll out the dough to ¼ inch thickness. 
4. Cut lozenges into small circles – a tiny bottle cap, such as the lid from a vanilla extract bottle works well. Or roll dough into small balls, flatten and smooth the edges with your fingers. Make sure all the edges are smooth so the lozenges aren’t sharp when you suck on them. You can press designs into each lozenge if you like. Set evenly spaced on a plate. Leave out uncovered overnight or for a day or two until completely hardened. (If you live in a really damp environment you may need to put them in the oven on the lowest setting to get them completely dry.) 
5. Store in a dark bottle or tin in a cool, dry, dark place. (Mine keep for months – but it depends on how dry you can get them.) 
6. Suck on the pill so it dissolves in your mouth and coats your throat to heal your throat and lungs. These can be taken liberally. 

Marshmallow tea (Althea officinalis)

To make marshmallow tea simply put ¼ cup of marshmallow root in a pint size jar. Fill this jar with cold to lukewarm water and let sit for a minimum of four hours. You will notice that this brew will get more mucilaginous (thick) and slippery with time. Strain when ready and drink as desired. 

ASTRINGENT HERBS 

Sage (Salvia officinalis)

A cup of sage tea can soothe a sore throat immensely. This common kitchen spice has been used for centuries in a variety of ways, including for sore throats. To make a cup of sage leaf tea place 1 tablespoon of crumbled leaf in a cup and pour 8 oz of boiling water over the top. Cover and infuse for about 30 minutes. When ready, strain and drink. Honey can be added to taste. 

Horehound (Marrubium vulgare)  

Horehound remedies used to stock the shelves of medicine cabinets years ago. Used for sore throats and coughs, this intense tasting herb is very effective. 

You can make a tea from horehound by placing a tablespoon in a cup, covering it with 8 oz of boiling water, and letting it steep for 20 minutes; then strain. You will most likely want to add honey to this mixture as this is a very bitter brew. 

Horehound syrup is a much sweeter blend and may prove to have more patient compliance than the tea.  

Horehound Syrup

½ cup horehound (flowering tops) 

2 cups water

2 cups local raw honey (this amount can be adjusted to your liking) 

Boil the water and pour over the herbs. Let sit for two to four hours, strain, gently re-warm, and dissolve the honey into the tea. Store in the fridge and use within a month. For a faster syrup you can also gently simmer (not boil!) the herb in water for ten minutes, strain, and then add the honey. 

Horehound is a stimulating expectorant that is also used for coughs, specifically for moist and unproductive coughs. It can further irritate dry coughs. Coughs will be discussed in more detail in the next section. 

ANTIMICROBIAL HERBS

Garlic honey combines two powerful antimicrobial herbs while also soothing your throat. 

Echinacea is a fabulous antimicrobial for sore throats. Apply directly to the throat by drinking the tea or tincture, squirting the diluted tincture into the back of the throat or by using a spray bottle. 

Goldenseal (Hydrastis Canadensis) 

Goldenseal is a powerful antimicrobial and a very strong astringent. It can be used very effectively for mucous membrane infections; however, you want to avoid mega dosings of this herb as it may cause too much drying activity. This plant has all but disappeared from the wild. If you choose to buy it, please be sure to only purchase it from herb farms that are growing it themselves. 

Sore Throat Pastilles

This recipe combines the demulcent quality of slippery elm with the astringent and antimicrobial properties of sage and rose. Special thanks to Kiva Rose for inspiring this recipe: 

½ cup powdered marshmallow root

¼ cup powdered sage leaves (Salvia spp.) 

¼ cup powdered rose petals

warmed honey

Combine powders and then slowly add warmed honey. I like to add a little honey, stir well, then add a little more honey. We are looking for a dough-like consistency. Once that has been reached you can roll the dough and cut out circles as described for the slippery elm lozenges or you can roll the dough into small balls. Leave these to dry on the counter or dehydrate them. Once they are dried and stored in an airtight container they will last for a long time. I keep mine in the fridge. 

A Cold Compress Increases Vitality to the Throat

Using a cold compress is another gem of information learned from Paul Bergner’s Acute Symptoms CD Set. This procedure increases stimulation and “vital force” to the throat to increase healing. 

To make this compress apply a cold wet cloth to the front of the throat. This can be done simply by wetting a washcloth with cold tap water and wringing it out. Do not cover the back of the neck, only the front. Then, cover this cold wet cloth with a dry cloth – a scarf may be used. Lie down and after about 20 – 40 minutes the body will heat up the cold cloth, thus bringing increased circulation to the area. 

Herbalist Kiva Rose finds this method most effective for the initial acute phase of a sore throat accompanied with signs of heat, but feels that it can further drain a cold deficient person who is exhibiting signs of weakness.