In this article we’ll cover the following:
- What is a Sore Throat?
- Causes of Sore Throat
- Coconut Oil as a Home Remedy
- How to Use Coconut Oil for a Sore Throat
A sore throat is considered to be a common illness among kids and adults. Your throat feels scratchy, and it may be really uncomfortable. You’d want to get rid of it as soon as possible.
Minor illnesses like a sore throat can be cured at home. It doesn’t have to be pricey because it’s organic. Everything you need can be found right in your kitchen.
Before anything else, let’s try to have a review about sore throats before pouring coconut oils in your throats. Ready? Great!
What is a Sore Throat?
You know when you have a sore throat when your throat feels dry and scratchy. These are the most common indicators of this minor sickness. When a sore throat persists, it can get worse and more painful.
A sore throat can be due to an infection or an environmental factor such as dry air. This illness can affect different areas of the throat and is named according to where the inflammation takes place.
If the affected area is behind your throat (pharynx), it’s called Pharyngitis. An infection characterized by swelling and redness of lymph nodes at the back of your throat (tonsils) is called Tonsilitis. If sore throat signs are observed in the voice box (larynx), it’s called Laryngitis.
Causes of Sore Throat
Dry Air
Dry air can cause a sore throat. It could reduce the moisture around your mouth and throat areas. When your throat feels really dry and scratchy, you might soon have a sore throat.
Allergies
Allergic reactions from certain chemicals can likely irritate your throat and make it sore.
Smoke and Other Irritants
Some chemicals and substances are harmful when inhaled. Smoke, air pollution, and cleaning products are some irritants that can cause a problem in your throat.
Bacterial and Viral Infections
Bacteria and viruses cause approximately 90 percent of sore throat infections. Viral infections include colds and flu caused by an influenza virus. The Epstein-Barr virus causes infectious mononucleosis, which is commonly known as a ‘kissing’ disease. Streptococcus bacteria are the usual culprit for bacterial infections in the throat.
Coconut Oil as a Home Remedy
Virgin coconut oil is capable of inactivating some pathogenic organisms that cause a sore throat. Coconut oil contains Medium Chain Fatty Acids (MCFAs) which is proven to kill bacteria and viruses that can lead to other illnesses.
MCFA present in coconut oil has antibacterial and antimicrobial properties. They help in treating the infected areas in your throat by directly attacking the cause of inflammation.
Pure, organic, cold-pressed coconut oil is a great immune booster with lots of nutritional benefits. Vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients present in coconut oil can help restore your immune function.
How to Use Coconut Oil for a Sore Throat
You can consume coconut oil directly. Take a teaspoonful or two of the oil and let it run down the back of your throat. Regularly do this three times a day to soothe your sore throat problem.
You can make a homemade sore throat relief formula to ease the dry and scratchy feeling in your throat. This solution can also relieve a cough, cold, and other throat related problems.
Gather the following kitchen ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil (pure, organic, cold-pressed)
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice (fresh squeezed)
- 1/4 cup raw honey
Super Easy Directions:
Over low heat, mix and warm all ingredients in a small saucepan.
Warming the mixture will help blend the ingredients. Don’t put the solution to boiling as you want to retain the maximum benefits of the ingredients.
Now you have your homemade coconut oil syrup to help treat your sore throat problem.
Before using this homemade syrup, make sure that the mixture is tolerable enough to ingest. Take a spoonful of the warm solution and let the syrup run down the back of your throat for relief. Do this regularly to help treat your sore throat.
Taking the homemade syrup directly may not be a good option for you. In that case, you can mix the coconut oil syrup with warm water or tea and enjoy your drink while treating your throat problem.