A sore throat can be a real pain—literally. Whether it’s a scratchy feeling when you swallow, a dry irritation that won’t go away, or a sharp, stabbing pain, the discomfort can really disrupt your daily life and leave you feeling under the weather.

The good news that everyone likes to hear is that most sore throats are classed as a minor illness and many can be treated at home without a trip to the GP.

If you’re feeling like your sore throat is really painful, and you’d like some advice and treatment to manage your symptoms Pharmacy First from Crest Pharmacy can help you find relief quickly.

How Pharmacy First Can Help with a Sore Throat

Our Pharmacy First service is the perfect way to manage and treat a sore throat without needing to visit your GP. Pharmacy First allows you to get access to advice and treatment directly from your local Crest Pharmacy, you can book a consultation online and we’ll be in touch to help you get the care you need.

Our pharmacies are open late so we’re always here to help when you need us. You can find your local Crest Pharmacy here. We have convenient locations across Birmingham, Tamworth, Kidderminster and more.

BOOK YOUR PHARMACY FIRST APPOINTMENT HERE

Through this service we can offer expert advice on sore throat treatments, including recommending the best throat sprays, lozenges, and over-the-counter medications for you. This service is ideal for patients who are 5 years old and older. We’ll also help you decide if you need to see your GP, which can save you time and give you peace of mind.

How To Manage Your Symptoms At Home

If your sore throat is mild and you feel like you can manage your symtpoms at home you can try the below options to help. If at any point your symptoms start to get rapidly worse or you’re struggling with swallowing or breathing you must seek medical attention.

Try Gargling with Saltwater

One of the oldest and most effective remedies for a sore throat is gargling with warm saltwater. The salt helps reduce swelling and can clear away mucus and bacteria. Simply dissolve half a teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water, gargle, and spit it out. Repeat several times a day.

Honey and Lemon

Honey is a natural antibacterial agent and can coat your throat to ease irritation. Lemon adds a dose of vitamin C and can help break down mucus. Mix a tablespoon of honey with a tablespoon of lemon juice in warm water or tea, and sip it slowly. This combination is soothing and can provide quick relief. As this natural remedy doesn’t contain any paracetamol you can safely combine this with other over the counter remedies for more effective relief.

Throat Sprays and Lozenges

Throat sprays are handy for delivering fast relief directly to the sore area. They usually contain numbing agents like benzocaine or antiseptics that help reduce pain and fight off infection. Throat lozenges can also be effective, especially those with ingredients like menthol or eucalyptus, which provide a cooling sensation and help keep your throat moist. If you’re unsure which will work best for you, speak to our pharmacy team.

Remember to Stay Hydrated

Drinking warm liquids like herbal teas, broths, and even warm water can help soothe your throat and help you stay hydrated. Making sure you’re hydrated and rested will help your body recover from whatever illness is causing you to have a sore throat.

What Makes a Sore Throat Worse

Now you know what to try to help your sore throat, it’s important to know what to avoid so that you don’t make your throat worse!

The most important thing to be aware of is to avoid any irritants that can make your sore throat feel worse. Smoke and second-hand smoke are irritants that can really hurt your throat. We would advise on stopping smoking for everyone, but if you have a sore throat it’s important to really cut back and stop smoking, plus avoid places where there will be lots of second-hand smoke while you’re experiencing symptoms. If you don’t you could be adding more time to your recovery and making your symptoms more severe.

Staying hydrated can help your throat, the opposite makes it worse. Try and avoid dry air, or use a humidifier if you have one, to soothe your throat while making a real effort to keep hydrated. Rest your voice as much as you can and try to avoid shouting as this can aggravate your throat.

Remember, if your symptoms get worse it’s best to speak to your GP and get medical advice rather than try to tough it out at home. You should see your doctor if your sore throat lasts longer than a week, is extremely painful. If your sore throat is accompanied by other severe symptoms like a high fever, difficulty breathing, or swollen lymph nodes that don’t go away you must seek further medical attention.

If you’re not sure about whether you need help, speak to our pharmacists who will be happy to offer you advice and treatment so we can get you feeling well again as soon as possible.