Think I'm getting sick

[angelwing]

Does anyone have a quick fix for a very sore throat? In the past 3 hours my throat is starting to get nastier and nastier, it feels like someone is scraping it with sandpaper and I have no Blackberry brandy at home, besides a hot tea with honey when I get out of work later on anyone have any other good ideas? Can't afford to stay home from work and still need to do a lot at home for Christmas. Was feeling really good when I got up at 3AM too, it just started around 5PM

[Yarrah]

It's very dirty, but water mixed with a lot of salt helps really good in this case. It kills a lot of bacteries in your throat, which are causing the pain.

You could also try ice-cream (somehow my favourite).It helps to relieve you of the pain. It's just temporarily, because it doesn't cure anything.

[JonathanBelles]

ice cream is the best solution for short term.

[JenBayles]

Many of the zinc remedies have helped me with a common cold. I think "cold-eze" is a common brand name, and it comes in nasal spray or lozenge form. Best used at early onset, it really does appear to be effective with viral cold symptoms. Otherwise, hit the hot toddies - with lots of "toddy"!

What a total bummer to get the creeping crud right now. Hope you can just hole in tomorrow and don't have any pressing commitments. <hugs>

[Opal storm]

I usually take some Halls cough drops and drink some warm tea.

A few weeks ago I developed a sore throat late in the day and the next morning when I woke up it had turned into a full fledged cold,I had a fever and everything and my throat hurt even worse.

[azsnowman]

It's very dirty, but water mixed with a lot of salt helps really good in this case. It kills a lot of bacteries in your throat, which are causing the pain.

You could also try ice-cream (somehow my favourite).It helps to relieve you of the pain. It's just temporarily, because it doesn't cure anything.

You beat me too it....that's EXACTLY what I was going to suggest, it DOES work "IF" you can stand the salt...

Now Blackberry Brandy WILL cure what ill's you...but MAN *puck*...just thinking about it, my mother, God rest her soul, that was HER remedy for EVERYTHING "BLECCCH!"

[Yarrah]

Ow, I forgot to add, when using salt water, don't drink it, just use it for gargling.

[JonathanBelles]

i just saw a comecial for HALLS blasts and thought of you.

[angelwing]

LOL! THink I'm going to leave here in an hour, get me some Vicks and do the salt gargle, I completely forgot about that

Thanks for all the help!

[Yarrah]

Happy to help you

[Stephanie]

Zycam is another one of those zinc remedies that does help, especially if it starts to turn into a cold.

I've heard of gargling with salt water - BLECH! It works though.

I like Sucrets myself.

[Ptarmigan]

Try drinking milk. It works for me.

[JQ Public]

Chloraseptic spray and cepacol losenges are the best way to go.

[Miss Mary]

Ditto on the warm salt water gargle. You can also add 1 tsp baking soda to the salt. I worked for ENT docs years ago and they recommended both - salt and soda. It's messy but your throat feels better afterwards.

My mom swears by sipping water all day long, laced with 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar per 1 glass. She says this cures any ailment. I know she prescribes to Prevention Magazine so I'm sure it's a health tip from that publication.

Sipping hot tea, laced with lemon and/or honey helps too. And finally, simple hot chicken broth type soups really help - Lipton's mix, bouillon cubes (I use Knorr's now, they're so good), Campbell's Chicken Noodle or Rice soups, or soups with more ingredients (Progresso). Each time my vegetarian daughter gets sick, I tell her she's is missing out on that missing health ingredient - chicken broth! She just rolls her eyes and sips tea.

Hope you feel better angelwing!

Mary

[petal*pusher]

Hmmm.....I always take extra vitamin C...and some echinacea.

My morning handful of pills always includes zinc....it has really helped the last couple of years in keeping those sore throats away! (working daily with lots of kids in all phases of various sicknesses sure exposes all those germs!)

Good luck....it's NOT a fun thing to go thru!.....p

[alicia-w]

Ditto on the warm salt water. My FIL also recommends a tea made with cherry bark, honey, and slippery elm. I know it sounds DISGUSTING, but it works. Gagrling with listerine helps immensely too.

[angelwing]

Thanks for all the tips guys, the throast is a little better, but my right ear is blocked and my chest is congested now, can't win, guess I'll have to go to the dr after Christmas, dang it.

[HollynLA]

I'm on day 11 of battling a virus. I've been to the doctor twice already and now they are treating it like the flu, even though they're not sure if it really is, but whatever it is, many people in my area have it, and it sticks around for a while. It started for me with achey muscles and sore throat. From now on, I'll have zicam in my medicine cabinet at all times. It's worth a try.

[alicia-w]

if you're sensitive to milk products at all, do not drink it when you have a cold or flu. it can increase mucous production. there are some studies that say it's not true, but my mom was a doctor and never let us drink milk when we had a cold or flu...

[JenBayles]

I can't stand milk as a stand-alone drink under any conditions. BLEECCHHH!!!