Essential treatment for sore throat

Home remedies using natural ingredients help heal cold, coughs and sore throats wonderfully. Now imagine using these healing ingredients in a concentrated form. That’s essential oils for you.

Essential oils are produced by distillation and steaming. This process separates the water and oil-based content from the plant. These oils can be extracted from the bark, leaf, fruit, seed and even the root of the plant. Just one drop of these essential oils has a plethora of health benefits and can be used to treat many diseases.

Let’s look at which essential oils provide relief in sore throat and how to use them.

Lemon

Lemon essential oils are extracted from the skin of the lemon. Lemon skin is beneficial because it has anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. It is also rich in vitamin C content. These properties help keep the throat moist and increase salivation.

Peppermint

Peppermint essential oils have decongestant, antioxidant and anti-microbial properties that help ease the pain of sore throat. Peppermint has an essential oil called menthol which helps calm and soothe the soreness of the throat; it also helps avoid the build up of thin mucus that leads to coughing. Menthol provides a cooling sensation to the throat.

Oregano

Oregano essential oil has antiviral and anti-fungal properties. This is a good oil to use when you start seeing the first signs of a sore throat.

Clove

The essential oil of clove is beneficial because it is known to boost the immune system. Clove oil has antimicrobial, antiseptic, anti-fungal and anti-viral properties that can provide instant relief from sore throat pain. Just by chewing on a clove bud itself can aid sore throat.

Thyme

Thyme oil helps to relieve a scratchy throat due to its strong antioxidants and antimicrobial properties. It is the most used and trusted medicinal herb since ancient times. A 2011 research states that thyme oils can inhibit growth of bacteria in patients with oral or respiratory infections. Thyme oil is a good solution for antibiotic resistant infections.

How to use these essential oils for sore throat?

There are four ways you can use these oils:

1. By inhaling

A great way to soothe your sore throat is by inhaling steam with two drops of essential oils added to the water. Drape a towel over your head and breathe in the steam medicated with essential oils. You can also add two drops of essential oil on the palm of your hands; rub them together so they spread all over your hands. Then place your hands over your nose and take four to six deep breaths.

2. By consuming

According to The Healing Intelligence of Essential Oils, one drop of essential oil in water mixed with a teaspoon of honey is a safe and effective way of consuming essential oils.
Caution: Beware of some essential oils in the market—they maybe blended or diluted with synthetics that are unsafe for consumption. Always check whether the essential oil you have is safe for oral consumption.

3. By applying on skin

Add ten drops of essential oils to two teaspoons of natural unscented lotion. Apply this mixture on your neck, behind the ears and on the chest.

4. By gargling

Add two drops of essential oil to half a glass of warm water and gargle for a minute to get rid of a sore throat. This is especially beneficial in sore throat because the oils directly comes in contact with the throat.

The usage of essential oils are too many to count. In addition to good nutrition, plenty of fluids, hot teas, gargling and proper rest, essential oils can give relief to an aching throat.

If your sore throat is severe and goes on for more than a week, please seek professional help.