The primary treatment of a sore throat should be with alternative medicine. Many of these natural healing therapies are ideally suited to alleviate the symptoms of this common, self-limiting inflammation of the throat. Conventional medicine would become appropriate if the patient experiences respiratory distress, has a high fever, has severe difficulty swallowing or if symptoms do not improve within 4-5 days. A sore throat accompanied by a high fever without cold symptoms should be evaluated first by a conventional physician as antibiotics may be needed. Complementary And Alternative Therapies Consult a competent specialist in each treatment modality for individual assessment or additional information.
Aromatherapy recommends several natural therapies ideally suited for self care at home.
Eucalyptus and cypress lotions, which are based in vegetable or almond oil carriers, may be used to massage the throat and chest. Tea Tree, geranium, eucalyptus and ginger are essential oils that can be taken internally with honey or a carrier oil such as apricot kernel oil, sunflower oil or sweet almond. First time users should check for an allergic reaction before using essential oils. Rub a drop of the oil on the inside of your wrist and watch for a reaction for 24 hours. Adverse reactions can occur with essential oils and it is advisable to consult with a health care practitioner familiar with essential oils before ingesting them.