Arts >> Music >> Singing

Sore Throat Remedies for Singers

No matter what type of music you perform, as a singer you subject your voice to a lot of stress. You may be bothered by a sore throat if you are fighting off an illness, or if you have strained your voice through poor technique or overuse. While there are many remedies on store shelves that tout their effectiveness, you can whip up several home remedies that work quite well, without any of the side effects caused by medications.
  1. Honey

    • One well-known remedy for a singer's sore throat is honey. Honey can be very soothing to a sore throat when added in a healthy dose to a cup of warm herbal tea or water. Singers also have been known to drink honey straight from the bottle.

    Salt Water

    • Another basic sore throat remedy is warm salt water. Used as a gargling rinse, warm salt water is very soothing, and has been touted to improve circulation of infection-fighting antibodies. It doesn't take much salt to do the job---just a teaspoonful in an 8-oz. glass of warm water, gargled several times a day.

    Pickle Juice

    • Vinegar has been long respected as a home remedy ingredient, but many people can't get past the flavor of vinegar in its natural state. A tasty way to get vinegar to a sore throat without the pucker factor is by drinking pickle juice. Any flavor of jarred pickle contains a vinegar base, and the higher the vinegar content the better. Simply pour the pickle juice in a glass and sip on it throughout the day.

    Menthol

    • Treat a sore throat with a hybrid of store-bought and home-remedy solutions. Find throat drops that contain menthol---look for ones that contain few other synthetic ingredients (Luden's or Ricola, for example)---and dissolve one drop in a cup of hot water or honey tea. Menthol is very soothing, and a great complement to the hot water and honey. You may get a similar effect by adding a drop of mint or peppermint oil to your tea.

Singing

Related Categories