8. Honey, Ginger and Lemon
A combination of honey, ginger and lemon is brilliant in relieving laryngitis and many other throat problems like
sore throat .
- Ingredients
Honey ( organic )
Ginger
Lemons
- Directions / How to use
Take 1/4 inch piece of garlic. Crush it nicely. Then add juice of 1/2 lemon to it , by juicing it in a juicer, not squeezing. After that, add ample honey to this mixture so that it resembles honey in consistency. So, honey serves as the base.When this is done, eat this using a spoon. Do not drink water for about 20 minutes. This prevents the home remedy from getting washed away from the throat.
- Why it works ?
The natural anti-inflammatory and decongestant properties of ginger, lemon and soothing properties of honey work in synergy to heal laryngitis.
9. Licorice ( the best remedy for laryngitis )
It is one of the best herbs for the throat and voice. One can chew on a few sticks of licorice root. However, this herb should NOT be taken by people who have blood pressure problems ( hypertension ) and other diseases. One should consult a doctor before taking licorice root.
Take 1 tablespoon of ground licorice root. Chew it for many hours, keeping it in the mouth. I have had a wonderful experience with licorice once in my life.
One fine day , out of nowhere I had this pain in my throat. Closer examination in the mirror revealed that my tongue had cracked in places and there were faint white spots in the deeper regions of the tongue. The throat felt like something heavy was sitting in there. I couldn't speak clearly to the doctor. Diagnosis revealed an infection. However, medications made my pain worse ( I had pain in swallowing water, let alone food ).
Then my mom brought some licorice for me. All I had to do was keep it under my teeth. I avoided food for about 8 hours, but by that time, pain was almost gone and I could speak.
Licorice is a brilliant tonic for the voice mechanism. It is used by numerous singers to improve the pitches and tones of their voice spectrum. It helps in letting out clear voice, getting rid of any hoarseness at all.
( Photo credit : Dawn )
10. Gargle with Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV )
This is good for infectious laryngitis. Gargle with some diluted ACV ( 1:1 with water ) and then gulp it down instead of spitting it out. ACV also boosts immunity to allow body to get rid of pathogens quickly.
Do this gargle about 3- 6 times a day.
11. Avoid Coffee
During laryngitis, it is better to avoid coffee because caffeine content makes it difficult for body to recover. That is because coffee is drying for the throat. Dryness further aggravates irritation and inflammation.
12. Install a humidifier
If you live in a dry climate, arid climate or an extremely cold climate, then it is helpful to install a humidifier. These are the places where humidity is naturally very low in the atmosphere, creating a drying air. To counter this effect, one should install humidifier. It adds moisture to air, making it more comfortable for the larynx.
13. Other things to avoid
These are some of the things that make laryngitis worse.
- Smoke from any source. Fireplace smoke is worst for the throat and the lungs.
- Any kind of allergens , like dust or pollen put more pressure on the throat to clean itself. Pet hair
- Very warm or hot liquids. It is true that warm liquids are soothing, but as temperature increases a notch, it becomes harmful.
- Any cold liquid.
14. Zinc lozenges
Just like Vitamin C, zinc can also be obtained in the form of sweet chewable lozenges. They seem to benefit in this condition. One can take about 3 - 4 times RDI of zinc ( that is 15 mg ) for a few days. This can help one recover much faster from laryngitis.
The sweetness in the lozenge soothes sore throat. A deficiency of zinc makes one susceptible to infectious laryngitis ( viral , bacterial ). Taking zinc externally can allow the body to get the zinc it needs.
Ideally, one should be getting ample amount of zinc from diet, but poor diet and metabolism disorders can lead to deficiency. In that case, zinc lozenges can provide temporary relief.
15 . Yogurt ( not frozen )
Taking yogurt at room temperature is an excellent remedy for laryngitis. The live bacteria ( probiotics ) in yogurt assist the body in fighting off any infection that is causing laryngitis.
How much yogurt to eat ?
Well, yogurt is great for the body. It should be organic, though. 2 - 3 cups of fresh yogurt is sufficient to provide significant amount of probiotics.
Laryngitis in Cats And Dogs
Our lovely pets too can get this condition. In their case, it is mostly non infectious. The first signs of laryngitis are a change in voice. The bark of dog changes to an even hoarser but feeble bark. The cat's purr lowers in volume but becomes unclear and hoarse.
There are some natural remedies for laryngitis in a pet.
- Feed the pet chicken soup or fish soup prepared with small amount of spices. This warms up their bodies and soothes the throat.
- Avoid giving them solid dry food and go with wet food instead.
- Train your dog or cat to cough up. In many cases, it is just something in their throat which causes the irritation. Over time, the irritation inflames the larynx.
If the condition doesn't resolve, you know you have to take them to a vet.
Treatment of laryngitis
The condition, if it gets severe, should be diagnosed by a doctor. Treatment is often done using tincture of benzoin, which has effects similar to eucalyptus oil. If infection is suspected, then anti-viral or anti-bacterial medication is prescribed depending on whether it is viral or bacterial laryngitis.
Chronic recurrent laryngitis is often a sign of weak and impaired immune system. In such a case, the only solution is to boost the immune system using natural immune boosters, like echinacea and olive leaf.
Allergies and laryngitis go hand in hand. Many allergic reactions can lead to laryngitis. The voice problem resolves if one uses home remedies, but to prevent further occurrences, one has to use
home remedies for allergies.
Add grated onions to a bowl of water. Boil the water repeatedly to concentrate the solution. After the solution has become dark and concentrated, add some sugar to hot water ( sugar gets dissolved quickly ). Then, drink a tablespoon of this mixture after every few hours.
