Laryngitis is a result of inflammation of your vocal cords, known as the larynx. This condition is usually caused by a viral or bacterial infection or excessive strain on the vocal cords. A hoarse or weak voice is the most common symptom of laryngitis. There are some cases when people cannot talk at all.
This condition is often accompanied by a dry cough and a sore throat. In most cases, this is an acute condition which can heal with time and has no serious consequences. There are some easy and simple natural cures which can help you to rid of the pain and inflammation and restore your voice in a very quick way. Laryngitis usually lasts for a few days or up to two weeks in most cases. If you have noticed that your laryngitis lasts longer, then this can be chronic laryngitis and you need to talk with your doctor about this problem.
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20 Home remedies for laryngitis
Garlic
Garlic has antimicrobial properties which help kill bacteria and viruses [1]. Also, this vegetable is a natural expectorant. You should chew a raw garlic clove slowly and then you should swallow it. Also, there is another option and that is to chop several garlic cloves. Place them into the jar and you should cover it with equal parts of distilled water and raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar. You should shake the jar to mix the contents thoroughly and you should let it sit for about four hours. You should add some raw honey to it before you store it in the refrigerator. You should take one to three teaspoons of this garlic syrup every six to eight hours.
Lemon juice
Lemon juice has acidic nature which will kill viruses and bacteria and it will give you relief from the symptoms of laryngitis. Also, it will help to loosen mucus. You should squeeze the juice of a lemon into a glass of warm water. You should add ½ teaspoon of sea salt. If you do not have sea salt, then you can use table salt. You should gargle with this natural cure several times per day.
Warm saltwater
This natural cure will help you to kill bacteria and also it will promote the healing of the sore throat and inflamed vocal cords. In one cup of warm water, you should add ½ teaspoon of salt and you should gargle with this natural cure. You should do this natural treatment several times per day.
Ginger
Fresh ginger is good for the throat because it can soothe the inflamed mucous membranes of the larynx [2]. You should boil thinly sliced ginger root in a covered pan of water for ten minutes. You should strain this liquid and you should allow cool to room temperature. Also, you can sweeten it with honey and you can add some lemon juice to it. You should drink this natural cure several times per day. Also, you can try sucking on a few candied gingers throughout the day or you can simply eat a few thin slices of fresh ginger root.
Onion syrup
This natural cure acts as a natural expectorant and it is a very effective natural cure for larynx inflammation. You should cut up 3 – 4 medium–sized onions. You should simmer the pieces in 4 cups of water until this natural cure thickens to a syrup-like consistency. You should mix 5 tablespoons of the onion syrup in one glass of warm water. You should add one tablespoon of honey and a few drops of lemon juice. You should sip this mixture slowly.
Apple cider vinegar
This natural cure has antimicrobial properties which can help you to fight infections and also it can be used to treat laryngitis [3]. You should mix 2 tablespoons of raw and unfiltered apple cider vinegar and one tablespoon of honey in half a cup of water. To increase the effectiveness of this natural cure, you should add a small amount of cayenne pepper in it. You should drink this natural cure two times per day. Also, you should prepare a natural cure by mixing one tablespoon of raw and unfiltered apple cider vinegar in one glass of warm water. You should gargle with this natural cure several times per day until you get relief from laryngitis.
Raisins
In one cup of water, you should boil ¼ cup of raisins. You should consume this natural cure three to four times per day.
Honey
This is a very effective home remedy for soothing an irritated throat and also it can soothe your throat [4]. Also, it can help you to reduce inflammation. The simplest and easiest way to use honey is to swallow some raw honey several times per day. Also, you can try herbal tea made with lemon and honey. To make this tea, you should add the juice from ½ lemon and 1 or 2 tablespoons of raw honey to one cup of hot water. Also, you can add a dash of cayenne pepper to it. You should drink this natural cure once or twice per day.
Slippery elm
This natural cure has mucilage that forms into a gel when it is mixed with water and also it can give you relief from throat inflammation and irritation [5]. You should put some fresh slippery elm in the water. This will form into a gel. You should swallow this gel several times per day to get relief from the sore throat. Also, you can try slippery elm lozenges. This natural cure is not recommended for breastfeeding and pregnant women.
Mixed juice
You should combine grapefruit, cranberry, and orange juice and you should consume it on a daily basis. Also, you can make another mixture and that is to mix ginger juice, radish, and carrot because this is working as a great natural cure for laryngitis.
Clove
You should blend 4 drops of olive oil and one teaspoon of honey properly. You should consume this natural cure 3 times per day. This natural cure will provide you with the required warmth for your throat[1]. It has antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. It can alleviate the infection and also it can soothe your throat.
Herbal infusion
You should get one cup of water, one tablespoon of marshmallow leaves, one teaspoon of coltsfoot leaves, one teaspoon of mullein leaves, and one teaspoon of licorice root. You should mix these herbs and then you should steep them in boiling water for twenty to thirty minutes. If you find it too bitter to consume, then you should sweeten it with honey. Also, you can sweeten it with sugar but it is recommended to add honey.
Licorice
This is also a very effective natural cure for laryngitis. It can give you relief from throat irritation because it has anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties. Also, this natural cure acts as a natural expectorant because it can help you to rid of the mucus. You should boil one teaspoon of dried licorice root in one cup of water for about 5 minutes. You should strain it. You should drink this licorice tea up to 3 times per day. Also, you can try licorice lozenges. [6]
Eucalyptus oil
This type of oil has antibacterial and antiviral properties which can help you to soothe a sore throat[1]. The best way to use this natural cure is to inhale its steam of it. You should add a few drops of eucalyptus oil to a large pan of boiling water. You should cover your head with a towel and you should inhale the steam for ten minutes. You should follow this natural cure two times per day. Also, you can try lozenges and cough syrups which have eucalyptus oil as their component.
Soups
When you suffer from laryngitis, then you should have as many soups as you can. Refrain from excessive sodium which is contained in soups.
Turmeric
You should add ½ teaspoon of turmeric to one glass of milk. You should consume it two to three times per day. It can help you to get relief from the inflammation and soreness of the throat.
Cinnamon
In boiling water, you should add three teaspoons of honey and one teaspoon of cinnamon powder and boil it for ten minutes. You should consume this natural cure three times per day because in this way you will have the best results. This natural cure has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antiseptic properties which can help you to heal laryngitis in a very quick way. [7]
Green tea
This is also one of the best natural cures which you can use to alleviate the symptoms of laryngitis.
Anise seeds
You should boil two teaspoons of anise seeds in two cups of water. You should ingest this natural cure a few times per day but not more than two teaspoons an hour. Also, you can apply this natural cure to your chest and neck.
Marshmallow
When you eat marshmallows, then they can help you to get relief from the sore throat. Also, you can such the juice from marshmallows to get relief from laryngitis. Also, you can prepare herbal tea using marshmallow root. [8]
References:
[1] Agbor MA, Naidoo S. Ethnomedicinal plants used by traditional healers to treat oral health problems in cameroon. Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2015.
[2] Mashhadi NS, Ghiasvand R, Askari G, et al. Anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects of ginger in health and physical activity: Review of current evidence. International Journal of Preventive Medicine. 2013;4(Suppl1):S36-S42.
[3] Yagnik D, Serafin V, Shah AJ. Antimicrobial activity of apple cider vinegar against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans; downregulating cytokine and microbial protein expression. Scientific Reports. 2018;8:1732.
[4] Samarghandian S, Farkhondeh T, Samini F. Honey and health: A review of recent clinical research. Pharmacognosy Research. 2017;9(2):121-127.
[5] Watts CR, Rousseau B. Slippery elm, its biochemistry, and use as a complementary and alternative treatment for laryngeal irritation. Journal of Investigational Biochemistry. 2012;1(1):17-23.
[6] Ajagannanavar SL, Battur H, Shamarao S, et al. Effect of aqueous and alcoholic licorice (Glycyrrhiza Glabra) root extract against Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus acidophilus in comparison to chlorhexidine: An in vitro study. Journal of International Oral Health. 2014;6(4):29-34.
[7] Hamidpour R, Hamidpour M, Hamidpour S, Shahlari M. Cinnamon from the selection of traditional applications to its novel effects on the inhibition of angiogenesis in cancer cells and prevention of Alzheimer’s disease, and a series of functions such as antioxidant, anticholesterol, antidiabetes, antibacterial, antifungal, nematicidal, acaracidal, and repellent activities. Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine. 2015;5(2):66-70.
[8] Popovych V, Koshel I, Malofiichuk A, et al. A randomized, open-label, multicenter, comparative study of therapeutic efficacy, safety and tolerability of BNO 1030 extract, containing marshmallow root, chamomile flowers, horsetail herb, walnut leaves, yarrow herb, oak bark, dandelion herb in the treatment of acute non-bacterial tonsillitis in children aged 6 to 18 years. American Journal of Otolaryngology. 2019;40(2):265-73.
