What’s best to gargle for bad throat?

[Cloud44]

Got a bad throat, tonsils are swollen and feeling pretty rubbish, had tonsilitis earlier in the year, not sure if it’s that again or just a general lurgy. Feeling sorry for myself, what’s the best thing to gargle for a bad throat? Difflam? TCP? Salt? Colgate Peroxyl mouthwash? Been told various things just want to use what will work quickest?! Does steaming your face help a bad throat?

Difflam spray is brilliant - only thing that touched my Covid sore throat

@curlycurlymoo what were you main symptoms? I did do a test yesterday which was negative but I know there is a lot of it around at the moment. Did you have white spots on your tonsils when it was covid?

White spots CAN indicate bacterial infection and often does, but they can appear in viral tonsillitis. Most doctors will give you the benefit of the doubt and give antibiotics in the presence of white spots, especially if you have a high temperature. They do not want to run the risk of it developing into Quinsey.
(Practice nurse)

Salt water

I don’t know what to do, I just want to feel better quickly!

Yes.

I went to GP and she said probably viral.

Generally feeling tired, not sleeping well

Some doctors say that white spots definitely means bacterial though that’s what confuses me?

How long should it take for gargling aspirin to start working? I spoke to a doctor this morning and he also suggested that and said white spots don’t necessarily mean I need antibiotics but I’m not feeling great this afternoon and looks like white spots are getting worse

No white spots this time round. But the pain kept me awake at night.

Not a gargle, but a soothing drink - capful of cider vinegar 'with the mother', teaspoonful of honey, topped up with boiling water. Sipped. The honey is antibacterial, the acidity of the vinegar will discourage any infection present from spreading, the heat is soothing.

Though conversely, if your throat is so sore you can't swallow at all, ice cream has a good local anaesthetic effect.

And when you're a little better, small (thumbnail sized) quantities of a few different blue cheeses three times a day as a natural antibiotic.

get well soon

and ps, do insist on seeing a doctor if your temperature stays elevated beyond 48 hours.

pps some doctors say gargling is bad and spreads the infection.

neat cheap whisky - you have to swallow it to work properly, kills naughty germs,
anaesthetises your throat, aids digestion

The doctor has given me 5 days antibiotics in case I feel it’s getting worse but ideally he’d like me to wait for the swab result to come back. He hasn’t seen me, this was all done on the phone.
I don’t want to take the antibiotics if I can help it but I don’t know if it will get better without. They don’t seem concerned that this is the third time this year I’ve had these symptoms, which is frustrating, they are just saying it’s bad luck.

That happened to me years and years ago - I had five courses of antibiotics (it was long ago when docs were more gung-ho about them) and eventually the GP recommended a good multi vitamin and mineral tonic, and I discovered ice cream and blue cheese - taken separately, not together. Take heart.

oh - full disclosure, what finally fixed me (after ten months of low level infections) was catching an old fashioned head cold, which wasn't much fun but which did clear out the other thing. Bodies are complicated.

@DeanElderberry dont suppose you remember what multi vitamin and tonic was recommended? Probably a silly question but does blue cheese help prevent tonsilitis?!

And @DeanElderberry did they ever look to remove your tonsils?

They didn't suggest removing my tonsils - which I'm quite glad of because evidently it can cause knock-on bad effects (no idea what). I can't remember what the tonic was - I suspect they're all much of a muchness - ank your pharmacist. I'm a great believer in boosting B vitamins, so maybe take a cheap supermarket multi-B as well - take that last thing at night before you do to sleep, preferably with milk. Cut down (not out) tea, coffee and alcohol while you're recovering, they can all leach micronutrients out of your system.

I decided to try the blue cheese because I have long taken it to help re-set the gut flora after tummy upsets or infections, or antibiotics, and wondered would it help with a throat infection - all those beneficial microbes passing by. Can't do any harm, and I thought it helped a little.

For me, plenty of protein always helps me recover, and remember it's important not to take exercise while you have a raised temperature - it can make bacteria numbers rise dangerously.

TCP 1 cap with 5 caps water.

It's grim, but works every time.

It’s so confusing because seem to say different things - before I was told saltwater now I’ve been told soluble aspirin. I just want to know why I keep catching it! Feeling sorry for myself tonight.

I would take plenty of vitamin c, a good b vitamin and a good magnesium. I would get seperate for each of these so you get the best quality.

I would also take quercetin and zinc.

Probiotics are a good idea. Udos choice do a lozenge.

Thyme will kill strep bacteria so it's really worth trying. I think there's a brand of yes called throat comfort but even thyme and honey in got water should help.

Some great suggestions on this thread. It's no fun being stuck in an antibiotic vicious cycle.

I really want to try and ride it out and not take the antibiotics but I’m worried it’s going to get worse.

At this stage your best bet might be to go to bed and try to get a night's sleep. Have a shower first if you feel up to it.

Vodka, neat - gargle then swallow.

Difflam spray or chloroseptic spray are excellent for the pain, very very effective.