If you have COVID and are elderly or immunocompromised, you should talk to your doctor about whether you’d benefit from a prescription antiviral drug like Paxlovid.
There are also home remedies and over-the-counter medications that can reduce discomfort.
Lerner recommends the following to ease sore throat:
Take over-the-counter pain medications. These can be very effective in relieving symptoms.
“But make sure to check the ingredient list carefully on many of the big name-brand cold medicines, as they often have multiple medications in them and you do not want to unintentionally take too much Tylenol [acetaminophen] per day, which can harm your liver,” Lerner says.
Run a humidifier. Dryness makes sore throat worse, so increase your hydration and keep a humidifier running at the bedside.
Suck on throat lozenges. Over-the-counter throat lozenges can be very helpful but know that menthol-containing ones can paradoxically be irritating for some people.
“I like to recommend lozenges that contain pectin or xylitol, which lubricate the throat,” Lerner says.
Take care of your nose. It’s worth noting that the nose is the body’s natural humidifier, so treating a stuffy nose with nasal saline mist or other methods can sometimes be very helpful in easing throat discomfort.
“By improving nasal airflow, this reduces mouth breathing, which can considerably help reduce throat dryness and soreness,” Lerner notes.
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