# Does gargling saline water ease a sore throat? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 8, 2013, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-gargling-saline-water-ease-a-sore-throat/646456 "2013-01-08T06:34:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![midnight-dreary](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@midnight-dreary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/midnight-dreary)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2013, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-gargling-saline-water-ease-a-sore-throat/646456/1 "2013-01-08T06:34:14Z")
My throat is absolutely is killing me, and I’m out of other things I usually use to ease a sore throat… so I was wondering about that old wives tale of gargling salt water. Does it actually work? ---
**Author:** ![Becky2844](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Becky2844](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Becky2844)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2013, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-gargling-saline-water-ease-a-sore-throat/646456/2 "2013-01-08T06:38:47Z")
The old wives’ tale I’ve heard about involves honey, like in a cup of hot tea, to coat a sore throat. I think the saline solution is for sinus trouble. ---
**Author:** ![midnight-dreary](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@midnight-dreary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/midnight-dreary)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2013, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-gargling-saline-water-ease-a-sore-throat/646456/3 "2013-01-08T06:41:45Z")
My grandmother has always encouraged gargling salt water if you had things like mouth ulcers, sore throats etc. I’ve never understood the idea of honey to soothe a throat. In my experience, honey does the exact opposite for me. ---
**Author:** ![Sevencl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@Sevencl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sevencl)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2013, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-gargling-saline-water-ease-a-sore-throat/646456/4 "2013-01-08T06:42:20Z")
Honey and lemon tea helps a lot of people. Don’t know about saline, though. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2013, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-gargling-saline-water-ease-a-sore-throat/646456/5 "2013-01-08T06:47:55Z")
For me, the one thing that works nearly 100% of the time for a sore throat is Tylenol. It’ll give me four or five hours of nearly perfect relief. Sometimes it works for headaches, doesn’t usually work for general body aches but it _always_ works (for me) for sore throats. It works so well for me, I can almost always feel the exact moment (well, half hour window or so) when it wears off and the sore throat comes back. ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2013, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-gargling-saline-water-ease-a-sore-throat/646456/6 "2013-01-08T07:10:28Z")
Saline works for me. Maybe it’s placebo but I’ll take it. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2013, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-gargling-saline-water-ease-a-sore-throat/646456/7 "2013-01-08T07:15:44Z")
> [@PlainJain](#): > > Saline works for me. Maybe it’s placebo but I’ll take it. I hate it when I tell someone about some remedy (be it some off label med, food, juice whatever) and they say “Well, you know that’s just the placebo effect”. I usually tell them “Well, if it works, what difference does it make”. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2013, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-gargling-saline-water-ease-a-sore-throat/646456/8 "2013-01-08T07:48:44Z")
Salt in warm water works for me. When it gets really bad I go with [Cepacol](http://www.cepacol.com/). When it gets unbearable I hit up the doc for [viscous lidocaine](http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/meds/a682701.html). ---
**Author:** ![Indian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@Indian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indian)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2013, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-gargling-saline-water-ease-a-sore-throat/646456/9 "2013-01-08T08:03:41Z")
> [@midnight-dreary](#): > > My throat is absolutely is killing me, and I’m out of other things I usually use to ease a sore throat… so I was wondering about that old wives tale of gargling salt water. **Does it actually work**? From [NYtimes.](http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/28/health/28real.html?_r=0) _A saline solution can draw excess fluid from inflamed tissues in the throat, making them hurt less, said Dr. Philip T. Hagen, editor in chief of the “Mayo Clinic Book of Home Remedies,” which is due out in October. Dr. Hagen pointed out that gargling also loosens thick mucus, which can remove irritants like allergens, bacteria and fungi from the throat._ Mayo Clinic also says [it works.](http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/cold-remedies/ID00036) And lastly, I do it and it works. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazle_Weatherfield)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2013, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-gargling-saline-water-ease-a-sore-throat/646456/10 "2013-01-08T13:07:02Z")
Salt water works every time for me. Very effective, but temporary. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2013, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-gargling-saline-water-ease-a-sore-throat/646456/11 "2013-01-08T13:42:06Z")
I like the feeling of gargling or drinking warm water water when I have a sore throat. Warm salt water is fine too. It may even be better. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2013, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-gargling-saline-water-ease-a-sore-throat/646456/12 "2013-01-08T13:42:47Z")
It reduces swelling, so if swelling is a major contributor to the symptoms of discomfort, gargling with salt water will help some. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2013, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-gargling-saline-water-ease-a-sore-throat/646456/13 "2013-01-08T13:58:05Z")
I’ll third the swelling hypothesis. It’s mixed up (or at least I’ve always mixed it up) heavy on the saline, so osmosis is my friend. The longer I can keep it back there, the more excess fluid will gtfo of my mucus membranes. The feeling of relief is really quite immediate. Of course, it’s also temporary. Mom thought that if you got the water salty enough, you could also kill the bacterial colonies directly, shriveling them up like little Wicked Witches of the West. I have no idea if that is true or not. But that’s one old wife’s tale. ---
**Author:** ![Sal\_Ammoniac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Sal\_Ammoniac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sal_Ammoniac)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2013, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-gargling-saline-water-ease-a-sore-throat/646456/14 "2013-01-08T13:58:09Z")
Plus, what have you got to lose? Just don’t swallow, for the love of God. ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2013, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-gargling-saline-water-ease-a-sore-throat/646456/15 "2013-01-08T17:36:02Z")
I hate to gargle. I think it is one of the most revolting things a person can do. My father bought into all the Listerine ad propoganda during the 1960s, that daily gargling with Listerine would prevent or lessen colds. He bought enormous JUGS of that awful stuff home, and we’d hide it under the bathroom sink and forget it was there. At the slightest HINT of a cold, he’d be after us, “Have you been gargling? Go gargle now!” I’m shuddering just REMEMBERING all that! Anyway… warm salt water, as warm as you can stand it, actually CAN help a sore throat. #1, of course, is that the heat of the solution is very soothing. #2 is the osmotic effect of salt water on the swollen tissues. And last, #3, even though your throat FEELS dry and scratchy, the pain is caused by the pressure of GUNK which has accumulated in your throat from the nasty draining in the back of your nose. The only way you can reach down in your throat and get to the painful area is by gargling. The action and the warmth and the salt solution will help to loosen that crap, and you can spit it out. After you get the crap out of your throat, then rinse your mouth of the salt, and give your throat a dose of the Cepacol throat spray. And go back to bed. ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![UncleFred](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f0a364/32.png) [@UncleFred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleFred)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2013, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-gargling-saline-water-ease-a-sore-throat/646456/16 "2013-01-09T21:05:41Z")
I’ve found that the honey & warm water approach works as something of an expectorant. If my throat is messed up with post-nasal drip the h+w helps me cough up and spit out the gunk stuff in my throat. ---
**Author:** ![midnight-dreary](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@midnight-dreary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/midnight-dreary)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2013, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-gargling-saline-water-ease-a-sore-throat/646456/17 "2013-01-10T00:22:32Z")
So I ended up going to the doctor. He said it was viral, and that all I need to do is gargle salt water. I think that answers my question 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Indian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@Indian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indian)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2013, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-gargling-saline-water-ease-a-sore-throat/646456/18 "2013-01-10T00:29:59Z")
> [@midnight-dreary](#): > > So I ended up going to the doctor. He said it was viral, and that all I need to do is gargle salt water. > > I think that answers my question 😃 You could have saved his fees, by listening to us.😉 ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2013, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-gargling-saline-water-ease-a-sore-throat/646456/19 "2013-01-10T00:31:00Z")
I have always used hot salt water for sore throats. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2013, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-gargling-saline-water-ease-a-sore-throat/646456/20 "2013-01-10T00:39:57Z")
I recently had a wisdom tooth removed and part of the healing process was rinsing my mouth with warm salt water 3-4 times day for a week. After that it was regular water. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-gargling-saline-water-ease-a-sore-throat/646456.md?page=2)