What is the treatment for pharyngitis, itchy throat and cough?

Pharyngitis is a common disease that often recurs. If Western medicine is not treated properly, it is easy to develop drug resistance, which will aggravate the symptoms. In daily life, you can use some small folk remedies to treat diseases, which sometimes have unexpected effects. For example, garlic can be used to treat pharyngitis and the itchy throat and cough caused by pharyngitis. Sometimes the effect is quite good.

Method 1: Raw garlic

Peel a clove of garlic, hold it in your mouth, and bite it from time to time. Once the garlic flavor comes out, swallow it slowly. This can relieve throat itching and cough.

[Expert comment] Garlic contains allicin, which has a strong bactericidal effect. If the throat itching is caused by bacteria, it is theoretically effective. However, clinically, many throat itches are a symptom of chronic pharyngitis, and can also be local manifestations of certain systemic diseases, such as anemia, indigestion, long-term constipation, heart disease, bronchitis, asthma, liver disease, diabetes and chronic nephritis. Therefore, this folk remedy is best used under the guidance of a doctor.

Method 2: Steamed Garlic Water

Take 7-8 cloves of garlic (2-3 cloves for children), smash them, put them in a bowl (covered), add water and steam for 20-30 minutes, drink the garlic water after it cools, 1-2 times a day, 3 times a day in severe cases.

[Expert comment] Traditional Chinese medicine believes that garlic is warm in nature and enters the lung meridian. People tend to use garlic to treat coughs, asthma and other diseases. This folk remedy is effective in treating cold coughs and asthma, but it is still irritating for children who are too young to take it. It is recommended to use it with caution to avoid irritating the respiratory tract and aggravating the cough symptoms. In addition, the effect of allicin will be reduced when exposed to heat, so pay attention to the heat and dosage when using it.

Method 3: Garlic and Rock Sugar Water

Add 30 grams of garlic and 10 grams of rock sugar to 200 ml of water, decoct and take 3 times a day. You will see results the next day.

[Expert comment] Traditional Chinese medicine believes that rock sugar has the effect of relieving cough and reducing phlegm. Garlic plus rock sugar will enhance the cough-relieving effect, but it is only suitable for coughs caused by colds, but not for coughs caused by wind-heat colds.

Method 4: Garlic, ginger and brown sugar water

7-8 slices of ginger, 7-8 cloves of garlic, 1 spoon of brown sugar, add water and boil, take 1-2 times a day, 3 times a day for severe cases (half the amount for children).

[Expert comment] Ginger and brown sugar are both relatively warm foods. This dietary therapy is also only suitable for coughs caused by colds, but not for hot coughs and asthma.

Method 5: Minced garlic

Take 3-4 cloves of garlic, peel them and cut them into thin slices, place them around the stove and roast them. When the garlic cloves are basically dry and roasted yellow (be careful not to roast them until they are burnt), use a rolling pin to crush them into minced meat. The finer the better. When taking it, take a tablespoon of minced garlic and an appropriate amount of brown sugar, pour in boiling water, stir well and drink it, twice a day, and drink it for 2-3 days to cure.