Get rid of sore throat fast: What really helps

Eliminates itchy throat

Where does a sore throat come from and what helps


Updated 11/21/2025 – 17:13Reading time: 4 minutes

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Anyone suffering from a severe sore throat will want to get rid of it. (Source: VioletaStoimenova/getty-images-bilder)

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A sore throat usually comes on suddenly, often as a sign of a cold. What causes a sore throat and how to get rid of it.

Whether mild or severe, unilateral or bilateral: a sore throat is usually unpleasant. Feels sore or itchy or accompanied by a burning sensation in the throat. When you swallow, the sore throat usually gets worse and the throat often feels tighter than usual.

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Apart from sore throat and difficulty swallowing, other symptoms also often appear. The voice often sounds rough and hoarse, there is pain in the ears and/or swollen lymph nodes in the neck area. Swollen tonsils, fever, headache or runny nose may also occur.

Sore throats can be caused by many things, but are usually harmless. In most cases, a sore throat is a sign of infection in the nasopharynx, namely the upper respiratory tract.

One of the most common causes of a sore throat is a flu virus infection. In about 10 out of 100 cases, a particular bacteria causes a sore throat: it is called streptococcus A. In children it occurs even more frequently, namely in 15 to 30 cases out of 100.

Sore throats can include:

  • Have a cold
  • flu
  • Tonsillitis
  • Sore throat
  • Sore throat
  • Inflammation of the epiglottis
  • Lateral angina
  • Pfeiffer’s glandular fever
  • mumps
  • scarlet
  • diphtheria
  • pseudo group
  • Allergies (such as hay fever)
  • Thyroid disease (such as thyroid enlargement, thyroid inflammation)
  • Inflammation of the esophagus
  • Abscess or cyst in the throat
  • Injuries or burns to the throat
  • cloudy

Anyone who irritates the respiratory tract due to smoking, is constantly exposed to dry air during daily work (for example from air conditioning) or has to put a lot of stress on their voice due to work (such as speaking at length or loudly or singing) can also develop a sore throat under certain circumstances.

If a sore throat occurs mainly at night or in the morning, or if the pain increases at these times, it may be caused by heartburn or nighttime backflow of stomach acid into the esophagus (called reflux).

Treatment: What helps with a sore throat?

A sore throat is usually harmless and will go away on its own after about one to two weeks, as soon as the infection that caused it has cleared up. Medical treatment with drugs is rarely necessary.

If you suffer from a sore throat, smokers should stop smoking if possible or at least reduce it. It would be even better for your health if you quit smoking completely.

If the symptoms do not subside within a few days or even get worse, it is recommended to have your sore throat checked by a doctor. This also applies if further symptoms appear or the general condition worsens.

If diseases such as allergies, nocturnal reflux, or thyroid disorders can be identified as the cause of a sore throat, the doctor will treat them specifically.

If you have a sore throat, you can relieve the symptoms first with medication that is sold freely at pharmacies or drug stores. For example, mouthwash, throat spray, or lollipops can help with an acute sore throat caused by a cold. However, this does not shorten the actual duration of the disease.

When treating with over-the-counter sore throat medications, those affected are offered a wide choice of products that work in different ways. There, among other things, means…