How to get rid of a burning sore throat

What is a sore throat?

A sore throat means that your throat hurts. It feels irritated or scratchy. You may feel mild discomfort or a burning pain. A sore throat may feel worse when you swallow. Possible complications from a sore throat include ear and sinus infections. Another complication is an abscess (buildup of pus) near your tonsils.

Symptoms of a sore throat

A sore throat means that your throat hurts and is irritated, swollen, or scratchy. It usually hurts worse when you swallow. Depending on the cause of your sore throat, symptoms include:

Fever
Headache
White spots on your throat or tonsils
Red, swollen tonsils
Swollen glands in your neck
Skin rash

In some cases, additional symptoms include:

Abdominal pain (usually in children)
Vomiting (usually in children)
Joint or muscle pain

What causes a sore throat?

Most sore throats are caused by viruses, such as the cold or flu virus. Some of the more serious causes of sore throat include tonsillitis, strep throat, and mononucleosis (mono). Other causes include smoking, mouth breathing at night while you sleep, pollution, and allergies to pets, pollens and molds. General anesthesia during surgery can cause a sore throat.

How is a sore throat diagnosed?

Your doctor will do a physical exam. They will look at the back of your throat. Your doctor may swab the back of your throat. This is called a throat culture. It is done to collect a sample of bacteria. This also is used in a rapid strep test. This is a quick test to diagnose strep throat. The test won’t tell if your sore throat is caused by something other than strep. The results of a throat culture takes between 24 and 48 hours. If your doctor thinks you may have mono, they will probably do a blood test.

Can a sore throat be prevented or avoided?

The best way to avoid a sore throat is to avoid getting sick. Avoid catching or spreading the viruses and bacteria that cause a sore throat. Wash your hands regularly. Avoid touching your eyes or mouth. Cover your mouth when coughing or sneezing.

Sore throat treatment

If your sore throat is cause by the flu, your doctor may prescribe antiviral medicine. Antibiotics don’t work on viruses. Most sore throats caused by a cold or flu-type virus go away in a week to 10 days.

If your sore throat is caused by bacteria, your doctor will prescribe an antibiotic. You will feel better in a few days. It is important to take all of your antibiotics. This reduces the risk that your sore throat will return.

Symptoms caused by mono can last for 4 weeks or more. The treatment for mono is rest and reduced exercise.

If a sore throat is caused by allergies, your doctor may talk to you about allergy triggers. He or she may recommend medicine for the allergy.

If your sore throat is caused by tonsillitis, you may need an operation. This is called a tonsillectomy. The surgery removes your tonsils. Most people who have tonsillitis don’t need surgery. You might need surgery if you get severe tonsillitis often. You may need surgery if your tonsils are too big.

Living with a sore throat

Easing the pain of a sore throat is all you can do beyond treatment. The best remedies include:

Take over-the-counter pain medicine. This includes brand names such as Tylenol, Motrin, and Aleve. Do not give children younger than 18 aspirin. Aspirin may cause Reye’s syndrome. This can be fatal.
Gargle with warm salt water. Mix 1 teaspoon of salt with 1 cup of water and stir.
Suck on an over-the-counter throat lozenge. Hard candy works too.
Eat a popsicle.
Use a humidifier in your bedroom. Move it to other rooms you spend time in.
Drink liquids to keep your throat from getting dry. Also, this helps prevent dehydration.

Questions to ask your doctor

Will hot drinks make my sore throat worse?
Does honey help ease the pain of a sore throat?
Should I go to work or school if I have a sore throat?
Can a dry room cause a sore throat?
Can certain medicines cause a sore throat?

Acid reflux occurs when your stomach contents, mostly digestive juices, backflow into your esophagus or throat. One common symptom is a sore throat.

Having acid reflux on occasion is nothing to worry about, especially if you’ve just a had a large meal. However, if you have acid reflux two or more times per week, you may have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and you should talk to your healthcare provider.

Acid reflux can also be a symptom of other health conditions. They are usually conditions that put pressure on, loosen, or weaken the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) valve, the muscular ring connecting the esophagus with the stomach. The LES normally prevents food from moving out of the stomach and back up into the esophagus.

A few strategies you can use to get rid of acid reflux in throat include:

Making lifestyle changes (e.g., avoiding fatty foods and alcohol, not eating too close to bed time)
Taking over-the-counter (OTC) medications
Talking to your provider about prescription medications
Using general sore throat home remedies for your symptoms

Verywell / Nez Riaz

Why Acid Reflux Hurts Your Throat

When someone has GERD, the LES becomes weak or fails to close tightly, causing food and stomach acids to flow back into the esophagus. The lining of the esophagus can become inflamed or irritated from these acids, which can cause a burning chest pain and sometimes a sour taste or cough. Sore throat is often one of the symptoms of GERD.

Short-term sore throat from acid reflux is caused by the digestive fluids burning your tissues. Long-term sore throat can indicate GERD with coughing, which adds to the inflammation, swelling, and throat pain.

Effects of Acid Reflux

You can’t ignore chronic acid reflux, hoping it will go away. If nothing else, the fluid or feeling in the back of your mouth will make you want to swallow, and it will burn going back down. It will only get worse until you do something.

If you have GERD complications, other serious health problems including respiratory diseases, or conditions that could be masked by GERD symptoms, the best thing you can do is talk to your healthcare provider.

Serious complications of GERD can include:

Esophagus erosion: Esophagus tissue lining is worn away by acid, so sores (ulcers) may develop.
Barrett’s esophagus: This refers to damage to the lower portion of the esophagus. It’s usually a result of repeat exposure to stomach acid. The esophagus lining starts to resemble an intestine lining.
Esophageal cancer: The risk of esophageal cancer seems to be higher in people who have more frequent symptoms.

Acid Reflux Sore Throat Remedies

When you have the occasional acid reflux episode, sore throat remedies can help. However, the most relief you will get is by addressing the underlying cause of your chronic acid reflux.

Some lifestyle changes may also be able to help. Once you begin treatment for your condition, you’ll notice you won’t need to manage symptoms as much.

When to See a Healthcare Provider

Contact your practitioner if you have any of the following symptoms:

Chest pain
Appetite loss
Persistent vomiting
Problems or pain while swallowing
Signs of bleeding in the digestive tract, such as vomit that contains blood or looks like coffee grounds, and stools that contain blood or look black and tarry
Unexplained weight loss

Lifestyle Changes

One of many studies found that quitting smoking improved not only people’s acid reflux episodes, but their overall quality of life scores as well.

Some foods are GERD triggers and should be avoided to prevent reaction, including:

Spicy, minty, fatty foods
Acidic fruits and fruit juices, such as citrus and tomatoes
Coffee, chocolate, and other sources of caffeine
Carbonated beverages, such as soda, kombucha, and tonic water
Alcoholic drinks
Eating within three hours of bedtime

OTC Medications

You can get over-the-counter antacids, such as Tums and Rolaids, to help neutralize your stomach acids and reduce acid reflux symptoms. They are convenient when you’re at a dinner event and start to feel heartburn. They are not for everyday use, though.

There’s growing concern about how often we’re choosing to suppress our stomach acid to prevent acid reflux. Research says around 30% of people using acid suppressors like antacids still have symptoms. Some researchers aren’t sold on the idea of suppressing acid production as a way of fighting acid reflux, calling it counterintuitive.

Other OTC medications include:

H2 receptor blockers: H2 blockers lower the amount of acid your stomach makes. H2 blockers can help heal the esophagus, but not as well as proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) can. You can buy H2 blockers over the counter, or your healthcare provider can prescribe one.
Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs): PPIs lower the amount of acid your stomach makes. PPIs are better at treating GERD symptoms than H2 blockers, and they can heal the esophageal lining in most people with GERD. You can buy PPIs over the counter, or your healthcare provider can prescribe one. Healthcare providers may prescribe PPIs for long-term GERD treatment.

Sore Throat Remedies

If acid reflux is hurting your throat, you can:

Drink extra cold liquids
Gargle with salt water to alleviate inflammation and irritation
Add honey to a warm beverage
Suck on lozenges or a popsicle

Prescription Medications

Symptoms of acid reflux from GERD are usually manageable, but if you have not found relief with OTC options or lifestyle changes, you can talk to a healthcare provider about prescription-strength options (prescription medications).

It may be the case that you only need prescription medications to help with symptom management until you can change lifestyle factors enough to not need the medication anymore. This may not be the case for everybody. Talk to your practitioner to see what’s right for you.

Your healthcare provider may prescribe the following medications:

Lioresal (baclofen): Reduces the relaxation of the LES which allows acid backwash
Prokinetics: Strengthens the LES and helps stomach empty faster

Summary

The best way to cope with the sore throat caused by acid reflux is to identify and manage the cause of your acid reflux. In the meantime, you can drink warm beverages, gargle with salt water, and suck on lozenges or a popsicle to alleviate the uncomfortable symptoms.

A Word From Verywell

If you’re experiencing a sore throat from acid reflux, it may be time to talk to your healthcare provider. If you have not tried lifestyle changes like quitting smoking and avoiding irritating foods, you can start there, one choice at a time.

It’s not easy, but even reducing smoking by a single cigarette or alcohol consumption by a single drink a day can make a difference. The longer you can work on your goals, the better equipped you are to prevent serious complications such as esophagus erosion and cancer.

Your healthcare provider may talk to you about other factors, including weight, sleeping habits, and your diet. If your acid reflux is severe, you can take OTC and even prescription medications to help with the symptoms and minimize the occurrence of acid reflux.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

American College of Gastroenterology. What is GERD?
American Society for Gastrointenstinal Endoscopy. Understanding gastroesophageal reflux disease.
American Cancer Society. Esophageal cancer risk factors.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Symptoms & causes of GER & GERD.
Kohata Y, Fujiwara Y, Watanabe T, et al. Long-term benefits of smoking cessation on gastroesophageal reflux disease and health-related quality of life. PLOS ONE. 2016;11(2):e0147860. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0147860
American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. How is gastroesophageal reflux disease treated?
Clarke JO, Fernandez-Becker NQ, Regalia KA, Triadafilopoulos G. Baclofen and gastroesophageal reflux disease: seeing the forest through the trees. Clin Transl Gastroenterol. 2018;9(3):137. doi:10.1038/s41424-018-0010-y
ENT and Allergy Association. 16 best sore throat remedies to make you feel better fast, according to doctors.

Additional Reading

Emerenziani S, Rescio MP, Guarino MP, Cicala M. Gastro-esophageal reflux disease and obesity, where is the link? World J Gastroenterol. 2013;19(39):6536-6539. doi:10.3748/wjg.v19.i39.6536

By Michelle Pugle
Michelle Pugle, BA, MA, is an expert health writer with nearly a decade of contributing accurate and accessible health news and information to authority websites and print magazines. Her work focuses on lifestyle management, chronic illness, and mental health. Michelle is the author of Ana, Mia & Me: A Memoir From an Anorexic Teen Mind.

Thanks for your feedback!

How do I get my throat to stop burning?

How to soothe the burn.

Gargle with a mixture of 8 ounces warm water and 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of salt..

Suck on a throat lozenge..

Drink warm liquids, such as tea with honey. ... .

Turn on a cool-mist humidifier to add moisture to the air. ... .

Take an over-the-counter pain reliever like acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil)..

What causes burning sensation in throat?

Many infections and other conditions can cause a burning sensation in the throat, including colds, tonsillitis, and GERD. Soothe the pain by keeping the throat moist and with other home remedies.