Itchy and sore throat is often an early sign of a cold or influenza. But it can also be caused simply by other viral or bacterial infections. Sometimes, a sore throat can simply be caused by dry weather or loud shouting. Whatever the cause, listen to what your doctor has to say. 1. Take oral tablets If your sore throat is caused by a viral infection, antibiotics are of no use. ① Oral tablets containing phenol have some therapeutic effects: phenol can kill germs on the surface, thus helping to control invaders until resistance in the body is formed. At the same time, the slight anesthetic effect of phenol can paralyze nerve endings, making the throat less itchy and painful. The dosage of oral tablets varies, so you should refer to the instructions when purchasing and using them. ② Take zinc lozenges: Zinc lozenges can help sore throats caused by colds. Dr. Davis said: "We gave the subjects 1 tablet of zinc gluconate (23 mg) every 2 hours. And asked them to hold it in their mouth and slowly dissolve it instead of swallowing it. As a result, not only the sore throat was relieved , and the same goes for other cold symptoms.” But he warned against using high doses of zinc for more than seven days in a row to avoid interfering with other minerals in the body. If you don’t like the taste of zinc, you might as well choose zinc-containing oral tablets. 2. Rinse your mouth with light salt water. If you have a sore throat when swallowing, the location of the pain must not be too deep. You can gargle with light salt water solution. But note that if your voice is hoarse or you have a cough, the pain is deeper. At this time, gargling with salt water will not help. How to make light salt water: add 1 small teaspoon of table salt to 0.5 liter of warm water. This is almost close to the concentration of physiological saline. If you rinse it every hour, you will feel it is very gentle. Do not swallow this salt water as it may cause you to worry about excessive sodium intake. Other solutions can also be used for treatment: ① Lemon juice: Squeeze a few drops of lemon juice into a large cup of warm water. ②Whiskey: Add one tablespoon of whiskey to 1 large glass of warm water. Gargling your throat with this liquid can help numb a sore throat. 3． Increase indoor humidity Sometimes waking up with a sore throat is caused by sleeping with your mouth open. Under normal circumstances, the air is moistened in the nasal cavity first, and then enters the throat and lungs. But if you breathe through your mouth, you will skip this procedure and make your throat dry and uncomfortable. Experts recommend using a humidifier in the bedroom or sprinkling some water to increase the humidity of the indoor environment. 4. Increase fluid intake Drinking more fluids and other beverages (water, light tea) can moisturize dry throat tissue. However, some drinks should be avoided: thick dairy drinks can easily increase mucus in the throat and further irritate tissues; orange juice may irritate an already inflamed throat; caffeinated drinks have a diuretic effect and cause water loss in the body. 5. Take Vitamin C Vitamin C helps strengthen tissues to fight the germs that cause sore throats. Take 60 mg a day. If it still doesn’t work, please see a local doctor