Sore throats: Do lozenges help sore throats?
A sore throat is a pain, irritation or scratchiness of the throat that often worsens when you swallow. It may be caused by several factors, including bacteria, medical conditions, or environmental irritants, and symptoms may vary depending on the cause.
Whatever the cause of your sore throat, you want to find a quick and easy way to relieve your mild symptoms and get on with your busy day. This is where lozenges can help.
Why might you take a lozenge for a sore throat?
Lozenges provide topical relief of sore throats. They are a convenient and cost-effective way to reduce sore throat symptoms in non-complicated sore throat.
How to take lozenges for a sore throat?
Sucking on a medicated lozenge starts to dissolve and release the medicinal ingredients. Sucking will dissolve the lozenge slowly, to temporarily relieve your cough and lubricate and soothe the irritated tissues of your throat.
How else can throat lozenges benefit me?
Lozenges help increase saliva which reduces dryness and coats the throat. This helps cut down on pain and itchiness, particularly when environmental irritants have contributed to a dry sore throat.
What’s the best lozenge to take for a sore throat?
Choosing the best throat lozenge for you will depend on whether you want to soothe a dry sore throat or provide relief to an inflamed, infected sore throat:
- Non medicated lozenges — Non medicated lozenges are a popular home remedy for sore throat, their soothing effects are most likely attributed to increased salivation. These can help soothe a dry sore throat.
- Medicated lozenges — Medicated lozenges that contain antibacterials and ingredients that provide a local anaesthetic effect can help soothe a sore throat and have been shown to kill bacteria that can cause a sore throat. When lozenges containing two antiseptic ingredients — amylmetacresol and dichlorobenzyl alcohol — were dissolved in a solution similar to human saliva, the mixture killed 99.9% of common sore throat-associated bacteria that were tested, within 10 minutes, in laboratory studies.
Do lozenges taste bad?
Betadine Sore Throat Lozenges are available in three pleasant-tasting flavours — soothing lemon and honey, orange or fresh menthol and eucalyptus.
Always read the label and follow the directions for use.
How often can I take a lozenge?
When taking a throat lozenge, dissolve it slowly in the mouth. When using Betadine Sore Throat Lozenges, take one lozenge every 2–3 hours, as required. You can take up to 12 Betadine Sore Throat Lozenges a day.
Will a lozenge cure my sore throat?
Lozenges are designed to relieve the symptoms and ease the pain of a sore throat. A sore throat usually goes away on its own after three or ten days. However, if pain persists or symptoms worsen, see your healthcare professional.
Lozenges are a simple, cost-effective way to provide symptomatic relief to a sore throat. Help relieve sore throats and learn more about kids and sore throats. Our Gargling 101 guide can also help ease the pain and discomfort of a sore throat.
Always read the label and follow the directions for use.
Betadine is a registered trademark of Mundipharma AG, used under license.
MAT-AU-2203385. Dec 2022.
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