Lost your voice to laryngitis? Try these home remedies and herbal teas for relief

Health benefits of lemon honey tea: The classic lemon honey tea is good for your throat. Lemon fights against mucus, and honey can coat the throat for a soothing feeling. Besides, honey is also known to have antimicrobial properties and may therefore aid in fighting infections (Image: Canva)

Laryngitis is an inflammation of larynx (your voice box) that results in a temporary loss of voice. It can start as a tickle in your  throat, but soon all you can muster is whispers, and slowly that too fades away. Each attempt at a sentence starts to feel difficult if you have laryngitis.

Sore throat, dry cough, trouble talking and a high-pitched voice are the symptoms of laryngitis. Usually, these warning signs can result from stressing the vocal cords, infections, or irritants such as smoke or pollutants in the air.

Though viral infections are the most common causes, bacterial infections, acid reflux, and vocal strain may also be responsible for causing this condition. Thus, smokers and people frequently exposed to chemical irritants are more at risk. The good news is that although laryngitis may be annoying, it often can be treated with simple home remedies.

Treating laryngitis:

General methods of treating most cases of laryngitis include giving the voice some rest: neither speech nor whispering is recommended to avoid an overload on the vocal cords. You can reduce irritation by maintaining the throat moist. Besides keeping irritation at bay, saline water minimises inflammation and carries irritating substances away. And, last but not the least, rest is essential for your body to recover.

Here are 4 teas that are particularly good at relieving laryngitis discomfort:

Lemon honey tea: The classic lemon honey tea is good for your throat. Lemon fights against mucus, and honey can coat the throat for a soothing feeling. Besides, honey is also known to have antimicrobial properties and may therefore aid in fighting infections. Squeeze the juice out of half a lemon and a tablespoon of honey into a cup of warm water. Drink slowly to let the honey coat your throat.

Ginger tea: Another effective option is ginger tea. It has anti-inflammatory properties that can reduce the inflammation of the larynx. It also serves as an antiviral and antibacterial remedy. Boil a cup of fresh sliced ginger in water for 10 minutes and then drink the water. For additional benefits, a bit of honey used as a sweetener can enhance the soothing effects of the drink.

Chamomile tea: Chamomile tea is commonly known for promoting a soothing effect. Drinking warm chamomile tea can be very soothing and beneficial for laryngitis suffering. It also holds importance as an anti-inflammatory, therefore useful as an antioxidant. It helps to reduce throat irritation and stimulates your immune health.

Peppermint tea: It can help cool the throat with its menthol content. It also is antibacterial properties and can aid in fighting off infections. Just steep fresh or dried peppermint leaves in hot water for 5 to 10 minutes; drinking this aromatic tea will also unclog the nasal passages.