Oregano oil is one of the most effective remedies for sore throat from ancient times. It works equally well on both a viral throat infection and a bacterial strep throat.
The seasonal changes and lower immunity are suitable conditions for the viruses and bacteria to cause infections and make your throat sore. If you begin to treat your sore throat as soon as you get the early signs of infection, you will suffer less and recover fast.
You have a range of options from over the counter medicines to antibiotics but oregano oil is one of best options for your sore throat.
Table of Contents
- What Causes a Sore Throat?
- What is Oregano Oil?
- How to Use Oregano Oil for Sore Throat?
- How to Make Oregano Oil infusion at Home?
- Precautions and Tips
What Causes a Sore Throat?
There are two main causes of sore throat - virus and bacteria.
- Throat infection caused by viruses is generally termed as sore throat.
- The infection in throat caused by bacteria streptococcus is generally known as strep throat.
There are catalysts such as smoking, breathing through mouth and atmospheric pollutants that can easily promote viral or bacterial throat infections.
While you take remedial action you should also take precautionary actions to stay away from these catalysts. Even use of antibiotics which is supposed to treat infections can sometimes cause sore throat.
Sore throats are treated in many different ways including, over the counter medicine, prescribed antibiotics and home remedies. But, home remedies like oregano oil work well in most cases if you just begin to treat it as soon as the first signs of sore throat appear.
What is Oregano Oil?
Oregano oil is derived from leaves and flowers of a plant called origanum vulgare or oregano. The plant belongs to the Lamiaceae family which also has basil, lavender, mint and sage in it's portfolio. It is native to Europe but is now cultivated all over the world due to its culinary and medicinal uses.
Out of about 40 varieties of oregano available worldwide the Mediterranean variety origanum vulgare has the highest therapeutic benefits.
Wild variety of oregano has more medicinal properties than commercially cultivated because of high mineral contents in the jungle soil.
Oregano oil is rich in phenols which give antioxidant effects. The most prominent phenols in oregano are
- Thymol - antifungal
- Carvacrol - antibacterial
Other healthy compounds are
- Beta- caryophyllene - anti-inflammatory
- Naringin - anticancer
- Rosmarinic acid - antioxidant
- Terpenes - antibacterial
Oregano is rich in vitamin K and minerals like calcium, iron and manganese.
How to Use Oregano Oil for Sore Throat?
Oregano oil is different from oregano essential oil. Use oregano oil which is a diluted oregano oil in olive oil or coconut oil for your sore throat.
You can use it in many different ways and many different combinations. Following are 3 effective ways to use it to soothe your sore throat.
All remedies given under are based on diluted oregano oil. A method of how to infuse oregano to make diluted oregano oil is also given at the end of these remedies.
1. Oregano Oil Alone
You will need:
- Diluted Oregano oil
Way to use it:
- Keep ¼ teaspoon of diluted oregano oil under your tongue.
- Spit it out after 5 minutes
- Do it several times a day.
You will get rid of your sore throat within a few days.
2. Gargling with Oregano Oil
You will need:
- Diluted oregano oil
- Warm water
Way to use it:
- Add 1 teaspoon of diluted oregano oil in a slightly warm water
- Stir to.mix well
- Gargle with the mix
- Do it 2-3 times daily
3. Oregano Oil and Honey
This is very effective as honey is also antimicrobial and helps to clear sore throats fast.
You will need:
- Diluted oregano oil
- Honey
Way to use it:
- Mix ½ teaspoon diluted oregano oil with ½ teaspoon of honey
- Keep it in your mouth, don't swallow.
- Let it flow slowly by gravity through your thought down to your stomach.
It might take time and effort to keep the mix in your mouth and not swallow. But the effort is well worth it. The viscous honey makes a protective layer on bacteria to suffocate them to die.
How to Make Oregano Oil infusion at Home?
You can prepare your own oregano oil infusion at home without much hassle.
What you need:
- 100 grams Oregano leaves
- 100 grams Olive oil
- 10 drops of grapeseed oil
- Sanitized jar with lid
Way to prepare:
You need to heat the oil and oregano leaves in boiled water to make the infusion.
- Rinse oregano leaves dry and chop. Make sure the leaves are completely without having any traces of water.
- Put them in a sterilized jar
- Add 100 gram olive oil
- Seal the jar
- Boil enough water in a sauce pan and turn off the heat when water is boiled enough.
- Put the sealed oregano leave olive oil jar in the boiled water to ensure that the entire jar except the lid is inside water for uniform heating.
- Leave it for 20-15 minutes. This is when the oregano leaves begin to release its oil
- Remove jar from the water bath and place it in a sunny area of your house such as a sunny window for 15 days.
- Shake your sealed jar thoroughly once every day
- Strain the leaves from the hard after 15 days and keep the oil in another sterilized sealed jar.
- Add 10 drops of grapeseed oil as preservative.
- Store it in a dark cool place.
You can add 2-3 drops of this infused oil in a teaspoon of water, honey or any juice to inject it. If you do it at the first signs of a sore throat then you will be cured before even the infection grows.
Precautions and Tips
Oregano oil is generally safe for both oral and topical use when required precautions are undertaken.
It is not only useful for sore throat but is also used for many other health conditions. However, it does not suit everyone therefore you must take precautions before investing oregano oil.
You should be extra careful if you are:
- allergic to plants from Lamiaceae family (basil, lavender, mint and sage etc.)
- pregnant or breastfeeding as oregano oil is not advised for infants and children as it may induce menstruation which is dangerous for the child in the womb
- directly consuming it without diluting with water or carrier oil. It may burn your skin.
If you buy the right kind of oregano oil and use it rightly then you will get rid of your sore throat much faster than any other method.