Sore throat while fasting? Here are 9 Ways to Overcome It

Fasting activities can make the body dehydrated. When the intake of body fluids is not met properly, one of the common problems is sore throat. So, how to deal with an effective sore throat during fasting? Check out the full explanation in the following review.

How to Overcome a Sore Throat while Fasting

Sore throat while fasting can be excruciating. You will feel sore, dry, or itchy throat. The cause of this condition is inflammation (inflammation) that occurs in the throat. This condition can occur due to the cessation of fluid intake during fasting.

Fasting can also make the immune system decrease. As a result, the body becomes vulnerable to viral and bacterial attacks. This viral and bacterial infection is one of the causes of sore throat during fasting.

Other factors that cause this include stomach acid, dust allergies, and consumption of spicy food at dawn or breaking the fast.

So that it doesn’t become a barrier to fasting during Ramadan, here are some ways to get rid of a sore throat during fasting that you can try, including:

1. Drink Lots of Mineral Water

The cause of a sore throat during fasting is laryngitis. This condition can occur due to the absence of fluid intake that passes through the throat during fasting.

The fix can be by drinking lots of water at dawn and breaking the fast, at least three glasses.

Water will make your throat feel more relaxed while preventing your sore throat from getting worse. You are advised to consume warm water.

2. Eating Vegetables

Fried food is always the main attraction when breaking the fast. However, these foods actually trigger sore throat.

Even if you already have a sore throat, eating fried foods is tantamount to exacerbating existing conditions.

Instead of eating fried foods, break your fast by eating vegetables with soup, such as vegetable soup, mustard greens, or spinach. Besides being easy to digest, vegetable gravy has a salt and broth composition. Both of these materials contain the mineral sodium.

Sodium has anti-inflammatory properties so it can be an effective way to relieve sore throats during fasting.

Also Read: Ulcer Recurrence During Fasting: Causes, Prevention, and How to Overcome

3. Gargle Salt Water

Apart from consuming soupy vegetables, another easy way to deal with a sore throat during fasting is to gargle salt water.

How to make it, dissolve half a teaspoon of salt in one glass of water, then rinse your mouth at dawn, break your fast, and before going to bed. Salt water can help reduce swelling and irritation in the throat.

There are two ways to gargle with salt water. First, you can rinse your mouth as usual like after brushing your teeth.

The second way is to use technique gargle. Here are the steps you can take:

• Gargle as usual.
• Tilt your head up while keeping the water at the end of your throat.
• Hold for about 20 seconds before the water is released.

4. Gargle Antiseptic Liquid

Apart from salt water, you can gargle using a special mouth antiseptic liquid to relieve sore throats during fasting.

Antiseptic liquid functions to eradicate germs and bacteria that cause sore throat.

Just like rinsing your mouth with salt water, you can apply two ways when rinsing your mouth with an antiseptic liquid, namely the usual method and technique gargle.

5. Inhale Hot Steam

Inhaling hot steam can also be a solution when your throat hurts. Hot steam can help thin mucus and moisten the throat walls.

Bring the water to a boil, then pour the water into a bowl and inhale the hot steam.

To be more effective, cover the bowl with a small towel to prevent the hot water from escaping quickly. Do this until the sore throat subsides.

6. Do not be in hot places

Avoid being in dry or hot places when you have a sore throat. This will further exacerbate sore throats during fasting.

The reason is, the production of saliva in the throat will decrease if you are in a dry and hot place.

To keep the air cool and moist, install a humidifier (water humidifiers) or air conditioning where you are.

On the other hand, don’t leave the room as long as your sore throat hasn’t healed, especially if it’s hot outside.

For the record, when using the air conditioner, it’s best to set the temperature so it’s not too cold.

Also Read: Dehydration during Fasting, Follow These 12 Tips to Prevent It!

7. Don’t Talk Much

The more you talk, the drier your throat will be. The pain was getting worse and worse.

Not only that, an open mouth when talking will also make it easier for dust, bacteria, or even viruses to enter easily into the throat.

In the end, this condition triggers irritation which causes a sore throat. To prevent this, wear a mask when on the move.

8. Control Stress

The sore throat condition that you experience may be triggered by stress. Then the only way to overcome this is to manage stress.

Some things you can do to help relieve stress include:

• Consume healthy food and drink at dawn and break the fast.
• Take time to exercise.
• Do relaxation techniques.
• Reducing stress triggers.

If the methods above don’t help, you can consult a psychiatrist or psychologist.

Also Read: 5 Easy and Safe Ways to Overcome Dry Lips During Fasting

9. Get Enough Rest

Rest is an effective way for the body to be able to fight infection, including throat infections. Make sure you take a little time to rest lightly in between activities. Ideally, the body needs 7-8 hours of sleep each day.

Don’t hesitate to consult a doctor if the pain in your throat during fasting doesn’t get better after doing some of the methods above.

DoctorHealthy | © 2023 PT Media Kesehatan Indonesia. Copyright Protected