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At the first sign of a sore throat, gargle with a warm solution of salt and water. Salt is very healing. Then call the doctor.
If it is strep throat you need to get on antibiotics immediately. My son has had a problem with strep throat all of his life. (He is now 34.) Usually, the doctor will swear on his diploma that it isn't strep. My son has to insist on having a culture. (the test for strep.) It always comes back positive, so if you are concerned that the doctor could be wrong, you might have to push him along.
Salt water has been recommended for generations by doctors.
By hopeful from Salem, OR
My mom would have us gargle with warm water to which a teaspoon of table salt was added. We would do this every couple of hours. Also, she would crush an aspirin in a little bit of water on a spoon, so we could swallow it. It also didn't hurt that it had Mom's magic touch.
By Lynda1972 from Kearny, NJ