Flu-related cough can quickly lead to a sore throat. Some viruses, however, can actually cause a swollen throat without a cough. In the earliest stages of the flu, your throat may feel scratchy and irritated. You may also feel a strange sensation when you swallow food or drinks. If you have a sore throat, it will likely get worse as the virus progresses. Stock up on tea, soups, and water to soothe any discomfort.

Home Remedy for Sore Throat
A water salt water gargle is one of the oldest ? and possibly the best - cure for a sore throat. Simply heat a glass of water, add some salt to it, gargle, and spit.
You should do this first thing in the morning and last thing before you go to bed. If you can squeeze in a couple of gargles through the course of the day, so much the better.

When it comes to age-old home remedies for an irritated throat, the honey and ginger mixture is another great one. Simply take a small piece of ginger, crush the juice out of it, mix it with a teaspoon of honey, and swallow. Some people also recommend adding a few drops of lemon juice to this remedy.

Another recipe for a sore throat remedy is a mixture of honey, apple cider vinegar, and warm water. You need a tablespoon each of the honey and vinegar in a small glass of hot water. This is to be consumed, not gargled with.

Chamomile tea is also one of the best swollen throat remedies, and is another treatment that you can repeat several times a day.

Sometimes dryness can make a sore throat feel worse than it really is. Simple remedies such as steam inhalation can help in such cases. Steam inhalation will also clear your nasal passages, thus reducing the postnasal drip that is causing or aggravating the sore throat. If you can control it, avoid sleeping with your mouth open ? this is a common cause of a dry, and therefore sore, throat.