As we enter the cold season, sore throats are starting to rear their ugly heads. But should we be drinking hot drinks or sucking on ice pops to sooth the pain?Whether you are experiencing the common cold or the flu, a sore throat is likely going to be your companion for a few days. We are no strangers to the nuisance of sore throats in the Medical News Today editorial office.

But our opinions are divided between those who have grown up with the belief that hot drinks are the best remedy for sore throats and those who think that ice pops or ice cream are the go-to solution.

So, what is the best option?

Cold stops the pain
In a 2013 article, Prof. Eccles explained the biology in more detail. Ice pops lower the temperature of the nerve endings in the throat, thereby reducing the pain signals. This method also activates a receptor called transient receptor potential melastin 8, which results in pain relief.

But what is the verdict on hot drinks?

Hot drinks have ‘best effect’
Prof. Eccles explained to MNT what happens when we drink fluids while experiencing a sore throat. “Drinks are good for sore throat,” he said, “as they promote salivation and help lubricate the throat.”

What makes hot drinks so special, though? “Hot drinks are more tasty than cool drinks and promote more salivation and the sensory impact may provide a greater placebo effect in soothing pain,” he explained.

Prof. Eccles tested this in a study of 30 patients, who reported that a hot fruit drink gave them immediate and long-lasting relief from their sore throat.

“Hot sweet drinks may work by increasing the levels of opioid pain killers in the pain areas of the brain,” added Prof. Eccles.

“Hot [tasty] drinks have the best effect in soothing [a] sore throat.”

Prof. Ron Eccles



Source:http://www.healthx24.com/are-hot-drinks-or-ice-pops-better-for-sore-throat/?preview=true