Why does gargling with warm salt water relieve a sore throat?

This mixture has a temperature and chemical composition very similar to those of our own body. When warm water comes into contact with the injured mucosa, its heat causes the local blood vessels to dilate. This increased circulation helps more white blood cells move from the blood to the affected tissue, decreasing inflammation. For this reason, pure warm water alone would be enough to relieve. Already salt, many believe that it serves to clean the place – but it’s not like that. “He doesn’t wipe his mouth. What happens is that we have approximately 0.9% sodium in the blood. Therefore, when we add salt to water, we make its composition similar to that of the liquid we have in the body, which makes the mixture much less aggressive than pure water, increasing its effectiveness in removing the mucus that forms in the throat. ”, says otorhinolaryngologist Celso Becker, from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG).

Read too:

– How does phlegm form?

– How is snoring produced?

– Why do we feel like throwing up when we put our finger down our throat?

Continues after advertising