Podcast 178 — Types of Sore Throats and Their Associated Homeopathic Medicines

Hi, I’m Joette Calabrese, and I welcome you to our health care movement — yours, mine and the countless men and women across the globe who have retaken control of their families’ health with Practical Homeopathy®.

So, for the next few minutes, let's link our arms as I demystify homeopathy — what was once considered an esoteric paradigm — into an understandable, reproducible, safe and effective health care solution available to all.

This is the medicine you've been searching for — my unique brand of homeopathy, PRACTICAL Homeopathy®.

Introduction: Types of Sore Throats and Their Associated Homeopathic Medicines

Kate: (01:00)

Welcome back to the Practical Homeopathy® Podcast. I'm Kate, and I have a question for you, Joette.

Joette:

Let's go.

Kate:

I've been thinking. A sore throat is one of those symptoms that seems so ordinary, yet it can keep you from everyday things like talking, eating, sleeping, even sometimes thinking clearly.

So, I want your perspective. When that annoying sore throat occurs, many people reach for lozenges, maybe a saltwater gargle, sometimes even an antibiotic.

Joette:

Exactly. But we know, of course, with Practical Homeopathy®, we have some really efficacious solutions. We don't think of a sore throat as just a sore throat, regardless of the presentation. We often look at the kind of sore throat that's in front of us.

Because a fiery red, sudden, painful sore throat is not the same as one that's pus-filled, splinter sensation in the throat, and neither is the same as the one that makes the pillow wet from drooling.

They're all a little different.

Kate:

I'd like to ask you, Joette, to give us some homeopathic solutions to different kinds of sore throats. Can we look at three very different sore throat pictures, and will you share the medicines that might match those pictures?

An easy go-to combination medicine for sore throat

Joette: (02:24)

Sure. I'll give you some clear practical tools you can use the next time a sore throat shows up in your home. But let me also say, before I discuss the different types of sore throat, I'd like to share an easy go-to combination homeopathic medicine by Boiron. It's called ThroatCalm®.

Now, I also have to say parenthetically, Boiron's not the only manufacturing homeopathic pharmacy that we can buy combination medicines from. But this is just one of them that I'd like to talk about today.

So, these combination medicines, I think, have extraordinary value because they're so easy to use and easy to share with loved ones and friends.

So, I'm looking right now at the back of the box of the product called ThroatCalm. Every ingredient is, of course, homeopathic. There's also a spray that they call ThroatCalm Spray. And what's interesting is that remedies that are in it are Echinacea 1X and Plantago major 1X.

Kate:

And that's the spray, right?

Joette:

That's the spray. Yes. I should have made that clear. Yes. Yes.

Kate:

I love these combination medicines from Boiron and other manufacturers, like you said, Joette, but can you share some specific types of sore throats now and what specific single homeopathic medicine we might consider for each of those types of sore throats?

And friends, I just want to mention that we're coming into cold and flu season, depending on when you're listening to this podcast, of course. So, I want to suggest that you have these medicines on hand so you don't have to try to get them when someone comes down with a sore throat.

Joette:

That's prudent. No doubt about it.

A painful, fiery red, quick-onset sore throat

Joette: (04:09)

So, the first homeopathic remedy I think of for a sore throat, especially if it's really painful and fiery red, and especially if it has a quick onset. In other words, one minute the child or the person (whomever it might be) is fine, and then the next minute, oh my gosh, it is really, really painful.

And so, it's a quick onset. It's sore, it's bright red, sometimes with high fever. Sometimes, it's a high fever.

Now, if it's an adult, usually there isn't a high fever, but the face can be flushed, red — and face or skin. For those of you, my friends, who have been studying homeopathy, you probably already have figured out that it's likely Belladonna.

So let me go further with it.

Tonsillitis, it can have that. There can be little or no pus. The throat might be dry, and it's painful. Swallowing is painful. Even warm liquids can be painful.

So, you might think, “Well then, but why Belladonna?”

Well, it's the first remedy to consider when the inflammation is intense, sudden-onset and dry and red.

And then the next question is, “Well, if I decide to use this, how do I administer it?”

Well, I like a 30th potency — 30C. If you happen to only have 30X, that's really great. And it can be taken every four hours, for example.

At the height of pain — let's say it's very severe in the very beginning — you might use it every few hours, and for one to three days you might need to take it … to use it that long.

And a lot of times people think that if the first dose doesn't do it, then it's not working. No, you really need to show some repetition, not over a period of many days necessarily, but at least enough repetition to allow the medicine to act fully.

Kate:

I just want to clarify, Joette. You had said that you might take it up to maybe every two hours if it's really painful, but you wouldn't do that for three days.

Joette:

No.

Kate:

It's generally, you're going to see improvement, right?

Joette:

Yes. Yeah. I would like to see some improvement over a period of a day or so.

So, in the beginning, we might use it more frequently. And then as the symptoms back off a little bit — not just the pain in the throat, but also the well-being of the person (maybe they have a little more energy or the fever's not as high or et cetera) — then we're going to back off and use it less frequently.

One of my important teaching points is if it came on like a lightning strike and everything looks red and hot, Belladonna is a good medicine to consider. So, it's a good way to differentiate from others.

Kate:

Okay. Do we have to have all of those symptoms that you just mentioned to warrant the use of Belladonna, or how do we determine how many of these symptoms we need to lead us to consider this medicine?

Joette:

Well, when I'm describing a homeopathic medicine picture, you don't have to have all the symptoms to warrant the use of the medicine. But if this general picture occurs or develops — perhaps two to three of these or other symptoms — that might indicate the use of this medicine … actually could be a good indication that this medicine would be a good fit.

So, the symptoms I just mentioned are just a few of the keynotes of this medicine.

And as I always say, it's always prudent to do your due diligence, my friends, and look up these homeopathic remedies in a materia medica. And if you don't own one, you can look up one online for free. Just Google the name of the homeopathic medicine and the word “materia medica” and you'll likely find some good information there.

Kate:

Okay, let's go on to the second type of sore throat and what homeopathic medicine you might consider.

Infected sore throat with a splinter sensation

Joette: (07:45)

The next one is a sore throat that's infected. There might be a splinter sensation in the throat.

First medicine that I think of for that is Hepar sulph. The full name of the remedy is Hepar sulphuricum calcaria [Hepar sulphuris calcareum], but Hepar sulph, for short.

So, in this information — this picture — we get severe, infected feeling. There can be swollen tonsils with pus or just plain old swollen tonsils. There might be a sensation of something stuck in the throat like glass or a splinter or even a fishbone. And the pain, often it can extend to the ears.

And when someone has this, we often see, not always, but we can see someone who might be irritable, or chilly, or worse from cold air or cold drinks, or warm drinks make them feel a little more comfortable.

So, let's talk about why Hepar sulphuricum calcarea [Hepar sulphuris calcareum].

When the throat feels infected, and there's a certain sensation to that … might say, “Well, isn't Belladonna infected too?” Yes, but there's a sensation, and the pain has a distinct, sharp, stuck quality.

And I also want to point out that the lymph nodes might be swollen as well (tonsils are lymph nodes) and not only on the inside, perhaps on the outside under the ears.

So, when we're using this, the same general frequency, adjusted according to the intensity of the symptoms, as we discussed for Belladonna. Pretty much they're all about the same.

So, let me give you one more teaching point. If the person is crabby or cold and describes a splint or a stick in the throat — just to reiterate it again — I want you to think of Hepar sulph.

Kate:

That stick or splinter feeling is such a great indication for that remedy.

All right, let's move on to the third type of sore throat.

A sore throat with excessive saliva and odor

Joette: (09:40)

The third one has often a distinct set of symptoms. One of them is that the person can be drooling either in their sleep, or they find that they have excessive saliva, and they have to kind of suck the saliva in so that it doesn't come out of the sides of the mouth.

There can also be bad breath. And some people call this the way it looks. If you look at the throat, it looks like pizza throat. And so, what that means is it looks like it's all red and white and pussy, and it really looks bad. And when they open their mouth, there's an odor.

The picture is that the glands are swollen, not unlike Hepar sulph, but there's these other pictures that help you distinguish between the two. There's raw, sore, smarting, burning throat, and it's also pretty painful.

But in this case, there's often a desire to swallow, sometimes even constant. Perhaps it's because of the excessive saliva that's being emitted from the mouth.

So, there can also be painful dryness of the throat. And again, the throat looks bright red and pustular and puffy, like pizza or macerated meat.

And again, profuse salivation that's excessive. The pillow might be wet because of the drooling, and there might be a constant need to swallow. And again, there's an odor from the mouth, and the voice might be rough and/or hoarse.

It might often be — if we need to use Mercurius — we're going to be looking at how often it is worse at night.

So, just to reiterate a little bit, why Mercurius sol? There's another name for another remedy that is very closely related. It's called Mercurius viv. They are different homeopathic remedies, my friends, but they are so closely related that they're pretty much interchangeable.

So, there's excessive saliva, foul odor are prominent alongside the sore throat.

And how often is it used? Well, it's usually used in a 30C. That's the way I like to use it. Again, the same way that we would use Belladonna and Hepar sulph. And they space out and use the remedy less frequently as the condition improves.

So, just a little quick teaching point again — reiteration. If the pillow is wet and the breath is offensive, Mercurius is usually the remedy.

Kate:

And again, this is just a reminder that you don't have to have every symptom Joette just listed to warrant the use of this particular medicine. We look at the overall picture, and if the sore throat has two or three or more of these indications, this could be the homeopathic medicine for the type of sore throat that you're experiencing.

Joette:

Yes. And it's always good to read up on that medicine again in the materia medica and see if the picture fits.

When to stop the chosen homeopathic medicine and when to pivot

Kate: (12:22)

Joette, can you explain how we know when to stop using a medicine if it's not acting or when we would try a different homeopathic medicine?

Joette:

Well, when using homeopathy, especially in an acute situation such as this, we don't keep repeating a medicine indefinitely hoping it will eventually work. For acute conditions, we generally give the chosen remedy a fair chance, often about four doses, based according to the intensity of the symptoms.

And if after those doses there is still no clear improvement — we want to see even just a tiny bit — we might stop that medicine and move to, perhaps, a better-matched one, one that is now presenting because the symptoms may have changed.

On the other hand, once we see that the remedy is acting and the person is becoming a little better or even very much better, then when it's very much better, we're going to stop using it because its work is done.

And then we should know that we go back to it again should it return, say, two or three days later.

The key is observation, my friends. Continue only while meaningful improvement is occurring and switch promptly when there is no response or the condition is very much improved.

Kate:

Okay, great. Are there any other medicines, Joette, that you want to mention for sore throat before we finish today?

Two more considerations and some supportive tips

Joette: (13:42)

Well, there are plenty of homeopathics that could be used for a sore throat, but let's just go to two more because they're pretty common.

One is Arsenicum album, and then Arsenicum album's keynote is it has a burning pain. And often the person can be restless, and they can be chilly with a fever. They want a drink. They want a warm drink, and they want to sip it. They don't drink long drinks; they drink little sips. So, Arsenicum album is another consideration.

Then another is Phytolacca, and that's when the sore throat has a dark or red or purple hue to it, and the throat and body aches are prominent as well as the sore throat and, of course, then swollen glands.

So, in all of these, a good supportive measure is to gargle with warm salt water to keep the throat clean and don't push foods.

If someone doesn't have an appetite, it is an indication that they don't need to eat, even if it goes on for a few days. Oftentimes, the body just needs to correct what's going on, not to take on the digestion from eating.

A sore throat recap

Kate: (14:49)

Okay, so I want to recap what you just said, Joette: the three pictures that we covered today for sore throat.

The first is, of course, Boiron's combination remedy ThroatCalm, and that covers a wide range of symptoms.

But the three specifically you spoke about: one is the Belladonna sore throat, which comes on suddenly. It's dry and a fiery red sore throat.

The next is Hepar sulph, and that is often a pussy, has a splinter sensation, and the person is irritable and chilly.

And the third is Merc sol or Merc viv. And that might be indicated by drooling, bad breath, and a puffy or pizza-looking sore throat.

You also mentioned that the person should stop taking the homeopathic medicine when very much better or after about four doses if the condition shows no improvement, and at which point, we reassess and pivot.

Joette:

Yes. Yes, I would say that's a really good recap, Kate.

So, when you see the difference between these presentations, you can stop guessing and start matching the correct homeopathic remedies with how the sore throat presents.

And I'd like to ask that if you found this podcast helpful, friends, please consider sharing it with a friend who may need this information. They'll not only thank you, but then, you'll have a friend in alignment with the way you are thinking and being able to share this kind of information back and forth can really encourage your learning curve.

So, until next time, keep your kits stocked and your observation skills sharp.

It's my honor to share many lessons on this simple method of using homeopathy for free —without affiliates or advertising — here in my podcasts, but also my blog posts and Monday Night Lives.

But it's critical that you learn how to use these medicines properly. These podcasts should serve as only the beginning of your training. Peruse JoettesLearningCenter.com to find fun study group opportunities and in-depth courses developed by subject.

So, with the proper training, you can join the thousands of students before you in developing the confidence and competence to protect the health of your family and loved ones with my brand of homeopathy, Practical Homeopathy®.

Kate:

You just listened to a podcast from internationally acclaimed homeopath, public speaker and author, the founder of The Academy of Practical Homeopathy®, Joette Calabrese. Joette’s podcasts are available on all your favorite podcast apps.

To learn more and find out if homeopathy is a good fit for your health strategy, visit PracticalHomeopathy.com.

Disclaimer: Joette is not a physician, and the relationship between Joette and her clients, students and followers is not that of prescriber and patient, but that of educator and learner. It is fully the learner’s choice whether or not to take advantage of the information Joette presents. Homeopathy doesn’t “treat” an illness; it addresses the entire person as a matter of wholeness that is an educational process, not a medical one. To be treated or diagnosed, Joette believes that the advice of a holistic physician is in order.
Claims based on traditional homeopathic practice, not accepted medical evidence. Not FDA evaluated.

Jaqui Noble

September 14, 2026 at 9:05 am

Hi Joette! I’m wondering what would be advised if the symptoms change partway through the sickness? Say you’re running more like Hepar Sulph, then one day you start drooling like a madman. Hepar sulph was helping before, but would it be appropriate to pivot to Mercurius Sol?