Sore throat: Are hot or iced drinks better for sore throats?

The time of year for sore throat is around us. But what is the best solution: hot or cold?

When we enter the cold season in the northern hemisphere, sore throats begin to find their ugly heads. But should we drink or drink hot drinks on the ice to ease the pain?

Whether you feel cold or flu, a sore throat will probably be your companion for a few days. We are no strangers for the painful throat in Everyhealthline's editorial office.
But our opinions are divided among those who have grown up with the conviction that hot drinks are the best means of sore throat and those who think ice or ice cream are the go-to solution.

So, what is the best option?
Nerves  signals pain
Adults get between two and five colds annually. In children with school time, this range varies from seven to ten, and painful throat pains a lot when these infections strike.

While viruses and bacteria are the cause of the disease, our immune system is actually the fault of the symptoms we experience. Macrophages are immune system patrol cells, which are constantly searching for viruses and bacteria. After an intimate encounter, macrophages release immune molecules to begin combating these microorganisms.

Two such immune signaling molecules are bradykinin and prostaglandin E2, which stimulate nerve endings in our throat. This is what causes the feelings of pain.

Cold stops the pain
Prof. Ron Eccles - Former Director of the Common Cold Center at the School of Biosciences at Cardiff University in the UK - is an expert in everything related to the cold.
I asked him whether ice creams or ice sheets, as they are called in the United States, are a good option for sore throat. He said, "Yes, ice-lilies would be a good treatment for the sore throat because they have a local cooling effect on inflamed tissues and have a specific inhibitory effect on painful nerves in the throat."

In a 2013 article, Prof. Eccles explained the biology in more detail. Iceprints reduce the temperature of the nerve endings in the throat, which reduces the pain. This method also activates a receptor called transient receptor potential melastin 8, which results in pain reduction.

But what is the statement about hot drinks?

Hot drinks have 'best effect'
Prof. Eccles explained to MNT what happens when we drink fluids while you have a sore throat. "Drinks are good for sore throat," he said, "because they promote salivation and lubricate the throat."
What makes hot drinks so special? "Hot drinks are nicer than cool drinks and promote more salivation and the sensory impact can produce a greater placebo effect in calming pain," he explained.

READ ALSO:Sore Throat Home Remedies for Children and Adult

Prof. Eccles tested this in a study of 30 patients, indicating that a warm fruit drink gave them immediate and prolonged relief from their throat pain.
"Hot sweet drinks can work by increasing levels of opioid painkillers in the pain areas of the brain," adds Prof. Eccles.

"Hot, nice drinks have the best effect in relieving sore throat."
Prof. Ron Eccles