Peppermint for Laryngitis

Peppermint

Peppermint was used as a medicine in ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome, and is being scientifically studied for its efficacy even today. Peppermint is most commonly used as a remedy for gastrointestinal distress. It has a soothing effect on the entire digestive tract, including the esophagus. Peppermint is also classified as an anti-catarrhal, which means that it can break up and reduce the amount of mucus and catarrh in the body.

Although peppermint tea has not been extensively studied as a remedy for laryngitis, it has a long and illustrious reputation as a cold remedy. It is a fairly effective decongestant and tends to have a calming effect on sore throats and coughs. Like many cold remedies, peppermint can reduce the duration of a cold if you start drinking peppermint at the very first sign of a scratchy throat, wrapping yourself up warmly and drinking several cups of peppermint tea over the course of a day. It is less effective at killing the virus that caused the cold if the cold is already well entrenched, but can still offer significant symptomatic relief.

Using Peppermint for Laryngitis

Method

• Peppermint is available in many forms, but the best for laryngitis is peppermint tea. Steep the tea for 15-20 minutes, and add honey.

Why It Works

Laryngitis is frequently caused by postnasal drip from an upper respiratory infection, such as a head cold. By breaking up and reducing the amount of mucus in the sinuses, peppermint tea can act as a decongestant, to reduce the amount of mucus that drips into the throat. It can also break up mucus that is caught in the throat, so that coughs can become more productive. In addition, the menthol in peppermint oil has a mild anesthetic effect on aching throat tissues. Finally, peppermint contains antiseptic essential oils that may help to kill the virus that is causing the sore throat.

Precautions

Peppermint is a food herb and is generally regarded as safe. In addition, the amount of peppermint used to make tea is fairly small and extremely unlikely to lead to an overdose. Whenever taking an herb that you have not taken before, however, watch for possible allergic reactions. If you are taking a prescription medication, check with your doctor or pharmacist about possible drug interactions that might be caused by peppermint, as it can interfere with the body’s processing of certain drugs.

Some people report an increase in heartburn after taking peppermint. If you have heartburn caused by gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), or a hiatal hernia, you should not take peppermint in any form. Peppermint’s action as a muscle relaxant can relax the sphincter between the esophagus and the stomach, allowing stomach acid to pass into the esophagus and making heartburn symptoms worse.

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