Throwing up forces contents in the stomach out. Vomiting is usually a sign that you eat something wrong, and your body is trying to do what it can to remedy the problem. Sometimes vomiting occurs because of issues with balance as well. Vomiting is painful enough. What's worse, many people report that they have a very sore throat afterward. The sore throat can even make it difficult to swallow or speak. 

What Causes Sore Throat After Vomiting?

The reasons for sore throat after throwing up can be explained by what happens in your stomach after eating. When you eat, gastric juices in the stomach break down the food. This allows your body to absorb the nutrients from the food. But when you vomit, the gastric juices come up together. Those gastric juices are very acidic, and this leads to inflammation of the throat, as well as burning sensation and soreness.

But why don’t gastric juices hurt the stomach? The stomach has a strong lining that prevents it from being digested by the juices inside it. The esophagus doesn’t have that lining, so the result is a burning, painful throat.

How to Treat Sore Throat

A sore throat after vomiting shouldn’t last for very long; in the meantime, there are some things you can do to remedy the pain.

• Throat lozenges designed to alleviate pain can help – look for those that claim to numb the throat. Besides, throat lozenges can induce the production of saliva, which can help soothe the sore throat.
• Severe pain can be treated with over-the-counter medications or throat sprays. If the pain is very severe or doesn’t go away, it’s a good idea to check with your physician. The best solution, however, is prevention: speak to your doctor to detect what might be causing you to throw up.

There are also some natural remedies that can help with throat pain:

• Rinse your mouth and gargle with a baking soda solution after vomiting. This helps neutralize the acid.
• Drink cool fluids, as these help soothe the throat by alleviating dryness. The coolness can also help the irritation.
• Gargle twice a day with aloe vera juice. Place the aloe vera in a glass of water and gargle only for a few seconds to swish it around in the throat.
• Another option is apple cider vinegar. Gargle with two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar in one cup of warm water. You can add honey for soothing properties. Do this several times a day.
• If you want even more healing power, consider sprinkling cayenne pepper in the apple cider vinegar and honey solution.
• Simple salt in warm water makes a great gargle solution. Mix one teaspoon of salt into one cup of warm water.
• Gargle with lemon juice in warm water. Though it seems like the acidity of lemon juice would make things worse, the opposite is actually true! Squeeze a fresh lemon into a cup of warm water, add a teaspoon of salt and gargle.
• Create a "gargle tea" by steeping three cloves, two sprigs of parsley, half a teaspoon of powdered goldenseal and one teaspoon of powdered myrrh in a pint of water. Cool and strain the mixture to create a gargle tea that can help with sore throat after vomiting.
• Another good gargle can be made with grapefruit extract. Use it as you would use the lemon juice.
• Some herbal teas are great for treating a sore throat after throwing up. Look for peppermint, ginger, wild cherry, sage, or chamomile tea.
• Create slippery elm tea by steeping up to two teaspoons of slippery elm bark powder in boiling water. Strain and drink when it cools. Marshmallow root can also be used.
• In between the teas, suck on mint or licorice candies to keep the throat moist.
• Cinnamon tea can be made by steeping a whole cinnamon stick in a cup of boiling water. Boiling for only two minutes should be enough. Mix in some honey and pepper to taste. As an added bonus, this tea not only helps with sore throat, but with digestion and bad breath as well.
• Some people are not comfortable with gargling. If you have trouble with gargling, consider applying fluid of mango bark, garlic oil, sage oil or thyme oil to the throat. Dilute these oils in olive oil first, and then apply the mixture to the skin. Cover the throat with a scarf to keep it warm and help the oils work.
• Consider aromatherapy. Mix a solution of olive oil and one of the following: garlic, sage or thyme oil. Boil this in water and inhale the vapors. Inhaling with your mouth open can help alleviate the sore throat faster.
• Use a humidifier in your bedroom while you sleep. This will add more moisture to the air, which can help alleviate a sore throat after vomiting, or a sore throat you might have for any other reason.
• Drink lots of liquids, including warm soups. When you eat, ensure it is soft food that is easy to swallow and is friendly to your digestive system.