This is the info I give my patients:
http://www.uptodate.com/patients/content/topic.do?topicKey=~1eLwWlzz0gy90X&selectedTitle=1~145&source=search_result
www.uptodate.com/patients
"TREATMENT
Sore throat treatment - Antibiotics do not improve throat pain caused by a virus and are not recommended. Sore throat caused by viral infections usually lasts four to five days. During this time, treatments to reduce pain may be helpful. Several therapies can help to relieve throat pain.
Pain medication - Throat pain can be treated with a mild pain reliever such as acetaminophen (Tylenol®) or a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent such as ibuprofen or naproxen (Motrin® or Aleve®).
Oral rinses - Salt-water gargles are an old stand-by for relief of throat pain. It is not clear that it is effective, but it is unlikely to be harmful. Most recipes suggest 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of salt per one cup (8 ounces) of warm water.
Sprays - Sprays containing topical anesthetics (eg, benzocaine, phenol) are available to treat sore throat. However, such sprays are no more effective than sucking on hard candy.
Lozenges - A variety of lozenges (cough drops) are available to treat throat pain or relieve dryness. However, it is not clear that lozenges work any better than other forms of hard candy, which are generally less expensive.
Other interventions - Other interventions include sipping warm beverages (eg, honey or lemon tea, chicken soup), cold beverages, or eating cold or frozen desserts (eg, ice cream, popsicles)."