I believe that I have a case of Strep Throat right now, or whatever it it's incredibly painful to swallow. However, I took around five or rips off of a sobe yesterday with nothing to speak of in the way of throat pain, in fact I hardly noticed it after that, very relaxing, much more so than tylenol. I would recommend that you buy either some numbing spray, or if that causes you to gag as it does to me, then pick up some chloraseptic strips. Does wonders for the throat. And also tea, lots and lots of tea.