If you feel your throat when it is sore, you will probably notice some hard lumps in your throat area that are tender to the touch.  These are swollen lymph nodes.  The lymph nodes are swollen because the lymphatic system has been draining away the excess fluid from the inflamed tissues in your throat, and that fluid contains toxic irritants.  These irritants have caused tissue damage in the lymph nodes, which have, in turn, become inflamed. So what you are feeling is inflamed lymph nodes, and these inflamed nodes are slowing down lymphatic drainage in your throat area.
The secret to relieving sore throat pain is to reduce the inflammation in the throat and the inflammation in the swollen lymph nodes.  The former can be done by gargling with a mixture of herbs to reduce inflammation in the throat.  The later can be taken care of by using lymphatic drainage massage.
Here are some possible remedies to use as a gargle:
  • Salt water (use 1/2 teaspoon of Real Salt, Celtic salt or some other high quality salt in a half cup of water)
  • Composition Tea  or Herbal Crisis diluted in water (the recipe for composition is found in my books)
  • Capsicum extract diluted in water (although it stings, it eases the pain very rapidly)
  • A decoction made of equal parts goldenseal (or Oregon grape), bayberry rootbark and myrrh gum.  
These are not the only options, but these are some that I have found very effective.
After gargling, work on the lymph nodes.  With children it isn't necessary to make the gargle.  Just give them a little garlic oil internally and proceed straight to the massage.
I’ve relieved sore throats in as little as twenty minutes using lymphatic drainage massage on the throat.  Start by placing your fingers just under the jaw at the top of the throat. Using a very gentle, steady downward pressure slowly “milk” the swollen lymph nodes in the throat.  Let your fingers slowly drift down the sides of the throat to the base.  When you reach the collarbone, also rub in between the ribs in the upper chest.  There are also lymph nodes in between the ribs.  Then repeat the process.  This is a slow, gentle process and done correctly causes some discomfort but no serious pain.  If the pain is to intense, ease up the pressure.
Continue until there is no more swelling in the lymph nodes and the person reports that their throat no longer hurts.    This usually takes between 20 and 40 minutes.  This technique is even more effective when used with garlic oil or a mixture of essential oils (such as thyme, rosemary, eucalyptus, tea tree, etc.) and olive oil (or some other fixed oil) as a massage lotion on the throat.  These substances not only increase lymphatic drainage, they also help to fight any infection that might be present.  
Another effective mixture that can be applied topically to the throat is a blend of equal parts of tinctures or extracts of capsicum (cayenne pepper) and lobelia.  This mixture stimulates both circulation and lymphatic drainage.  
The following is a list of herbs and essential oils which can be massaged into the throat.  The essential oils should be diluted in  a fixed oil, such as olive oil, almond oil, or peanut oil.  Use one part essential oil to 10-20 parts olive oil.
  • Capsicum extract
  • Garlic oil
  • Eucalyptus essential oil
  • Lavender essential oil
  • Lobelia extract
  • Prickly ash bark tincture
  • Red root tincture
  • Rosemary essential oil
  • Tea tree essential oil
  • Thyme essential oil
There are also a number of commercial blends of essential oils which can be applied topically for sore throats.