Sometimes, especially if your sore throat is caused by mucus buildup, taking a hot shower can provide some relief. Hot steam is known to help clear congestion and loosen up mucus, and you may have noticed that a stuffy nose is often reduced during and after a hot shower.
This phenomenon can be further taken advantage of if you use that time when all the mucus is loose to expel it from your body. For example, with a stuffy nose where you can suddenly feel the stuff moving around, blowing your nose at that moment can help expel mucus from your nose and decrease the severity of your symptoms (if only slightly) while also making you feel better and possibly removing some toxins trapped in the mucus.
This same principle can be used if your throat is sore due to phlegm or mucus. During or after a warm shower, you may notice it is easier to cough up some of the mucus in your throat and spit it out. While it’s kind of gross to talk about, in this case you are actually removing sick material from your body which can provide an immediate relief with regard to pain (swallowing hurts less now) and psychologically.
Always remember that a hot shower can dehydrate you, so care should be taken to stay hydrated before, during, and after the shower.