Short answer: skip the sauna while a sore throat is new or comes with a fever, because most sore throats come from viruses you could pass on. Once you’re 24 hours fever-free and getting better, a short session is a comfort choice. A sore throat with a fever, trouble swallowing or white patches needs a doctor first, because it could be strep.
When you’re ready: a private infrared sauna at NOLA Chill, 6045 Magazine Street, New Orleans, is $30 for 30 minutes or $40 for 45, and five 30-minute visits are $125, which can be shared or split with friends or family. You can book a time and pay after your visit. We’re open 7 days: Monday to Friday 9 to 7, Saturday 9 to 4 and Sunday 10 to 3. Every price is on the pricing page, and the infrared sauna page shows every sauna option.
Why a sore throat means wait
The CDC’s sore throat page says most sore throats are caused by viruses and get better on their own within a week, and that the same viruses cause colds and the flu. A sore throat is often the first sign of one of those, which makes the first day or two the time you’re most likely to pass it on in a shared space. That’s the reason to wait, more than anything the heat itself does.
A sauna is also dry heat. A throat that’s already raw can feel scratchier in a warm, dry room, so even once you’re well, drink water before and after and keep the first session short.
Sauna or wait? A quick guide
| What you have | What to do |
|---|---|
| A sore throat with a fever, chills or aches | Rest and drink fluids. Come back once a fever has been gone for a full day. |
| A new sore throat, the first day or two | Stay home. It’s often the start of a cold or the flu. |
| White patches, trouble swallowing, a rash or a sore throat that lasts more than a week | See a doctor. The CDC lists these as reasons to be checked, and strep needs a test. |
| A scratchy throat from dry air or allergies, no fever | A 30-minute session is fine if it sounds good. Water before and after. |
| 24 hours fever-free and getting better | A 30-minute session is a reasonable choice. Step out early if the dry heat bothers your throat. |
Strep throat is different
Strep throat is a bacterial infection, and the CDC’s strep throat page says it takes a test to tell it from a viral sore throat and an antibiotic from a doctor to clear it. The CDC says people with strep should stay home until they no longer have a fever and have started the antibiotic their doctor prescribed. A sauna has no place in that plan, so wait until your doctor’s timeline has passed and you feel like yourself.
Your first session after a sore throat
- Keep it to 30 minutes. Book a 30-minute infrared sauna session ($30) rather than 45.
- Bring water in with you. The dry heat is harder on a throat that’s still raw from a cold than on the rest of you.
- Step out early if your throat feels worse. Staff would rather you leave early.
- Still worn out? NuCalm ($40) or Hydromassage ($30) ask nothing of you, and every package is on our pricing page.
What the research says
We haven’t seen studies on sauna use with a sore throat, so the timing above comes from the CDC’s guidance on sore throats and strep, not from sauna research. We make no claim that a sauna helps a sore throat get better. Our evidence library covers what sauna studies do and don’t show.
More for cold and flu season
- Sauna when sick or with a fever: the 24-hour rule
- Sauna for a stuffy nose or cold: what helps
- How soon you can use a sauna after being sick
- After the flu or a cold: easy ways back to normal
- Flu season in New Orleans: this week’s numbers
Frequently asked questions
Can I use a sauna with a sore throat?
Not while it’s new or comes with a fever, because it’s most often the start of a cold or the flu and you could pass it on. Once you’re 24 hours fever-free and getting better, a short session is fine for most people.
Is a sauna good for a sore throat?
We haven’t seen evidence that it helps, and dry heat can make a raw throat feel scratchier. The CDC’s advice for a sore throat is rest, fluids and time, with a doctor’s visit for the warning signs.
Can I use a sauna with strep throat?
No. The CDC says people with strep stay home until the fever is gone and the antibiotic has started, and you should feel like yourself before you book.
Will the dry heat make my throat worse?
It can feel that way while your throat is still raw, which is why we suggest 30 minutes, water in the room with you, and stepping out early if it bothers you.
When should I see a doctor about a sore throat?
The CDC lists trouble breathing or swallowing, a fever, white patches or pus on the tonsils, a rash, and a sore throat that lasts longer than a week among the reasons to be seen.
I booked a visit and my throat hurts. What should I do?
Text us at (504) 381-4207 and we’ll move your visit.
NOLA Chill is a wellness studio at 6045 Magazine Street in New Orleans, not a medical clinic. The sauna is a wellness amenity, not medical care, and nothing here is advice about an illness.