There are different types of sore throats, obviously the poor man's remedy such as salt water and what not helps. But for OTC stuff, things like Mucinex for post nasal drip, and acetaminophen for pain, fevers, and chills, those type of medicines help for viral infections but not for bacterial. You would want penicillin for strep throat or other bacterial infections that are causing a sore throat which can be injected intramuscularly for severe cases or orally.

When I have a sore throat, I drink "hot lemonade” a few times a day, which is the juice of a fresh lemon and hot water.

Well, I got a sore throat when I came home from a trip and it got really bad. I've tried three things: gurgling salt water, drinking tea with honey, and sucking on throat lozenges. I have no idea if my sore throat will be gone quickly, but I can confidently say that gurgling the salt water helped with pain relief.

I gargle salt water when I have a sore throat. I add half a teaspoon of salt to a glass of warm water.

Simple, just lots of fluids and honey will do the job, no need to spend money on visiting a clinic unless you know it's not viral.