One thing that brought me a lot of comfort during my week of laryngitis was Slippery Elm Bark (courtesy of my good friend Brittney)! When using Slippery Elm Bark, it is the inner, redder bark that provides relief. Native Americans used it for anything from sore throats to physical wounds. When the bark is mixed with warm water it produces a substance called a mucilage which is almost gelatinous in form. In this form it can be ingested (providing a soothing relief to the throat) or applied on wounds as a salve. . A word of caution: when using it on your skin (as with anything) you'll want to try a test spot just to make sure your skin isn't sensitive/allergic to it. If you experience any redness or irritation, it's best to avoid using it for salves. And if you're pregnant or breastfeeding, Slippery Elm can sometimes cause early labor or miscarriage so to be on the safe side, definitely wait until afterwards. And, last but not least, mucilage can sometimes decrease how much medicine your body absorbs so if you're taking any medications, make sure to wait a few hours to let it soak in before ingesting any Slippery Elm.
In magical lore, it's said that if you prepare an incense with Slippery Elm Bark, and throw it into the fire, any gossip against you will stop--making it ideal for banishing spells as well.