# Unique self-help medical treatment - what's yours?



## tsilver (Aug 9, 2010)

I read somewhere that heat kills cold germs and if you pinched your nostrils the temperature would rise in your nose and kill the germs.  Hmmm, if heat kills cold germs, I thought, a hair dryer aimed up my nostrils ought to do a better job.  So, when I get a runny nose, that's what I do.  It seems to help.


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## The Hooded Claw (Oct 12, 2009)

My health secret is to kiss a mongoose first thing every morning.  If you do this every morning for one hundred years, you have my personal guarantee that you will live to be a very old person.


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## KindleChickie (Oct 24, 2009)

Hibiscus tea is great for lowering blood pressure.


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## MrPLD (Sep 23, 2010)

I'm on St John's Wort for anxiety,  Hawthorn for bloodpressure and Bilberry for my eyes.

They work slower than over-the-counter/perscription medications but really they're an assistant to help me get my mind/life back on track without a bonus bag of side-effects.


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## tsilver (Aug 9, 2010)

Can I borrow your mongoose Hooded Claw?


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

Burnt toast tea for gas and stomachache due to gas. Burn toast (best for smell in house if toaster can be outside). Pour boiling or very hot water through burnt toast. Let cool slightly and drink. The charcoal in the burnt toast tea helps absorb the gas.

I learned this one from my dad.


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## NapCat (retired) (Jan 17, 2011)

stay away from doctors !!!


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## sebat (Nov 16, 2008)

For migraine or severe tension headache...a Goody's headache powder and a Coke and then put an Icy Hot Patch on forehead and neck.


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## kindlequeen (Sep 3, 2010)

I don't have any cool remedies to share but if anyone out there knows how to get rid of a nasty cough, I'd love to hear it!  I'm tired of being up every two hours hacking!  Thanks in advance!


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## MrPLD (Sep 23, 2010)

Actually, one thing I do have for curing sneezing-fits, though I don't really recommend this to anyone...  I back-draw water into my nostrils and then blow it out.  You can see why I don't recommend it to anyone, you have to do the back-draw using your pallet, NOT your lungs.  Works a treat though for me.


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

Annalog said:


> Burnt toast tea for gas and stomachache due to gas. Burn toast (best for smell in house if toaster can be outside). Pour boiling or very hot water through burnt toast. Let cool slightly and drink. The charcoal in the burnt toast tea helps absorb the gas.
> 
> I learned this one from my dad.


I just went through weeks of gas. Wish I'd known about this one before. I'll remember it for next time and there will be a next time.

My favorite is hot apple juice for a sore throat. Apple wine works, too.


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## MrPLD (Sep 23, 2010)

T.L. Haddix said:


> OMG, I have tons of these. I hate doctors, as they are 98% overpaid, incompetent boobs - OIBS.


What I mostly hate about GP's now is that they've been shellshocked so badly by lawsuits that you simply cannot get any sort of answer out of them other than "We'll run some more tests".



> Honey for allergies - I've not tried this one, but I'm 90% certain I am going to this year. Use local honey, not the fake honey stuff you get at Walmart. It's going to cost around $10 probably, but I've heard a lot of people say this works.


Bee's pollen supposedly helps a lot in this way too - we're very lucky here, we have a few properties in the region that have hives, truly the most delicious thing, especially when it's dark, rich and full of 'bits'.



> Heartburn - I stopped eating gluten. It was one of the unexpected benefits. I don't know why it happens, and I have no clue if other people might experience it, but as long as I avoid gluten, I have no heartburn.


I'm not strictly "gluten intolerant" but I do seem to have a bad reaction (intestinally) if I am so stupid as to ever consume a white-bread bun from McD/KFC/etc, for about 2 weeks I'll be utterly unpredictable and in a small level of pain as I recover. That said, i can consume pasta, rye bread, crackers etc - though as a general rule I'm trying to cull down the amount of gluten consumed and increase the salads.

Paul.


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## MariaESchneider (Aug 1, 2009)

For that cough--a tablespoon of brandy (or just about any hard alcohol.)  That's essentially what is in most cough medicines--alcohol to depress the various mechanisms of coughing.  Of course, you should be checked to make sure you don't have pneumonia (which you can do at home by having someone listen with a stethoscope--the rattling of the lungs is very distinctive).  If you are coughing up blood, get it checked as well.  Some things can only be solved by strong antibiotics.

I'm pretty big into eating right.  We've been able to 'cure" high BP by cutting salt and adding grains.  Got very good cholesterol numbers too from the same thing.  My dad has a disease called blepharospasms--a side problem is very dry eyes.  What helps?  Eating fish two or more times a week.  Fish oil capsules help, but not as much as eating the actual fish.  So I've become a much more enthusiastic fish eater, trying for 3 times a week, but usually hitting at least 2.  Some weeks, we end up with even more fish in our diet!


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## Marguerite (Jan 18, 2009)

MrPLD said:


> I'm on St John's Wort for anxiety, Hawthorn for bloodpressure and Bilberry for my eyes.
> 
> They work slower than over-the-counter/perscription medications but really they're an assistant to help me get my mind/life back on track without a bonus bag of side-effects.


I am so glad that they work for you. I seem to remember that there are some drug drug interactions that you need to look up for St. John's Wart. For every medicine or herb that has an effect there are possible side effects. They may be low, but if they list none, it means that either it hasn't been studied enough, or that it has more of a placebo effect.

Here is a link for the St. John's Wort:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/st-johns-wort/NS_patient-stjohnswort


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## N. Gemini Sasson (Jul 5, 2010)

MrPLD said:


> They work slower than over-the-counter/perscription medications but really they're an assistant to help me get my mind/life back on track without a bonus bag of side-effects.


If anyone has any homeopathic suggestions for exercise-induced asthma, my son would love to know. He's tired of the headaches and sleeplessness that seem to accompany the use of his inhalers.

Right now I'm using Arnica montana for some chronic muscle pain and inflammation. Seems to be helping, although it's a bit early yet to tell.


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I just went through weeks of gas. Wish I'd known about this one before. I'll remember it for next time and there will be a next time.


I should have also suggested that it might be good to follow the same suggestions as for charcoal pills, such as don't take within an hour or so of medication, as the charcoal can interfer with the absorption of medications and nutrients for the same reason that it absorbs some types of gas.


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## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

Hot Peppermint tea with Lemon & Honey for sorethroat & upset stomach. it's actually our goto for anytime someone here gets sick, or starts to think they are getting sick. Dh cut coffee entirely this week because he had a sinus & double-ear infection, but he must have had a gallon or more of hot PLH tea every day.

My favorite tea bar none is Hibiscus cinnamon, hot or cold, and I do have low blood pressure.. but I found out that the cinnamon was aggravating my GERD, until I got on Nexium.


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## JimC1946 (Aug 6, 2009)

The Hooded Claw said:


> My health secret is to kiss a mongoose first thing every morning.


How does the mongoose feel about this? I hope it's consensual.


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## Tatiana (Aug 20, 2010)

kindlequeen said:


> I don't have any cool remedies to share but if anyone out there knows how to get rid of a nasty cough, I'd love to hear it! I'm tired of being up every two hours hacking! Thanks in advance!


At night put a thick coating of Vicks Vapo Rub on the bottoms of your feet. Put on socks to keep it from rubbing off. It stops the coughing.


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## Bonbonlover (Oct 17, 2010)

The Hooded Claw said:


> My health secret is to kiss a mongoose first thing every morning. If you do this every morning for one hundred years, you have my personal guarantee that you will live to be a very old person.


I take it you are single??


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## Iwritelotsofbooks (Nov 17, 2010)

Ginger root and garlic are like nature's minor cure alls.  Great for both headaches and stomach aches.


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## Maria Romana (Jun 7, 2010)

Both peppermint and oregano oil taken in enteric-coated caplets are powerful antibiotics, anti-virals and anti-fungals. I got into alternative meds several years ago when I had a horrible case of all-over-body itchy, red hives that no doctor could even come close to fixing. After 18 months of suffering, an herbalist suggested I try the oregano oil, as she felt the hives were caused by candida overgrowth. _Three days_ later, I was completely cured. I still take a low dose every day, and take high doses when I get the now-rare cold or flu.

I swear by the stuff. Oh, and it's dirt cheap.

--Maria


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## sebat (Nov 16, 2008)

Tatiana said:


> At night put a thick coating of Vicks Vapo Rub on the bottoms of your feet. Put on socks to keep it from rubbing off. It stops the coughing.


It didn't do much to stop my cough but it did a better job of softening up my dry rough feet than any lotion I've ever tried!


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## Thumper (Feb 26, 2009)

Cures everything...


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## The Hooded Claw (Oct 12, 2009)

Bonbonlover said:


> I take it you are single??


Could THAT be it? LOLOL


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## The Hooded Claw (Oct 12, 2009)

kindlequeen said:


> I don't have any cool remedies to share but if anyone out there knows how to get rid of a nasty cough, I'd love to hear it! I'm tired of being up every two hours hacking! Thanks in advance!


I have a nasty long-lasting cough from allergies for a few weeks at least once a year, and my father (pharmacist) put me onto "Robitussin DM". There are a lot of different types of Robitussin, but get the one that is "DM" or "expectorant and surpressant". It makes you cough less, but makes the cough more productive when you do cough. This gets rid of the gunk in your lungs without a lot of dry unproductive and unpleasant coughs.

There are generic equivalents that have all worked fine for me and are cheaper, usually they say something about "DM" after their name, and make sure they are an expectorant and surpressant. I think you'll like the results!

http://www.drugs.com/mtm/robitussin-dm.html


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## mom133d (aka Liz) (Nov 25, 2008)

T.L. Haddix said:


> Honey for allergies - I've not tried this one, but I'm 90% certain I am going to this year. Use local honey, not the fake honey stuff you get at Walmart. It's going to cost around $10 probably, but I've heard a lot of people say this works.


The logic behind this is your allergies are caused by local flora, the bees carry the pollen back to the hive and some gets in the honey. By using local honey, you'll be exposed and thus build up a resistance, or get used to, the allergen. Most of my allergies are from tree pollen so I don't think honey is as useful for me. But local honey tastes a lot better, so we buy a jar whenever we can.


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## stormhawk (Apr 29, 2009)

Drinking over the wrong (back) side of a glass cures hiccups. 

It's difficult to describe without showing. 

Hold an ordinary glass full of water in ready-to-drink position. 

Bend over and drink from the far side (the side of the glass nearest your index finger).

This will require some absurd-looking contortions, and you'll spill some water before you get the hang of it. You have to tilt the glass so it's almost parallel to the ground so you can get at the water. Using a shorter glass keeps it from bumping into your chest and making you spill more water.

Make sure you get a good couple gulps of water in you before you give up.


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## MrPLD (Sep 23, 2010)

Hiccups are a strange thing. My wife gets quite severe ones at times that are cured within a second as soon as I go over and hug her - seems to be an anxiety/want-love response for her 



> I am so glad that they work for you. I seem to remember that there are some drug drug interactions that you need to look up for St. John's Wart.


Yes, SJW does seem to be quite a common one for drug-drug reactions, also with grapefruit juice too.

There are indeed always some levels of side effects, though at least with this path they're acceptable, as opposed to the previous path I took where they were not.

Chamomile tea is another constant "must have" in my cupboard.

Paul.


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## sebat (Nov 16, 2008)

A shot of Sweet and Sour is a simple cure for hiccups.  

A teaspoon of baking soda in a 1/2 cup of water works great for acid reflux or heartburn.


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## R. M. Reed (Nov 11, 2009)

Honey is also a traditional antibiotic to put on wounds.


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## tsilver (Aug 9, 2010)

This is something a nun gave us for indigestion.  It makes you burp and tastes pretty good too.

Put a tablespoon of sugar and a tablespoon of vinegar into a half glass of water.  Stir well and then add approximately 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda.  
Let it start fizzing and then immediately drink it down.  My kids and I named it "nun juice."  Good stuff!


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## caseyf6 (Mar 28, 2010)

Tums works for my dd for hiccups-- her hiccups are the very strong, very painful type that can be caused by heartburn/reflux.  Take care of one, take care of the other.

My mother always made us gargle with listerine when we had sore throats.  Despite everyone in my classroom getting strep every year, I never did til I was an adult.  Listerine kills it.


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## tsilver (Aug 9, 2010)

For a sore throat I gargle with vodka or whiskey, then spit it out.  Really!  I'm on too much medication to swallow it.


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## Indy (Jun 7, 2010)

Neti pot for sinus trouble.  If it's hideously bad involving green snot and an earache, I use a little more salt than what would make "normal" saline, so that it burns badly.  If the ph is way off I figure the environment is hostile to life so maybe the germs will die, even if it burns like I'm swimming in the ocean.  It works and is very unpleasant.

Once I put cayenne pepper up each nostril to cure sinus crap and please don't do that.  Ever.  It made me want to stick my head upside down in the toilet, and it worked, until it didn't, then it was much worse.

Hiccups: Have someone stand behind you and place their hands over your ears, occluding your ears and pushing in a bit, while you drink a glass of water.  It will feel funny with the pressure on your ears.  It works.

I know a gal who once stuck peeled garlic cloves up her whoo-ha for yeast infections, then pulled 'em out later on and discarded them, she claimed they worked.  I can't tell if they do or not since I will not do this.

Oh and I have a string I saved from when I was in nursing school.  A patient told me that leg cramps are prevented by loosely tying a "virgin string" around the ankle before bedtime.  Then she gave me a "virgin string" which I still have.


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## HappyGuy (Nov 3, 2008)

For itchy insect bites - scratch a bit to make SLIGHTLY raw then cover the bite with a thin coating of deodorant.

For colds - drink 3 glasses of water then, every time you pee, drink another glass of water.


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## 13500 (Apr 22, 2010)

Do you know what really works well for hiccups? A tablespoon of peanut butter! It stops them every time.


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## KindleChickie (Oct 24, 2009)

T.L. Haddix said:


> Any particular kind of hibiscus tea to look for? I checked my BP earlier and you just don't want to know. Also, how do you fix it? Obviously, I'm not a tea drinker.


I buy it loose leaf in large bags and make it by the pitcher for iced tea and by the cup for hot.


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## leslieray (Mar 16, 2010)

kindlequeen said:


> I don't have any cool remedies to share but if anyone out there knows how to get rid of a nasty cough, I'd love to hear it! I'm tired of being up every two hours hacking! Thanks in advance!


This will sound strange but it has been tried and works. Rub Vicks Vapor Rub (I recommend the cream type) onto your feet before bedtime then put on a pair of socks. For some really unknown reason, this can stop a night time cough. Best wishes!

Oops, looking back over the previous postings, someone else beat me to this one!


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## mom133d (aka Liz) (Nov 25, 2008)

I got my hiccup cure in a bar. Bitters on a lemon wedge. Suck the lemon wedge. Its never failed me. But I can't convince DH to buy bitters for the house.


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