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I know there's an old thread on here somewhere about home remedies for various ailments, but didn't want to dredge up too old a thread...You may find this pointless and boring but I just wanted to share this.

About 3 and a half weeks ago, I got a splinter of glass in the bottom of my foot, up near my toes.  It was in real deep, and I couldn't find it anywhere. Days went by and my foot got more and more sore.  I dug at it a lot with a needle and tweezers, but could never get anything.  I wasn't even sure if the glass was still in there, I only knew that my foot was getting really painful.  A week or so went by and the spot started to fester up.  I got some ick out of it, but when it still didn't get better I went to the doctor.

Well, she said there wasn't anything in my foot that she could find, and I probably just had it all irritated from constantly digging at it. So.. another week goes by with no change and this was starting to get really old.  I didn't care what the doc said, there just had to still be something in my foot, you could see the spot, and it looked all inflamed and weird.

Well, I finally got smart, and on the advice of a family member, soaked my foot in epsom salts.  I was skeptical as to how this would help, but was desperate for some relieve.  I soaked my foot for a good while last night after being on my feet all day, and this felt pretty good. The spot was extremely painful but I tried once more to pick at it.  Well surprise, surprise, I guess the soaking helped, 'cause I FINALLY got that darn  piece of glass out!  I knew I wasn't crazy!  Now I feel like calling that doctor back and going "thpppppppptttttt"  at her!  She was wrong! 

Maybe it's obvious I should have soaked my foot right away,  but I was pretty clueless.  I guess good old fashioned rememdies really are best sometimes...

I'm always looking at home remedies on the internet.  I hate having to take meds unless I absolutely have to.  I'm glad you brought this thread up.  I would love to see what people have tried and what worked or didn't, etc.

I'm with you Bonny.....

Last week one of my sons was running a 103 temp.  I was ready to give him some Ibuprofen but was waiting a bit. (I'm of the opinion that a fever is the body's natural defense and natural killer of viruses)  A wise friend recommended putting cabbage leaves behind his ears (you crinkle up and roll around a large cabbage leaf to release it's chemical properties and then place it behind the ears) and Connor's temp dropped almost a over full degree within 25 minutes.  I also remember my Lactation consultant recommending cabbage leaves in your bra for moms who are tapering off breast-feeding.

**I do want to say that I'm not advocating allowing a child's fever to burn high without close monitoring**

This is a great thread.
Glad to find people of like mind in this subject.

Here is one for you that suffer from joint and muscle pains, arthritis and the like.

You need a Angel Trumpet tree, or access to one.
You want to collect some leaves and flowers if you can, wash them in case there are pesticides.
chop them up finely- make sure you use a knife and cutting board that are not used for food.

Take the chopped up plant and stick it in a jar full of rubbing alcohol.
leave it at least a few days, the longer the better.
You can take this alcohol and rub it on your muscles and joints that ache. You can do it several times a day.
Just make sure that you have no cuts or scrapes on the skin and that you wash your hands really really well and don't ingest it or get it in your eyes.
its a great pain reliever even for chronic and deteriorating arthritis.

Does anyone have any good, cheap remedies for migraine?  My daughter has had a gut wrenching, blinding headace for days that won't let up.  Regular over the counter meds are of no help including those for migraine. She tried the usual lying down in a quiet dark room with a warm compress on her head-no help.  She even took a percocet she had stashed away (from a previous injury) and she said it didn't help either.  She has no insurance and no cash right now to pay full price for a doctor visit until she gets paid tomorrow. I may end up lending her the money but wanted to see if anyone had any useful suggestions. I have a feeling she may have a sinus infection that could also be contributing to the headache, but I'm no doctor, so who knows.   

Lady Neysa, If your daughter has a sinus infection, one thing that may help would be for her to alternate hot and cold compresses over the sinus region at (approx.) 10-15 min. intervals.
The alternating hot & cold will cause an expansion & contraction of the blood vessels and help to move congestion out of the sinus cavities (think of being out in the cold, then your nose running when you come into somewhere warm - that's why)
If it's a migraine, using a feverfew herbal supplement can help - it's a neurovasodilator, which means it increases bloodflow to the brain, relieving the constriction that can trigger migraines (she should consult her primary healthcare provider to be sure it's safe for her to use, especially if she's taking any other meds).
I've also used something called migra-stick when I get them (although they are thankfully few and far between for me), which is a stick-shaped applicator containing lavender and peppermint essential oils in some kind of neutral oil base. You just gently massage it into the temples, and then I would find a dark, quiet place to lie down. You can find the migra-stick at most health food stores or in the 'natural stuff' section of your grocery store (if it has one). You could also make your own, using the essential oils mixed in a neutral oil (almond oil is a good one and not too expensive, but I've used olive oil or vegetable oil too)
I've used the lavender-peppermint blend massaged into my temples for allergy/sinus related headaches, and even hangover headaches and had relief - so even if it's not technically a 'migrane' , she may get some relief as well.

HTH!  :)

This is a great thread. :)

I've never used this myself, but a friend swears by this. Maybe won't take the migraine away, but could help until she gets to the doc.

http://www.drugstore.com/qxp91467_332828_sespider/headon___apply_directly_to_forehead/migraine_relief.htm

I'd also do a saline nasel flush. Affrin makes a good one from purified sea salt. I think there's an ad on the link above.

Neysa, I would contact your doctor that so misdiagnosed your foot problem and ask for a refund of fees and then use that for you daughter's doctor visit. Try to find a homeopathic doc in your area, one that won't want to put your daughter on prescriptions, but who will heal her. Diet too can be the cause of ongoing migraines. Wheat is a big culprit. If migraines are reoccuring I'd look into a change of diet.

Because I found the cabbage thing interesting I did a google on it. Apparently crushong cabbage and placing it as a compress over the forehead can releive migraines too! Who'd have thought.

*This is not a diagnosis nor does it refect the views of Renaissance Festival.com or it's owners.*  ;)

my chiropractor who is big into homeopathic alternatives and pressure points explained to me that there are several pressure points on the head and other parts of the body that help relieve headaches and sinus pressure.
Unfortunately I was more focused on my vertigo at the time,
but I bet if you do a search you will find them.

This one might be fairly obvious, but ginger and peppermint is amazing for an upset stomach.  About 2 years ago I had an upset stomach for about 2 months straight, and the drs couldn't figure out what it was--one diagnosis after another after another.  I never got any permanent answers for it, although it did go away in time, but for temporary relief I drank a lot of peppermint tea or even nibbled on gingersnap cookies.  Green tea is also a good settler for the stomach--the green tea ginger ale is fabulous, because it's got the ginger, green tea, and some carbonation to get some relief via burping in there.  I swear by any combination of these things whenever a bad tummy strikes. 

Lady Neysa,
   Thanks so much for starting this thread.  I had just read it this morning when my husband came in with a tiny splinter in his hand.  Some of the woods he works with are really irritating and it was already festering, so we used the epsom salt trick and got it right out!  Thanks!

Knarlyknot, so glad I could help!  These are all such great ideas, I've never heard the one about the cabbage leaves before.  Very interesting indeed.  Well, turns out my daughter did have a sinus infection as well as a double ear infection so they put her on meds.  I'm definately gonna try some of these ideas next time I get a headache. I don't like taking lots of meds either if I don't have to. 

One of my favorite remedies is making fresh mint tea for a sore throat, and chilled mint tea does wonders for me when my asthma flares up.  I've read that wet black tea bags will help to soothe canker sores (don't know if I'd want a squishy tea bag in my mouth though).

I'm a firm believer in chiropractics.  I was seeing one a few years ago after a car accident.  I quit going though, cause the one I liked was too far away and became too inconvenient.  Chiro can help with a number of ailments.  I know several people whose kids had chronic ear infections.  Instead of having tubes put in they tried chiropractic first.  They do a neck adjustment that helps to properly align the eustachian tubes in the ears.  The kids started getting regular adjustments and the ear infections went away.  Another trick I learned from the chiropractor is;  when you have sinus trouble, massaging your face will help to relieve pressure.  Start with your fingers in the middle of your forehead at the hairline, and with constant gentle pressure, run your fingers down the forehead over the bridge of your nose and across  your cheekbones.  Do this for a few minutes at a time to get some relief. 
For a minor headache I've found that massaging and gently scratching your scalp helps, preferably have someone else do this while you relax.  If feels wonderful even if you don't have a headache.

Keep the great ideas coming!

I actually have a home cure for mild strep throat! I always know when it is strep, because there are tiny white pustules on the back of the throat...

Gargle with a shotglass of apple cider vinegar for 1 minute. After you gargle, and this next one will be hard, swallow it. Repeat three times a day. In between, for comfort, drink my hot lemon and honey drink!!! Recipe is as follows...

Cut up one whole lemon into 8 wedges. You will use one half of the lemon. Squeeze the juice into the mug, then plunk the little bastard rinds into the bottom of the cup. Remove any stray seeds. Fill your mug with boiling hot water. After about a minute, add honey. LOTS OF HONEY! Let cool for a couple of minutes, then drink. You can use the same rinds for awhile, maybe one or two more mugs. This will help the pain of a sore throat within about a day or two.

Usually I don't think about home remedies unless someone is talking about a particular ailment, but today, one awesome one came to mind:

TOOTH PAIN- The root of all evils! I have a bad tooth- it's not infected or anything, but I broke it a while back, and occasionally I get a bit of pain when I stick the area with a chip or something. To help with the temporary pains (without running up the bills on Orajel and the like), I keep clove water in a bottle in my fridge. You just take whole cloves (like you buy in the spice section) and boil them in some water for just a minute, and then seal it up tight in a bottle (I leave the cloves in there, and just let them settle to the bottom, but you can strain it if you want). Then, throw the bottle in the fridge and swish with it like mouthwash when your mouth is bothering ya (toothache, gum pain, canker/cold sores.. whatever). Alternatively, you can just take a whole clove and press it against the area that hurts in a pinch. Clove oil is what the dentist will put on your gum if you go in with a dry socket after an extraction. It's a miraculous pain killer that costs pennies to keep on hand.

Oh wow Blue, thats awesome!  Does the vinegar actually cure the strep infection without having to use antibiotics?  It makes sense, vinegar is known to be an anti-infective.  I'm definately gonna try that!  I get strep at least once a year.  Does it only work if you catch it early?  

I've noticed that it completely kills the strep. I'm back up and better in about two or three days. I get it fairly frequently (yearly, every other year) and it puts me down forever, even with the antibiotics. I've never had a relapse when I did it. I normally start using it when the throat goes white. That's when I KNOW it's strep. My husband and I both use this method, as I'm poor and don't have insurance, and don't like doctors anyways. I've been curing myself and my kids at home for years.

*but sometimes, mamma just needs a vicodin LOL*

At the risk of offending, take things with a grain of salt. Recently in the news:


Go to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine website and you can look up their findings on lots of alternative treatments like various herbs http://nccam.nih.gov/

Well, I figure that there's some reason that my baby had thrush one day (which is sometimes VERY hard to get rid of), and after an application of white distilled vinegar, didn't have it the next. I'll take my chances with the stuff that puts me back 5 or 10, instead of something that will make me hemhorrage cash!

I doubt anyone would be offended by your thoughts Groomsporter, but this could easily turn into a hot debate of those that agree/disagree wih the findings of our government. The politics of the health industry are intense and frought with political agendas. Let's please leave this thread to those that have tried healthy alternatives and found them to be beneficial.

On the topic of vinegar, I do know Apple Cider Vinegar has long been used to cure your ph level to one of alkalinity. Having an overly acidic ph is the reason for illness, so the vinegar cure makes perfect sense!

Another remedy for nausea is Cola Syrup.  You can buy it in the drug store.  You take it over crushed ice, like a snow cone.  Tasty, and it works!

I would also just like to point out that having white at the back of your throat does not always mean strep.  Last year I came down with "something."  It quickly turned into a HORRIBLE sore throat-it was all swollen, had huge white patches, and I could barely eat it hurt so much.

Went to the doctor, convinced I had strep.  Nope.  All I had was a cold, that had decided to take up residence in my tonsils instead of my sinuses.  A few days later it cleared up, no medicine necessary.

When I asked about it, the doc told me that having the white patches doesn't always mean strep, and sometimes you can get strep w/o having the white patches.

Just wanted to suggest people think critically and give people source to do a little research.  ;)

The Skeptoid podcast is a good source for a critical look at several alternative treatments as well, The episode guide is at http://skeptoid.com/episode_guide.php

Agreed, people should think critically. Herbs and other homeopathic certainly have scientific reasons for their success, but as with any product on the market there are shoddy manufacturers ( in this case some inexpensive herbs might use stems of the plant rather than the more beneficial leaf .) Do some research so you know what to look for when you buy. If you are already on medications ,discuss with your doctor, preferably not one who is sleeping with the pharmaceutical companies, the addition of herbs or vitamins. Use your common sense.

I have a friend who had a brain tumor. Through a combination of  surgery and then the use of shark carteledge ( as given by her medical professional) she has healed herself. I think sometimes when the disease has gone too far you do need traditional medical treatment, but the shark carteledge did have a large part in her now good health. I think that would be the best wave of the future, a marriage of the two protocols so they work in conjunction rather than in opposition.

I do think though that Neysa was more interested in home remedies so..back to topic.  :)

Quote from: Anna Iram on June 30, 2009, 11:39:52 AM
Agreed, people should think critically. Herbs and other homeopathic certainly have scientific reasons for their success

Sorry to blather on, but just a clarification... Herbs and homeopathy can be two different things. Certain herbs certainly could have potential beneficial effects. -Especially if you're dealing with a reputable supplier, you know you are actually getting what you are paying for. But be wary of anything calling itself "homeopathic"

In the true practice of "Homeopathy" you are often only getting water or sugar pills. It's based on a nonsensical 18th century idea that water has some kind of "memory" of what has been dissolved in it, and can be effective no matter how much it has been diluted.
http://nccam.nih.gov/health/homeopathy/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeopathy
http://www.quackwatch.com/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/homeo.html
There are probably some herbal remedies that call themselves "homeopathic" that are not truly homeopathic by the original definition, but it's probably worth being skeptical if a product has that on the label.

---

Here's something that seems to work for us, although it's not necessarily a "home remedy." My wife and I have found that melatonin helps us sleep better and wake up less in the middle of the night, or get back to sleep if we do wake up, and according to the Mayo website, studies have shown it helps people with odd schedules or jet lag to sleep better.

After being on your feet all day and they are killing you. Cup you hand and put just a little almond oil and about 6 drops of rosemary essential oil and message into your feet, 10 minutes later they will feel brand new.

Groomsporter, yes. I have to agree with your thoughts on homeopathy. I actually didn't mean to include that term in my thoughts. I was looking for a different term and that poped out. I've not had any experience with this myself, perhaps others have. I do know it's very very dilute and the idea is you get a dose of what ails you, kind of like a vaccine...like I said I don't know much about this. Doesn't seem like it's for me.

* Naturopathy is the term I was searching for! Knew it was lodged in there somewhere's...*


Yrose, youve reminded me of something my dad taught me. Oil of oregano for sinus and chest colds. He would buy the oil and empty capsules from the health store and put about three droppers in and take two a day.

Here's a site that will tell you what to look for in a good oregano oil. Be careful putting this on your skin or near your eyes as it's potent.

http://www.homeremediesweb.com/oil_of_oregano_health_benefits.php

Ginger root tea is good and soothing for a chest cold as well. Buy whole ginger root and slice it up and boil with water until the color of tea. Drink as strong as you can with a bit of honey. Good stuff.

On the off chance that there are other rat lovers on the board somewhere, Echinacea has helped combat the sneezes and wheezes if you catch them early enough. For anyone who has dealt with the tragedy of watching a poor little furry friend gasp for his breath due to a Mycoplasmosis flare up (which usually turns into nasty pneumonia), catching and treating the secondary infections earlier rather than later are of the utmost importance.

Ginger works well for nausea.
Also, the nausea pressure point is located three fingers from the line of your wrist, on the thumb side of the metacarpal tendons. With your right palm facing you, place three fingers on your wrist, the ring finger on the line of the wrist. This places your index finger right on the pressure point. Press good and hard, you need to send the signal to the brain to block the nausea signal.

Quote from: Kathryn (Fae) Weldon on June 30, 2009, 10:04:29 PM
Ginger works well for nausea.
Also, the nausea pressure point is located three fingers from the line of your wrist, on the thumb side of the metacarpal tendons. With your right palm facing you, place three fingers on your wrist, the ring finger on the line of the wrist. This places your index finger right on the pressure point. Press good and hard, you need to send the signal to the brain to block the nausea signal.

Just a note to be cautious using the nausea pressure points in pregnant/might be pregnant women.

Capt Marga

COLD SORES  >:(  Yuck!  I used to get them all the time.  My poor lips would swell and be horrible for days and days.  Now, when I feel that little *tingle* starting I have a string of "cures" to use, depending on what's at hand.
Spoon.  Put several spoons into the freezer to get them nice and cold-press one onto your lip and rotate them to keep them cold
Vitamin E oil.  It comes in gel tablet form.  Just pierce one, carefully, and rub the oil onto your lip (leave the remainder on the bathroom sink for continued use)
Lemon zest.  Scrape the color off the lemon and rub the oil onto your lip
Toothpaste.  Put a dab of white toothpaste on the sore to dry it up.  (gel paste doesn't work-it needs to be the white kind)

Quote from: Marietta Graziella on July 01, 2009, 04:21:02 PM
COLD SORES  >:(  Yuck!  I used to get them all the time.  My poor lips would swell and be horrible for days and days.  Now, when I feel that little *tingle* starting I have a string of "cures" to use, depending on what's at hand.
Spoon.  Put several spoons into the freezer to get them nice and cold-press one onto your lip and rotate them to keep them cold
Vitamin E oil.  It comes in gel tablet form.  Just pierce one, carefully, and rub the oil onto your lip (leave the remainder on the bathroom sink for continued use)
Lemon zest.  Scrape the color off the lemon and rub the oil onto your lip
Toothpaste.  Put a dab of white toothpaste on the sore to dry it up.  (gel paste doesn't work-it needs to be the white kind)

Neem Leaf Oil Extract (make sure it's the extract unless you like the icky smell of the full stuff) and tea tree oil also work wonders from cold sores to tooth infections to minor cuts to a tickle in the throat.

For cold sores on the inside of my mouth, I keep Gentian Violet in my medicine cabinet.  My mom used it from when I was a little girl.  It is purple, stains wherever it touches, so you have to be careful.

I put some on a Q-tip, and then dab on the inside of the mouth where the sore is.  Then I hold my mouth open wide with my finger and put my blow drier on low and dry it.

It tastes awful if you swallow it, and if it mixes with your saliva, you will have purple teeth, and you have to wait till it wears off, brushing won't remove it.

I know this sounds terrible, but if I put it on at night, blowdry it, when I get up the next morning, it is gone.  Or if I put it on in the morning and blowdry it, then by dinnertime it is gone.

I could only think of one thing to ad to this thread.  And it's probably not even helpful to most, lol.

Pink eye?  Squirt breast milk in it!

These are all really interesting suggestions.   As far as the skeptics debates are concerned, keep in mind that what may work for one person may not work for another.  As with everything in life, use common sense and your best judgement.  I think there is plenty of room for home remedies, certain kinds of homeopathy, as well as conventional medicine.  Just depends on what ails ya!

Has anyone seen on the internet the one about using Listerine to repel mosquitos?   Has anyone ever tried this?  I'd love to find an inexpensive, non-stinky non-icky bug repellant that I don't have to worry about staining clothes or furniture. 

I love essential oils. My chiropractor has turned me on to these and I know I'm getting high quality product from her.
I use peppermint essential oil the most. A few drops rubbed between your palms and then rubbed on a sore muscle relieves as well as advil. Or, rubbed on the belly will relieve nausea or menstrual cramps.
Lavender essential oil is good for stress relief. It can be rubbed on pulse points (i.e. wrists) or into the soles of the feet. Also good for sleep.
Tea tree essential oil is highly antimicrobial. Good for cold sores and canker sores.

Quote from: Leyla on July 01, 2009, 10:24:38 PM
Lavender essential oil is good for stress relief. It can be rubbed on pulse points (i.e. wrists) or into the soles of the feet. Also good for sleep.

I have an aromatherapy oil from Bath and Body Works for stress relief, it has peppermint and rosemary in it, to "refresh and foster creativity." 

Yay essential oils!

Quote from: Leyla on July 01, 2009, 10:24:38 PM

Tea tree essential oil is highly antimicrobial. Good for cold sores and canker sores.

Tea Tree oil is great for humans, but it's also potentially Highly toxic to cats ~ even though it's sometimes used in natural flea & tick repellants, there have been a few reported cases of cats getting sick or worse after exposure to Tea Tree oil. I've used it for myself with great sucess, but since learing of the potential toxicity to my Nergal (she's my kitty  :) ) I've looked for alternatives. It's just not worth it to me. I just learned about this recently, and was a bit shocked as I had recommended products for companion animals containing tea tree oil when I worked in a pet food & supply shop years ago...

A few links...

http://www.messybeast.com/teatree.htm (http://www.messybeast.com/teatree.htm)

http://www.veterinarywatch.com/Abstract-tea-tree-oil.htm (http://www.veterinarywatch.com/Abstract-tea-tree-oil.htm)

http://www.petcarenaturally.com/handouts/tea-tree-oil.pdf (http://www.petcarenaturally.com/handouts/tea-tree-oil.pdf)

http://www.beaverlakeah.com/site/view/63679_TeaTreeOil.pml (http://www.beaverlakeah.com/site/view/63679_TeaTreeOil.pml)

I am not affiliated with any of the above sites, I just wanted to add a caveat to information regarding an otherwise fantasic natural remendy for people. That said, if you don't have animals in the house, or are going to be away from them (camping, at Faire - if you don't bring them along) it's great for the first aid kit.

Spirits of camphor for the beginning of a cold sore.
Never fails.