OT - Cool cures

[30dive]

GRANDMA'S CURES

Keep this on the Fridge

 

Did You Know That? Drinking two glasses of Gatorade can relieve headache pain almost immediately -- without the unpleasant side effects caused by traditional "pain relievers."

Did you know that Colgate toothpaste makes an excellent salve for burns.

Before you head to the drugstore for a high-priced inhaler filled with mysterious chemicals, try chewing on a couple of curiously strong Altoids peppermints. They'll clear up your stuffed nose.

Achy muscles from a bout of the flu? Mix 1 Tablespoon of horseradish in 1 cup of olive oil. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes, then apply it as a massage oil, for instant relief for aching muscles.

Sore throat? Just mix 1/4 cup of vinegar with 1/4 cup of honey and take 1 tablespoon six times a day. The vinegar kills the bacteria.

Cure urinary tract infections with Alka-Seltzer. Just dissolve two tablets in a glass of water and drink it at the onset of the symptoms. Alka-Seltzer begins eliminating urinary tract infections almost instantly -- even though the product has never been advertised for this use.

Honey remedy for skin blemishes... Cover the blemish with a dab of honey and place a Band-Aid over it. Honey kills the bacteria, keeps the skin sterile, and speeds healing. Works overnight.

Listerine therapy for toenail fungus... Get rid of unsightly toenail fungus by soaking your toes in Listerine mouthwash. The powerful antiseptic leaves your toenails looking healthy again.

Easy eyeglass protection... To prevent the screws in eyeglasses from loosening, apply a small drop of Maybelline Crystal Clear nail polish to the threads of the screws before tightening them.

Coca-Cola cure for rust... Forget those expensive rust removers. Just saturate an abrasive sponge with Coca Cola and scrub the rust stain. The phosphoric acid in the coke is what gets the job done.

Cleaning liquid that doubles as bug killer... If menacing bees, wasps, hornets, or yellow jackets get in your home and you can't find the insecticide, try a spray of Formula 409. Insects drop to the ground instantly.

Smart splinter remover...just pour a drop of Elmer's Glue-All over the splinter, let dry, and peel the dried glue off the skin. The splinter sticks to the dried glue.

Hunt's tomato paste boil cure...cover the boil with Hunt's tomato paste as a compress. The acids from the tomatoes soothe the pain and bring the boil to a head.

Balm for broken blisters...To disinfect a broken blister, dab on a few drops of Listerine... a powerful antiseptic.

Heinz vinegar to heal bruises... Soak a cotton ball in white vinegar and apply it to the bruise for 1 hour. The vinegar reduces the blueness and speeds up the healing process.

Kills fleas instantly. Dawn dish washing liquid does the trick. Add a few drops to your dog's bath and shampoo the animal thoroughly. Rinse well to avoid skin irritations. Goodbye fleas.

Rainy day cure for dog odor... Next time your dog comes in from the rain, simply wipe down the animal with Bounce or any dryer sheet, instantly making your dog smell springtime fresh.

Eliminate ear mites... All it takes is a few drops of Wesson corn oil in your cat's ear. Massage it in, then clean with a cotton ball. Repeat daily for 3 days. The oil soothes the cat's skin, smothers the mites, and accelerates healing.

Quaker Oats for fast pain relief....It's not for breakfast anymore! Mix 2 cups of Quaker Oats and 1 cup of water in a bowl and warm in the microwave for 1 minute, cool slightly, and apply the mixture to your hands for soothing relief from arthritis is pain.

[MadBuffaloDisease]

Windex to cure anything. Duct tape to fix anything.

[plenzmd1]

Windex to cure anything.  Duct tape to fix anything.

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I think you are wrong on the Windex, it is Budweiser that cures all your ails

[Astrobot]

But nothing cures an immobile quarterback.

[UConn James]

It's kind of scary to think of how people came to try these things, and even scarier to think which of these are still in guinea pig stage.

 

For the ones involving bacteria and urinary tract infections (Alka Seltzer to kill an active bacterial infection?!!? Some hick saying "...and I'm all right now!" qualifies in the category of Tom Cruise medical advice) and pouring Listerine on open cuts/blisters (the English carpenter guy on Extreme Makeover:Home Edition did this last week and then promptly had to go to the ER b/c it made the problem 20x worse), I wouldn't be taking grandma's advice. For the rest of them, similar to how they did bloodletting up until the 1800s, people get better in spite of the "cure."

[Mark VI]

it is Budweiser that cures all your ails

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What does it cure ? The urge for horrid beer ?

[stuckincincy]

GRANDMA'S CURES

 

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Thanks for the info!

[plenzmd1]

What does it cure ? The urge for horrid beer ?

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Budweiser in this particluar instance was being used as a mataphorical reference intended to imply all beer, but for you beer snobs out there lets say" a nice aduilt beverage made from the finest hops, with a slight malty flavor at the end" helps all that ails ya.

[BillsFanNC]

Budweiser in this particluar instance was being used as a  mataphorical reference intended to imply all beer, but for you beer snobs out there lets say" a nice aduilt beverage made from the finest hops, with a slight malty flavor at the end" helps all that ails ya.

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But if you use that description then you couldn't include Budweiser/Miller etc. at all

 

To include Bud and the like it would be more like this:

 

A fizzy yellow adult beverage made using only the crappiest stale hops with absent flavor due to the use of cheap corn and rice in place of malted barley.

[Rubes]

Sore throat? Just mix 1/4 cup of vinegar with 1/4 cup of honey and take 1 tablespoon six times a day.  The vinegar kills the bacteria.

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Too bad the vast majority of sore throats are caused by viruses.

[Bill from NYC]

Too bad the vast majority of sore throats are caused by viruses.

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Do you believe in any of these cures?

[plenzmd1]

But if you use that description then you couldn't include Budweiser/Miller etc. at all 

 

To include Bud and the like it would be more like this:

 

A fizzy yellow adult beverage made using only the crappiest stale hops with absent flavor due to the use of cheap corn and rice in place of malted barley.

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Heh, I like my rice beer,however cannot explain why. Especially in the summer

[stuckincincy]

Heh, I like my rice beer,however cannot explain why.   Especially in the summer

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I'm not a fan of Bud, because it costs more than my Milwaukee Best Ice - which already costs my wife 42 cents a can to buy for me.

 

Living up on Cripple Creek is great, my friends...

[Ron Mexico]

Do you believe in any of these cures?

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Does Grandmama have anything that can cure me? Should I be dipping in Listerine before each use?

[Rubes]

Do you believe in any of these cures?

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I believe if you want to try them, go right ahead. If they work for you, great.

 

Unfortunately, there is no particular reason to think that these cure-alls would work any better than, say, standing on your head and sprinkling shredded parmesan cheese on your scrotum. If you really want to know if something works, probably the best you can do is a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial. Of course, nobody is going to do that with these remedies, so we'll probably never really know.

 

Which is not to say that they don't work. It's just that I have no reason to believe in them. They may sound better than the standing-on-your-head-parmesan-cheese thing, but that's really all. But when they start talking about vinegar killing the bacteria for sore throats, that just tells me they don't have a real good idea what's going on.

 

Of course, there are plenty of things we do in medicine that aren't backed by rigorous RDBPCTs, but unfortunately that's just the way it is, and we do the best we can. Sometimes that means trying things that don't always make the most sense.

[30dive]

Rubes.....I'm not so sure about the cheese on your scrotum....but if it works, what the hell go for it.....But Coke (Pepsi in Buffalo) works on rust, fabric sheets on wet dogs, although masking, does aid in wet dog smell, and a very nice lady I know tried the honey on a zit, covered it with a band-aid and the next morning it was gone, sure it might have gone away anyway, but.........

 

Further the Gatorade thing makes real sense, as most headaches are due to de-hydration, therefore hydrating yourself with Gatorade or the like, including water, in most cases should do the trick.

[UConn James]

Rubes.....I'm not so sure about the cheese on your scrotum....but if it works, what the hell go for it.....But Coke (Pepsi in Buffalo) works on rust, fabric sheets on wet dogs, although masking, does aid in wet dog smell, and a very nice lady I know tried the honey on a zit, covered it with a band-aid and the next morning it was gone, sure it might have gone away anyway, but......... 

 

Further the Gatorade thing makes real sense, as most headaches are due to de-hydration, therefore hydrating yourself with Gatorade or the like, including water, in most cases should do the trick.

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I can't see how that fabric sheet will stand up to a thoroughly soaked dog. Like bringing a squirtgun to a wildfire, if you ask me. Or do you dry them with a towel first? May be a good idea, and they won't have static cling, I gather. I just use some old Stetson on my dogs.

 

Don't 'they' say that Gatorade shouldn't be consumed by people who aren't working out/exercising/working hard? This may have more to do with consuming "empty calories" tho. I try to lie down for ~15 min. in a dark room and with a cold compress and if it's still going, I turn to the Tylenol, etc.

 

Maybe the honey thing and some others do work, or can't be proven/nobody cares enough to prove they work. But I can tell everyone here that the Listerine tips will make the problem worse, and that if you try treating bacterial/staph infections with Alka Seltzer, the results aren't going to be good. Meaning if they're not treated w/ antibiotics, you can die.

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

Too bad the vast majority of sore throats are caused by viruses.

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Then why the hell do doctors always prescribe antibiotics when you see them for a sore throat?

[JinVA]

standing on your head and sprinkling shredded parmesan cheese on your scrotum.

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ns

Speak for yourself Doc, its always worked for me.

[Rubes]

Then why the hell do doctors always prescribe antibiotics when you see them for a sore throat?

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This is precisely what my research is all about.

[Rubes]

Further the Gatorade thing makes real sense, as most headaches are due to de-hydration, therefore hydrating yourself with Gatorade or the like, including water, in most cases should do the trick.

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True. Some headaches are caused by dehydration. Water is a lot cheaper than Gatorade, though, unless you like the expensive bottled kind. The problem with Gatorade is that it contains a lot of sugar and salts, probably not the greatest for those who don't need extra in their diet.

 

Then again, a lot of headaches aren't due to dehydration.

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

This is precisely what my research is all about.

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No offense, but I hate doctors.

 

I have rosacea. I never knew it until I went to a dermatologist to get a yearly skin cancer screening (it runs in my family). I also get pink-eye A LOT.

 

1) My never doctor never said anything about my Rosacea.

 

2) My regular doctor continued to give me eyedrops for the pink-eye without treating the ROOT CAUSE of the problem...THE ROSACEA! It took a fugging detrmatologist to fix my pink-eye.

 

I swear to God, all doctors do is take guesses.

[stuckincincy]

True. Some headaches are caused by dehydration. Water is a lot cheaper than Gatorade, though, unless you like the expensive bottled kind. The problem with Gatorade is that it contains a lot of sugar and salts, probably not the greatest for those who don't need extra in their diet.

 

Then again, a lot of headaches aren't due to dehydration.

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Sevaral decades ago, pharmacies used to sell salt tablets, and gym teachers (remember them?) used to hand them out during outside gym in hot weather before all things sodium was villified

[Mark VI]

To include Bud and the like it would be more like this:

 

A fizzy yellow adult beverage made using only the crappiest stale hops with absent flavor due to the use of cheap corn and rice in place of malted barley.

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That still makes it sound better than it actually is.

[plenzmd1]

That still makes it sound better than it actually is. 

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Alright now Im getting mad LAY OFF MY BUD

 

Actually been drinkin a lot of Sams summer ale as it was on sale at the price club for $18 a case

[Rubes]

No offense, but I hate doctors.

 

I have rosacea. I never knew it until I went to a dermatologist to get a yearly skin cancer screening (it runs in my family).  I also get pink-eye A LOT.

 

1) My never doctor never said anything about my Rosacea.

 

2) My regular doctor continued to give me eyedrops for the pink-eye without treating the ROOT CAUSE of the problem...THE ROSACEA! It took a fugging detrmatologist to fix my pink-eye.

 

I swear to God, all doctors do is take guesses.

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It's definitely true that there are a lot of doctors out there who are not entirely up on their info. All doctors are not equal. It really is important to find a doctor that you're comfortable with, and who you can be confident in.

 

As for why they always prescribe antibiotics for sore throats, there has been a lot of research on it. It has a lot to do with patient expectations, perceived patient expectations, perceived satisfaction, lack of an understanding of the main causes of sore throats, the desire to quickly and easily end the encounter by handing out a prescription instead of explaining why you don't need an antibiotic, etc. Lots of factors come into play.

[Mark VI]

Alright now Im getting mad  LAY OFF MY BUD

 

Actually been drinkin a lot of Sams summer ale as it was on sale at the price club for $18 a case

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There is a slight difference between Sam Adams anything and redneck Bud swill. ...

[Terry Tate]

The thing that's so frustrating about home remedies, is you find some that work perfectly, and other's that are complete BS.

 

But I have found that baking soda works better than a lot of cleaning solutions.

 

I've used a small amount of blue Dawn liquid dish soap to wash an animal, and it killed every flea instantly. It's mild enough not to irritate the animal's skin. The rest of the ones listed here I can't vouch for.

 

Everyone's heard that you use tomato juice to get rid of skunk odor, right? Not really, but one of the most popular home remedies passed from person to person who have never actually used it. Sure, once your olfactory sense gets overwhelmed over a period of time, I suppose the smell of tomato juice may be noticable, but that skunk odor is still there. The acid in tomato juice does very little to remove it, not to mention the cost. Here's something I've used that I know works - (NOTE - avoid getting in pet's eyes/ears/mouth) - mix 1/4 cup of baking soda with a quart of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and add a tablespoon or so of liquid dish soap so that it will get some lather to it. Wash the affected area with that while it's still bubbling (whether it be a dog, you, a car, etc), let it sit for maybe 10 minutes, and rinse well. The odor is gone - completely. You may already know hydrogen peroxide will eventually turn to water. Where does that extra "O" go? It's carrying away the chemicals in skunk spray that cause the odor. Your pet will be completely odor free. You can also mix this in a spray bottle and spray your pet with it, then rinse. If your pet got sprayed in the skunk's den, chances are he took it full in the face, in which case I would recommend seeing the vet.

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

As for why they always prescribe antibiotics for sore throats, there has been a lot of research on it. It has a lot to do with patient expectations, perceived patient expectations, perceived satisfaction, lack of an understanding of the main causes of sore throats, the desire to quickly and easily end the encounter by handing out a prescription instead of explaining why you don't need an antibiotic, etc. Lots of factors come into play.

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But still....aren't they doing the public a HORRIBLE dis-service by wantonly prescribing antibiotics?

[Rubes]

But still....aren't they doing the public a HORRIBLE dis-service by wantonly prescribing antibiotics?

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Absolutely, yes. Which is why people like me do research into ways of persuading doctors and other providers to prescribe antibiotics more judiciously. Unfortunately, there are a lot of barriers to overcome.

 

It's easy to rag on doctors for over-prescribing antibiotics, and I do it all the time, but you have to keep in mind that the vast majority of the time there is no way to know if a particular illness is viral or bacterial. Most upper respiratory infections are viral and don't need antibiotics, but still in most cases there isn't a simple test to tell you if it's bacterial. And you can't tell just by signs and symptoms, even though a lot of docs (and patients) may try to convince you otherwise ("green snot" does not equal bacterial infection, for example).

 

So often we try to convince docs that they don't need to prescribe an antibiotic, but what if that patient turns out to actually have a bacterial infection? Again, in most cases, it won't matter -- a lot of them will resolve even without antibiotics (otitis media being a good example). But a small minority of cases will not get better, and may get a lot worse.

 

Would you want to be the doctor that didn't prescribe antibiotics for that sore throat that ended up developing into a potentially life-threatening retropharyngeal abscess?

 

Psychologically, it would be very hard. Economically, it could be devastating. It's why we now have "defensive medicine", and we know who to thank for that.