Alternative health OTC self treatments

[LouderVol]

I think it would be interesting to have a thread where VN can discuss alternative health fixes. The holistic/family secret/personal ways we have found to treat various non serious health issues. Think of this as the Macgyver self treatment threat.

this is not intended to take place of talking with a doctor or deal with serious issues. Just a discussion about alternatives to various OTC "treatments" that anecdotally work for you and might work for others.

General examples: rubbing dirt in it to stop bleeding or super gluing the cut. That last is accepted medical treatment now, but point remains.

A specific one I am dealing with at the moment are headaches. I used to get a bunch of stress related headaches and aspirin/tylenol type of stuff never worked. After years of trial and error I treat headaches in steps.
1. Make sure I am hydrated, drink a glass of water, wait 30 minutes.
2. If 1 doesnt work eat a light snack even if not hungry, wait 30 minutes.
3. If 1 and 2 dont work I turn to caffeine, specifically a soda. 95% of the time this takes care of my headaches.
4. Only if all that doesnt work do I turn to OTC pills/powders.

A different example is using ice to soothe/stop and itch. I have found it brings more immediate/satisfying results than most creams or medicines.

Anybody else got examples they use or thoughts?

 

[joevol33]

I get cut a lot at work, and accidentally grabbed a grease rag once that had grease on it, and it slowed the bleeding drastically. So now if I get cut, I dab grease on it. I also make homemade cough medicine for my wife, because she can't take any decongestants. It works good.

 

[superdave1984]

I get migraines. drinking water is a HUGE thing. Drink more than you think you can handle. Soak in a tub of water. You need to be as hydrated as humanly possible. Makes it go away way quicker. As for OTC painkillers for migraines, there are none that really do much for me. Years ago there was one called Orudis KT. Ketoprofen. I could take 2, wait a couple hours and take 2 more and about 2 hours later no more migraine. Unfortunately it was taken off the market. Now I just down advil like they are tic tacs.

Cuts. Super glue. Not the gel crap, old school stick your fingers together in less than a second super glue. Clean as well as you can, hold the cut closed, apply a bead of super glue. Hold together until the glue dries and you are set. BURNS LIKE CRAZY. but after a few seconds the cut is sealed. Lasts for a day or two then you have to do it again. NuSkin does not last as long.

Allergies. Get yourself some local honey and take a tablespoon of it at least a couple times a day. The closer the beehive to where you are the better.

 

[C-south]

I get cut a lot at work, and accidentally grabbed a grease rag once that had grease on it, and it slowed the bleeding drastically. So now if I get cut, I dab grease on it. I also make homemade cough medicine for my wife, because she can't take any decongestants. It works good.

R&R and tablespoon of honey?

 

[LouderVol]

I get migraines. drinking water is a HUGE thing. Drink more than you think you can handle. Soak in a tub of water. You need to be as hydrated as humanly possible. Makes it go away way quicker. As for OTC painkillers for migraines, there are none that really do much for me. Years ago there was one called Orudis KT. Ketoprofen. I could take 2, wait a couple hours and take 2 more and about 2 hours later no more migraine. Unfortunately it was taken off the market. Now I just down advil like they are tic tacs.

Cuts. Super glue. Not the gel crap, old school stick your fingers together in less than a second super glue. Clean as well as you can, hold the cut closed, apply a bead of super glue. Hold together until the glue dries and you are set. BURNS LIKE CRAZY. but after a few seconds the cut is sealed. Lasts for a day or two then you have to do it again. NuSkin does not last as long.

Allergies. Get yourself some local honey and take a tablespoon of it at least a couple times a day. The closer the beehive to where you are the better.

Curious about the honey. Does it only work for, I forget the correct term, but ground based allergens of grass and flowering plants? Or can it help with tree base allergies too?

Further is this something to do year round? Or only when the allergies kick in?

Personally i have found that spending time outside year round helps keep allergies down. When i lock myself indoors and go out in spring and fall allergies get bad enough to turn into sinus infections. But now that i have been running most of the year it hasnt been an issue.

 

[superdave1984]

Curious about the honey. Does it only work for, I forget the correct term, but ground based allergens of grass and flowering plants? Or can it help with tree base allergies too?

Further is this something to do year round? Or only when the allergies kick in?

Personally i have found that spending time outside year round helps keep allergies down. When i lock myself indoors and go out in spring and fall allergies get bad enough to turn into sinus infections. But now that i have been running most of the year it hasnt been an issue.

We took our kids to an "alternative medicine" guy. He is known around here as "The Witch Doctor". Anyway he told us about the honey thing. He was not specific about the types of allergies it worked for, but he said it HAS to be local honey, preferably raw honey. And you do it year round. Some of the stuff he does sounds kooky, but almost everything worked. He pinpointed a bunch of specific things the kids had reactions to. Pretty startling because he does not ask you about things before he does his work. And he was spot on.

 

[goldenvol]

Most people think they're having a migraine but its caffeine withdrawal. That's why goodys powders and excedrin migraine work so well, they're full of caffeine. Caffeine headaches are a mother you know what.

I've never had a real migraine but I've seen my wife suffer through one and I've never had a headache like that.

 

[Roustabout]

Most people think they're having a migraine but its caffeine withdrawal. That's why goodys powders and excedrin migraine work so well, they're full of caffeine. Caffeine headaches are a mother you know what.

I've never had a real migraine but I've seen my wife suffer through one and I've never had a headache like that.

I’ve been weening myself off caffeine because it’s a prostate irritant. It’s been going well. I started with half calf coffee, and now I’m mixing half calf with decaf. No withdrawal. Damn prostate is sensitive to any antihistamine and decongestant.
Not the pain and discomfort I expected as I figured it would be in the taint region. Thought I had a hernia. Lower abdomen, right at the pubic bone. Cutting our those things keeps it at bay.

 

[joevol33]

R&R and tablespoon of honey?

White liquor, honey, peppermint, and a tad of lemon juice.

 

[superdave1984]

Most people think they're having a migraine but its caffeine withdrawal. That's why goodys powders and excedrin migraine work so well, they're full of caffeine. Caffeine headaches are a mother you know what.

I've never had a real migraine but I've seen my wife suffer through one and I've never had a headache like that.

Excedrin Migraine is the exact same formula as Excedrin. Don't be fooled. Pay these prices and pay no more.
Combating migraines can be tricky. You have to find out what sends your brain into the rock crusher. For me it was mostly reactions to certain foods. Chocolate and onions were the biggest ones. Strangely in the last several years I have been able to have them without getting a migraine.